Favorable Geological Conditions for Paleozoic Shale Gas Accumulation in China

Abstract

China has huge Shale gas resources potential. The exploitation of shale gas can effectively reduce atmosphere pollution and relieve the energy shortage in China. The thickness, burial depth, organic richness and thermal maturity of Paleozoic shales in the different regions are studied and the favorable areas of shale gas are depicted. The most favorable formation for shale gas accumulations in Lower Paleozoic are Longmaxi and Niutitang shale and the favored regions mainly distributed in Yangtze area in southern China, the Tarim Basin, etc. The distribution of Upper Paleozoic shale gas mainly developed in Taiyuan and Shanxi formations in the Ordos Basin and North China. Through the comprehensive comparison, it is summarized that Yangtze area, especially in the northeast and southeast of Sichuan Basin, the west of Hubei province and the east of Chongqing province are the preferred choices for shale gas exploration.