Source and distribution of mercury in natural gas of major petroliferous basins in China

Abstract

Based on the analysis of the natural gas samples of 146 wells from four major petroliferous basins of China, the source and distribution of mercury in natural gas in major petroliferous basins of China were identified. Studies have shown that the mercury concentration of natural gas in petroliferous basins of China varies widely, ranging from 0.01 to 4050 μg/m3. The gas well with the highest mercury concentration is in the Xushen gas field in the Songliao Basin. The mercury concentration in the craton basin is relatively low, and the secondary gas reservoir in the Tarim Basin has the lowest mercury concentration. In the rift basin, due to the presence of deep faults which cut the basement and mixing effects of deep fluids, the mercury concentration in natural gas may be abnormally high, e.g. the Xushen gas field in the Songliao Basin. In relatively stable basins where deep and large faults do not develop, mercury is primarily of organic origin. In rift basins where deep fluids are mixed with gas reservoirs, mercury in natural gas may mainly come from the deep fluids and is characterized by abnormally high mercury concentration and R/Ra values.