Jiaoshiba Area Research Articles

Paleo-ocean redox environments of the Upper Ordovician Wufeng and the first member in lower Silurian Longmaxi formations in the Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan Basin

A study of paleo-ocean redox environments is important for understanding the deposition of black shale and has practical implications for shale gas exploration. Here, we selected a total of 52 shale samples from JY1 Well, the first shale gas well of commercial exploitation in China, to analyze the redox conditions of Upper Ordovician Wufeng (O3w) and the first member in lower Silurian Longmaxi shale (S1l1) in the Jiaoshiba area. Abundant pyrite framboids are observed in these units, with average framboid diameters ranging from 3.1 to 4.7 μm and maximum diameter about 10 μm. Analyses of redox-sensitive trace elements suggest the redox environment has evolved from an anoxic condition in the bottom of Member A to a dysoxic condition in the top of Member A, and to a dysoxic–oxic environment in Members B and C. Graptolite and radiolarian are discovered in these shale samples, indicating an oxygenated seafloor, which seems to be contradictory to the results from pyrite framboids and redox-sensitive trace elements. This contradiction is explained as follows: when the shale was deposited, the sedimentation was dominated by euxinic conditions; however, some oxygen may also occasionally migrate to the bottom water due to oxygen-deficient environment, deglaciation, and (or) strong upwelling of nutrient-enriched seawater, while the limited oxygen and anoxic environment is favorable for the preservation and accumulation of organic matter. Combined with the geological characteristics and redox conditions, Member A, especially the shales at the bottom of Member A, is expected to be the most favorable shale gas reservoir in the Jiaoshiba area.

Application of high-precision 3D seismic technology to shale gas exploration: A case study of the large Jiaoshiba shale gas field in the Sichuan Basin

The accumulation pattern of the marine shale gas in South China is different from that in North America. The former has generally thin reservoirs and complex preservation conditions, so it is difficult to make a fine description of the structural features of shale formations and to reflect accurately the distribution pattern of high-quality shale by using the conventional 2D and 3D seismic exploration technology, which has an adverse effect on the successful deployment of horizontal wells. In view of this, high-precision 3D seismic prospecting focusing on lithological survey was implemented to make an accurate description of the distribution of shale gas sweet spots so that commercial shale gas production can be obtained. Therefore, due to the complex seismic geological condition of Jiaoshiba area in Fuling, SE Sichuan Basin, the observation system of high-precision 3D seismic acquisition should have such features as wide-azimuth angles, small trace intervals, high folds, uniform vertical and horizontal coverage and long spread to meet the needs of the shale gas exploration in terms of structural interpretation, lithological interpretation and fracture prediction. Based on this idea, the first implemented high-precision 3D seismic exploration project in Jiaoshiba area played an important role in the discovery of the large Jiaoshiba shale gas field. Considering that the high-quality marine shale in the Sichuan Basin shows the characteristics of multi-layer development from the Silurian system to the Cambrian system, the strategy of shale gas stereoscopic exploration should be implemented to fully obtain the oil and gas information of the shallow, medium and deep strata from the high-precision 3D seismic data, and ultimately to expand the prospecting achievements in an all-round way to balance the high upstream exploration cost, and to continue to push the efficient shale gas exploration and development process in China.

Prediction of the Favorable Area for the Development of Fracture in Mud-Shale of Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in Jiaoshiba Area, Sichuan Basin

The main reservoir stratum of shale gas in the Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan basin is Wufeng-Longmaxi Formations. This paper calculates the tectonic difference stress values of JY1 well in different depths and numerically simulates the shale gas reservoir by elasto-plastic incremental method. The results of tectonic difference stress value suggest that the present tectonic stress values distribute strippedly in plane. The areas in favor of the development of fractures are stripped and mostly distributed in the northeast, middle and southwest of Jiaoshiba area, where the shale gas is concentrated.

Nano-scale pore structure and fractal dimension of organic-rich Wufeng-Longmaxi shale from Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan Basin: Investigations using FE-SEM, gas adsorption and helium pycnometry

Much attention have been recently paid to the upper Ordovician Wufeng shale (O3w) and lower Silurian Longmaxi shale (S1l) in the Jiaoshiba area of Sichuan Basin, which is now the largest producing shale gas field in China. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), low pressure gas (N2 and CO2) adsorption, helium pycnometry, X-ray diffraction and geochemical analyses were performed to investigate the pore structure and fractal dimension of the pores in O3w-S1l shale formation in the Jiaoshiba area. FE-SEM images show that organic matter (OM) pores are dominant in the organic-rich samples and these pores are often irregular, bubble-like, elliptical and faveolate in shape, while in organic-poor samples, limited and isolated interparticle (interP), intraparticle (intraP) and OM pores are observed. Reversed S-shaped isotherms obtained from nitrogen adsorption are type Ⅱ, and hysteresis loops indicate that the shape of micropore in the samples is slit-or plate-like. BET surface areas and total pore volume vary from 12.2 to 27.1 m2/g and from 1.8 × 10−2 to 2.9 × 10−2 cm3/g, with an average of 19.5 m2/g and 2.3 × 10−2 cm3/g, respectively. Adsorption volume from both N2 and CO2 adsorption increases with respect to TOC contents. Porosities obtained from helium porosimetry are comparable with these from gas (CO2 and N2) adsorption in O3w-S1l shale. However, porosity determined by quantitative FE-SEM analysis is much smaller, which is mainly related to limited resolution and the small areas of investigation.Based on the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) model of low-pressure N2 adsorption, fractal dimensions of the pores varied from 2.737 to 2.823. Relationships between pore structure parameters and TOC content, mineral composition and fractal dimension reveal that the fractal dimension is mainly associated with micropores. Samples with higher TOC content, higher quartz content and lower clay content tend to contain more heterogeneous micropores, resulting in higher fractal dimensions and more complicated pore structure in shales. Therefore, fractal dimension is an effective parameter to reflect the complexity of pore structure and the degree of micropore development in O3w-S1l shale.

Whole-Aperture Pore Structure Characterization and Its Effect on Gas Content of the Longmaxi Formation Shale in the Jiaoshiba Area, Sichuan Basin

Whole-Aperture Pore Structure Characterization and Its Effect on Gas Content of the Longmaxi Formation Shale in the Jiaoshiba Area, Sichuan Basin

Logging identification of the Longmaxi mud shale reservoir in the Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan Basin

Compared with conventional gas reservoirs, shale gas reservoirs are not sensitive to petrophysical properties, making it much difficult to identify this kind of reservoirs with well logging technologies. Therefore, through a comparison of the logging curves of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi marine shale in the Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan Basin, it is found that the mud shale on conventional log curves generally features high gamma ray, high uranium, low thorium, low kalium, relative high resistivity, high interval transit time, low neutron, low density and low photoelectric absorption cross section index, while on elements logging curves, it features an increase of silicon content and a decrease of aluminum and iron content. Based on the logging response characteristics of mud shale, the logging curves most sensitive to shale, gamma ray, neutron and density logging were selected and overlaid to identify mud shale effectively. On the basis of qualitative identification, the density logging value can identify the non-organic-rich mud shale from organic-rich mud shale, because the former has a density of 2.61–2.70 g/cm3, while the latter has a density of less than 2.61 g/cm3. The identification results agree well with the results of field gas content test, TOC experiment, and gas logging, so this study can provide reference for the logging interpretation.

Characteristics and controlling factors of micropore structures of the Longmaxi Shale in the Jiaoshiba area, Sichuan Basin

Pore structures in shales are a main factor affecting the storage capacity and production performance of shale gas reservoirs. Taking Longmaxi Shales in the Jiaoshiba area of the Sichuan Basin as a study object, we systematically study the microscopic pore structures of shales by using Argon-ion polishing Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), high-pressure mercury injection and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and desorption experiments. The study results show that: the Longmaxi Shale in this area are dominated by nano-scale pores which can be classified into organic pores, inorganic pores (intergranular pores, intragranular pores, inter-crystalline pores and dissolution pores), microfractures (intragranular structure fractures, interlayer sliding fractures, diagenetic shrinkage joints and abnormal-pressure fractures from organic evolution), among which organic pores and clay mineral pores are predominant and organic pores are the most common; a TOC value shows an obvious positive correlation with the content of organic pores, which account for up to 50% in the lower-quality shales with a TOC of over 2% where they are most developed; microscopic pore structures are very complex and open, with pores being mainly in cylinder shape with two ends open, or in parallel tabular shape with four sides open and 2–30 nm in diameter, being mostly medium pores. On this basis, factors affecting the micropore structures of shales in this area are studied. It is concluded that organic matter abundance and thermal maturity are the major factors controlling the microscopic pore structures of shales, while the effects of clay mineral content are relatively insignificant.

Geological Features and Reservoiring Mode of Shale Gas Reservoirs in Longmaxi Formation of the Jiaoshiba Area

This study is based on the sedimentation conditions, organic geochemistry, storage spaces, physical properties, lithology and gas content of the shale gas reservoirs in Longmaxi Formation of the Jiaoshiba area and the gas accumulation mode is summarized and then compared with that in northern America. The shale gas reservoirs in the Longmaxi Formation in Jiaoshiba have good geological conditions, great thickness of quality shales, high organic content, high gas content, good physical properties, suitable depth, good preservation conditions and good reservoir types. The quality shales at the bottom of the deep shelf are the main target interval for shale gas exploration and development. Shale gas in the Longmaxi Formation has undergone three main reservoiring stages: the early stage of hydrocarbon generation and compaction when shale gas reservoirs were first formed; the middle stage of deep burial and large-scale hydrocarbon generation, which caused the enrichment of reservoirs with shale gas; the late stage of uplift, erosion and fracture development when shale gas reservoirs were finally formed.