Mechanisms of abnormal overpressure generation in Kuqa foreland thrust belt and their impacts on oil and gas reservoir formation

Abstract

Based on overview for mechanism of abnormal overpressure generation in sedimentary basins, an insight discussion is made by the authors for the distribution, features and generation mechanisms of abnormal overpressure in the Kuqa foreland thrust belt. The abnormal overpressure in the Kelasu structure zone west to the Kuqa foreland thrust belt was primarily distributed in Eogene to lower Cretaceous formations; structural compression and structural emplacement as well as the containment of Eogene gypssalt formation constituted the main mechanisms for the generation of abnormal overpressure. The abnormal overpressure zone in the eastern Yiqikelike structure zone was distributed primarily in lower Jurassic Ahe Group, resulting from hydrocarbon generation as well as structural stress other than from undercompaction. Various distributions and generating mechanisms have different impacts upon the formation of oil and gas reservoirs. K-E reservoir in the Kelasu zone is an allochthonous abnormal overpressure system. One of the conditions for reservoir accumulation is the migration of hydrocarbon (T-J hydrocarbon source rock) along the fault up to K-E reservoir and accumulated into reservoir. And this migration process was controlled by the abnormal overpressure system in K-E reservoir. The confined abnormal overpressure system in the Yiqikelike structure zone constituted the main cause for the poor developing of dissolved porosity in T-J reservoir, resulting in poor physical property of reservoir. The poor physical property of T-J reservoir of Yinan 2 structure was the main cause for the absence of oil accumulation, but the presence of natural gas reservoir in the structure.