Geological models and controlling factors of gas content in marine–terrigenous shale in the Southern Qinshui Basin, China

Xiaowei Hou,Yanming Zhu,Zhenfei Jiang,Haitao Gao

doi:10.1177/0144598718800730

Xiaowei Hou, Yanming Zhu + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/0144598718800730

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Abstract

Geological prediction models for gas content in marine–terrigenous shale under the effects of reservoir characteristics and in situ geological conditions, were established using methane isothermal adsorption, high temperature/pressure methane isothermal adsorption, total organic carbon, X-ray diffraction, mercury porosimetry, porosity in net confining stress, and field desorption methods. Results indicated that the adsorption capacity of marine–terrigenous shale has a linearly positive correlation with total organic carbon content and maturity. Clay and quartz minerals are the two main components of inorganic minerals in marine–terrigenous shale, with an average content of 54.3% and 36.9%, respectively. Adsorption capacity of marine–terrigenous shale is slightly positive correlated with clay content, while it exponentially decreases with increasing quartz content. The effects of in situ temperature and reservoir pressure on adsorption capacity in marine–terrigenous shale are also significant. The adsorption capacity of marine–terrigenous shale shows a clear decreasing trend as temperature increases, while it increases with increasing reservoir pressure. The porosity of marine–terrigenous shale is characterized by highly stress-sensitive, decreasing exponentially with increasing effective stress, which results in a more complex occurrence of free gas in deep shale reservoirs. In addition, gas saturation for the shale samples was calculated based on the results of field desorption, after which geological prediction models of total gas, adsorbed gas, and free gas were established while considering the coupled effects. Adsorbed gas, free gas, and total gas content all initially increase as burial depth increases, and then eventually decrease. Adsorbed gas content and free gas content have a positive correlation with total organic carbon content and porosity, indicating that the total gas content at different burial depths is mainly controlled by the total organic carbon content and porosity.

Highlights

During the past decade, with the advancement of theory and technical degree, shale gas in particular has attracted increasing interest as a self-contained unconventional gas
There are three types organic-rich shale that are formed in the different depositional environments that serve as shale gas reservoirs in China: marine shale, marine–terrigenous shale, and terrigenous shale
Marine–terrigenous shale gas is characterized by a rich resource and widely distributed in China (Tang et al, 2016), especially in the marine–terrigenous strata that were deposited during the Carboniferous–Permian

Summary

Introduction

With the advancement of theory and technical degree, shale gas in particular has attracted increasing interest as a self-contained unconventional gas. The joint exploration and development of coal-measure shale gas, coalbed methane, and tight-sandstone gas (three natural gas) are considered to be an effective way of improving the production of unconventional gas resources contained in coal measure (Hou et al, 2017; Qin et al, 2016). The Ordos Basin and Qinshui Basin in China are gradually establishing demonstration areas of co-exploration for the three natural gas (Hou et al, 2018; Li et al, 2018; Liang et al, 2016; Meng et al, 2016; Qin et al, 2016), so accurate predict gas content in marine–terrigenous shale has great significance for this process

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