Pore Characteristics of the Fine‐Grained Tight Reservoirs in the Yabulai Basin, Northwestern China

Abstract

This work investigated the pore structure characteristics and reservoir features of the finegrained tight reservoirs in the lower member of the Xinhe Formation (J2x1) in the Xiaohu subsag, Yabulai Basin based on core samples through various techniques. Interbedded silt/fine sandstones and mudstones are developed in the study area. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were used to delineate different types of pores, including primary intergranular pores, secondary intergranular and intragranular pores, organic pores and fractures. The pore types were distinguished by pore size, pore area, location and formation process. The pore radii of the fine‐grained rocks range from 1 nm to 1.55 μm, mainly concentrated between 5 and 300 nm by low pressure N2 adsorption and MICP analyses. The pore structure parameters of pore throat size and pore throat sorting coefficient are both positively correlated with porosity, while pore throat sorting coefficient has a negative correlation with permeability. The pore structures of the studied samples are much related to the mineral type and content and grain size, followed by TOC content. In these rocks with relatively low TOC and low maturity, the rigid minerals protect pores with pressure shadow from collapse, and dissolution‐related pores contribute a lot to inorganic porosity. In contrast, these rocks with abundant TOC contain a large number of organic pores. The permeability of the fine‐grained tight reservoir is mainly dominated by larger pore throats, while a large number of small pores (mostly <0.1 μm) contribute considerably to porosity. These results have deepened our understanding of the interbedded fine‐grained tight reservoirs and can be applicable to fine‐grained reservoirs in a similar setting.