Primary intergranular pores in oolitic shoal reservoir of lower triassic feixianguan formation, Sichuan Basin, Southwest China: Fundamental for reservoir formation and retention diagenesis

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The Lower Triassic Feixianguan (飞仙关) Formation oolitic shoal reservoir in the Sichuan (四川) basin (Southwest China) is currently an exploration and research highlight in China. The reservoir is widely believed to be formed mainly by burial dissolution and/or dolomitization on the basis of primary intergranular pores. In this study, through a comprehensive geological study on the whole basin, the dissolution and dolomitization are suggested not to be the fundamental factor of reservoir formation and there thus may be a possible new fundamental mechanism—the preservation of primary intergranular pores, i.e., the retention diagenesis. Based on this, a complex and multi-stage reservoir evolution and formation model is proposed. In the model, the depositional environment is the basis of reservoir initial formation. Subsequently, early compaction and shallow burial cementation result in the primary reservoir differentiation. Then, multi-stage burial dissolution alters and adjusts the reservoir. Because the last stage gaseous hydrocarbons have little diagenetic impact, the reservoir is formed finally. Therefore, this study presents a possible new fundamental mechanism and evolution model for the reservoir formation. The results can be applied in the regional reservoir predication and shaping exploration strategies, and provide reference for the study of shoal reservoirs in other areas.