Characteristics and correlations of rock components, structure, and physical properties of deep clastic reservoirs in the LD-X area of Yinggehai basin, western South China Sea

Abstract

Deep clastic rocks in the LD area of the western South China Sea have undergone complex and historical processes of burial, thermal evolution, and diagenesis. As important factors affecting the porosity and permeability, rock components and structures can exhibit pronounced differences with complex lithologies in the vertical direction. In this study, we used a comprehensive method to analyze the lithological characteristics through thin-section observation, scanning electron microscopy imaging, cathodoluminescence, back-scattered electron imaging (on microprobe)), X-ray diffraction patterns of clays, grain size measurement, porosity–permeability analyses, and special imaging logging. The clastic rocks in the study area are dominated by quartz, feldspar, and debris, with the main lithology being subfeldspathic sandstone. The fillings are dominated by carbonate cement, and the clays are mostly illite. The sandstone is mostly grain-supported, moderately rounded, and fine-to medium-grained with poor-medium sorting. Porosity values are mostly in the range of 5–15%, whereas permeability values are in the range of 0.05–10.00 mD. Porosity and permeability are positively correlated with the quartz and feldspar contents and grain size and negatively correlated with the rock debris and carbonate cementing materials and sorting coefficient. These different correlations indicate that the rock components are closely related to the physical properties of the reservoirs. Sandstones with better physical properties generally have higher compositional and structural maturities. On this basis, a conceptual model of the evolution of rock components, structure and physical properties in the LD area is developed. It is verified by the logging profile that rock grouping can reflect both the good and bad physical properties, while simultaneously indicating the development patterns of high-quality reservoirs in the study area.