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Geoscience ›› 2022, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (02): 682-694.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2022.200

• Oil and Gas Exploration • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Reservoir Characteristics and Dynamic Accumulation Process of the Quaternary Mudstone Biogas

TANG Xianglu1(), JIANG Zhenxue1, SHAO Zeyu2, LONG Guohui2, HE Shijie1, LIU Xiaoxue1, WANG Yuchao1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
    2. Research Institute of Exploration and Development, PetroChina Qinghai Oilfield Company, Dunhuang, Gansu 736202, China
  • Received:2021-12-05 Revised:2021-12-25 Online:2022-04-10 Published:2022-06-01

Abstract:

Quaternary mudstone biogas is a new type of resource in unconventional oil and gas field, and has great exploration and development potential. Taking the Quaternary mudstone biogas at Sanhu (Qaidam Basin) as an example, the reservoir characteristics of the Quaternary mudstone biogas and its dynamic accumulation process are analyzed through core observation, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-pressure mercury injection and component analysis. The results show that the reservoir is characterized by frequent sand-mud thin interbeds and strong vertical and horizontal heterogeneity. In the early-stage diagenesis, Ro is below 0.3%. Rock consolidation degree is low, shells are not fossilized, and porosity is generally above 20% with many micro-/nano-pores. The TOC of mudstone reservoir is very low (average 0.2%-0.4%). The kerogen type is mainly Ⅲ, and the main components include crude fiber, hemicellulose, and organic nitrogen, representing the main source of the Quaternary mudstone gas generation. The Quaternary mudstone biogas is methane-dominated (average 98.85%) dry gas. The formation water type is mainly moderately-acidic CaCl2. The mudstone breakthrough pressure is the main drive for methane retention and accumulation. The characteristics of low permeability, water-rich, and clay determine that the mudstone has self-sealing ability. The cold climate, high salinity, sufficient gas source, and effective self-sealing are the key factors for mudstone biogas accumulation, and three mudstone biogas accumulation modes are established: (1) self-sealing enrichment zone in sag area, (2) water-sealing enrichment zone in slope area, and (3) overlapping enrichment zone of mudstone gas and sandstone gas in structural highs.

Key words: reservoir characteristics, dynamic accumulation, accumulation model, mudstone biogas, Quaternary

CLC Number: