Typical Reservoir Research Articles

Exploration and Practice of Synergistic and Efficient Development Technology for Gas-Capped Condensate Gas Reservoirs and Oil Rings

Abstract The oil-ringed condensate gas reservoir is one of the more unique and complex types of oil and gas reservoirs. The stable oil and gas interface is crucial for the efficient development of such reservoirs, and the fundamental means of addressing the issue lies in maintaining the dynamic balance between the gas cap and the oil ring. In this paper, we address issues such as the rapid decline in oil ring production, gas cap breakthrough, and increased condensate oil loss exposed during the development of the R carbonate reservoir in the Caspian Sea Basin of Kazakhstan. Using reservoir engineering and numerical simulation methods, we optimized synergistic development ideas and the boundaries of exploitation policies for gas-capped condensate gas reservoirs and oil rings. We formulated reasonable development parameters such as extraction rate, injection-production ratio, barrier water injection ratio, and proposed dynamic control standards for zoning and classification. After implementing the plan, the gas-oil ratio of the oil ring significantly decreased, with a reduction rate of 12 percentage points. The gas production per unit pressure drop increased by 40%. The annual decline rate of condensate oil decreased from 23.6% to 13.8%. All development indicators exhibited characteristics of benign development, providing a theoretical foundation and technical methods for guiding the efficient development of similar oil and gas reservoirs.

Study on the Effect of Nitrogen Bubble Foam Flooding in Deep Heavy Oil Reservoirs with Edge And Bottom Water

Abstract The oil recovery rate is low, the degree of recovery is low and the water content rises fast after water flooding in deep edge and bottom water heavy oil reservoir in Lukeqin oilfield. In order to explore the method to improve the production effect, the integrated foam system of high temperature and high pressure resistant viscosity reduction and oil displacement is optimized. On the basis of clarifying the mechanism of improving the production effect of nitrogen foam flooding for deep heavy oil, taking the west area of Lukeqin oilfield as the research object, the parameter optimization design of nitrogen foam flooding for deep edge and bottom water heavy oil is carried out, such as injection section plug, gas-liquid ratio and injection-recovery ratio. The optimization results are as follows: the injected nitrogen foam slug is 0.2pv, the gas-liquid ratio is 1-1.2, and the injection production ratio is 1:1. The pilot test of 4 well groups was carried out on the site. After foam flooding, the injection pressure was increased by 5.2mpa, the daily oil production of the oil well was increased by 43T / D, the water cut was decreased by 45%, the accumulated oil production was increased by 32000 tons, and the oil recovery was expected to be increased by more than 10%. The purpose of improving the development efficiency of this type of oil reservoir was achieved. Using this optimization technology for scheme design and field implementation, the oil enhancement effect is remarkable and improves the benefit of deep thick oil development, which can provide technical support for the development of similar domestic reservoirs.

Influence of Heterogeneous Reservoir on Carbon Sequestration and Carbon Displacement

Abstract Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) is a method of burying CO2 captured in various ways into the reservoir and extracting the remaining oil from the reservoir. It is one of the important methods to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality in the next few decades, and it is also considered to be the most economical and effective method to slow down the greenhouse effect. It is very important to study the influence of reservoir heterogeneity on CO2 storage and oil recovery in order to make CCUS scheme store more CO2 and recover more remaining oil. Firstly, the numerical simulation model of reservoir is established in this paper. Its injection-production mode is gas injection in vertical wells at the top of the reservoir at a fixed gas injection rate, and oil production in horizontal wells at the bottom of the reservoir at a fixed pressure. Secondly, the distribution of reservoir porosity and permeability is designed, and four reservoir models are established: homogeneous reservoir, heterogeneous reservoir, positive rhythm heterogeneous reservoir and reverse rhythm heterogeneous reservoir. Finally, the effects of four reservoir models on CO2 storage and oil recovery are studied, and the migration law of CO2 is comprehensively analyzed according to the characteristics of reservoir pressure distribution. The reverse rhythm reservoir has the best CO2 storage effect, and the positive rhythm reservoir has the highest oil recovery. That is, when burying is the main method, the reverse rhythm heterogeneous reservoir is preferred; When oil displacement is the main method, positive rhythm reservoir is preferred. Among the four homogeneous or heterogeneous reservoirs, the migration law of CO2 in reservoirs is quite different, mainly due to the influence of reservoir heterogeneity. CO2 preferentially migrates from the dominant channels in the reservoir, but regardless of the reservoir type, the molar fraction of CO2 at the top of the reservoir is the highest. In addition, the CO2 invasion of four kinds of reservoirs in different stages of caprock is analyzed and its safety is analyzed. This study provides an effective reference for the establishment of numerical simulation models of different types of heterogeneous reservoirs, the migration characteristics of carbon dioxide in reservoirs and the effective operation and evaluation of CCUS scheme.

Study on Variability Production Characteristics of Fracturing Fluid Imbibition Displacement for Typical Shale

Abstract CO2 injection is a prominent measurement to enhance the recovery of shale reservoirs. The imbibition of fracturing fluid + CO2 additive is considered important for promoting the enhancement and stabilization of shale oil production to ensure energy supply. The imbibition experiments of fracturing fluid + CO2 additive were carried out in shale reservoirs with a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) test. The imbibition displacement characteristics at different pore scales of shale were quantitatively evaluated. The variability of the imbibition effects in shale reservoirs was clarified in terms of shale type, fracturing fluid type, and CO2 additive (pressure). This finding indicates that the effectiveness of the fracturing fluid + CO2 additive imbibition on shale reservoirs is stronger, and the imbibition displacement efficiency ranges from 33.38 % to 41.56 %. The imbibition contribution rate is considerably higher for small pores than for large pores, and the difference between them is more than 10%. Therefore, the imbibition of fracturing fluid + CO2 additive mainly extracted crude oil from the small pores of shale reservoirs. CNI nano variable-viscous slippery water is more effective for imbibition displacement in laminar type shale. For laminated type shale, EM30+ + guanidine gum mixed water has a better imbibition effect than CNI nano variable-viscous slippery water. Under 16 MPa CO2 + fracturing fluid (miscible states), the imbibition displacement efficiency of the shale is significantly enhanced. The imbibition displacement degree at different pore scales is also increased. For different types of shale reservoirs, the imbibition displacement degree at different pore scales would be improved by methods, including the optimization of the fracturing fluid or the change of imbibition conditions. This study presents a theoretical underpinning for the high-efficiency exploitation in shale reservoirs.

Research on Numerical Simulation Methods for Water Invasion Dynamics in Fractured Gas Reservoirs with Water Content

Abstract Fractured gas reservoirs with water have complex gas-water relationship, large permeability difference between matrix and fracture, complex gas-water percolation mode, rapid production decline, short stable production period and large reduction of recovery factor due to water production of gas wells, which poses great challenges to efficient development of gas fields. The fracture system is the main channel for the edge and bottom water channeling of gas reservoirs. It is the core issue to understand the water invasion dynamic characteristics of such gas reservoirs to accurately depict the fracture geometry occurrence and truly simulate the gas-water two-phase flow mechanism in the fracture-matrix dual media. Taking the Jia-2 gas reservoir in Moxi gas field as an example, a discrete fracture model construction method that explicitly characterizes the fracture system is proposed. Based on the discrete fracture model, a mathematical model of gas-water two-phase flow in the fracture-matrix dual system is constructed and numerically solved. The influence mechanism of fracture opening, length, density and occurrence on the water invasion performance of multi-layer gas reservoirs is discussed, and the main control factors of the water invasion and water channeling law of fractured water gas reservoirs are identified. The application shows that the water invasion dynamics of gas reservoirs based on the discrete fracture model are more consistent with the actual conditions of the mine, providing a theoretical basis for deepening the understanding of water invasion dynamics of this type of gas reservoirs, optimizing the gas well working system, and formulating targeted water control countermeasures..

Development and Application of a Chelating Acid for Water Injection Wells of Chang 6 Reservoir of An-Sai Oilfield

Abstract Ansai oilfield is a typical low permeability, low pressure, low yield and serious heterogeneity oilfield. Chang 6 play of Triassic YanChang Formation is a typical ultra-low permeability reservoir. The average porosity of the reservoir is 10 % ~ 14 %, and the average permeability is (0.2 ~ 4.0) × 10−3 μm2. The absolute content of clay minerals in the reservoir is relatively high, with an average content of 18.61 %. The main components are kaolinite, chlorite, illite and illite/montmorillonite interlayer. Due to the reservoir blockage caused by scaling, water sensitivity and formation particle migration in the process of water injection, high injection pressure and under injection wells is increasing dramatically. In view of the above challenges, a fit-for-purpose acid, which contains organic acids and chelating agents, was developed for injection pressure reduction and injection enhancement. It has the characteristics of strong dissolution, good retarding and corrosion inhibition performance. Corrosion rate is 0.5632 g / (m2·h) for J55 steel in 24h, and the core permeability increases by 74.57 % after acid flooding. It has been applied in field test of 3 wells in Chang 6 layer of Ansai oilfield since March 2024. The average daily injection volume increased by 37.87 %, and the validity period was more than 180 days.

Application of vertical seismic profile multi-component data to tight sandstone gas reservoirs

Abstract Given the complex geological characteristics of the tight gas sandstone in the Shaximiao Formation of the Jurassic in the central Sichuan Basin, including its wide distribution, narrow width, and thin thickness, conventional surface seismic methods face significant challenges in reservoir delineation. To address this challenge, a vertical seismic profile (VSP) survey was conducted in the region in 2022, along with the simultaneous collection of 3D3C surface seismic data. This article mainly elaborates on a case study of using multi-component VSP technology to delineate tight sandstone gas reservoirs. By comparing the processed VSP imaging volume with the surface seismic imaging volume, it was discovered that the frequency width of the VSP image was 8 to 12 Hz higher than that of the surface seismic image. Utilizing the multi-component information in VSP data, it is feasible to more precisely delineate tight gas sandstones, thereby reducing the uncertainty of data interpretation. Based on the conventional data interpretation of these images, an innovative application suggests using the centroid frequency ratio of PSv to PP waves as an indicator for tight sandstone. The results show that this attribute has high sensitivity to this type of reservoir. Combining geological, drilling, and logging data, an interpretation template was established based on VSP data to interpret 3D3C surface seismic data and propose new drilling well locations. The conclusion is that the successful application of VSP technology cannot be achieved without the integration of multiple disciplines. The combined exploration technology of multi-component VSP and 3D3C surface seismic has been demonstrated to have high application value through practical application, significantly improving the success rate of gas wells and providing effective support for the exploration and development of tight sandstone gas reservoirs.

Application of Seismic Attribute Clustering Method Based on PCA-SOM in Identification of Paleochannels

Abstract Paleochannels are crucial reservoir types in continental oil and gas fields. The P oil layer in the Sanzhao Depression of the Songliao Basin is a typical example of river-controlled delta-phase deposition. The underwater diversion channel is highly developed and serves as the primary unit of the oil and gas reservoir. The stacking of the river channel creates a complex relationship. Identifying river channels has always been a challenging aspect of predicting sweet spot reservoirs due to the thinness of the sand, fault cutting, seismic acquisition and processing noise, low-resolution constraints, and other factors. This paper proposes a method for identifying river channels by combining principal component analysis (PCA) and self-organised mapping network (SOM) with seismic attribute clustering. The aim is to address the issue of difficult identification of paleochannels. The seismic attribute set, which contains multiple types of attributes, is first dimensionality reduced using principal component analysis. Then, a few principal components that can characterise the attribute set are extracted and used as inputs to the self-organising map (SOM). This reduces the dimensionality of the training sample set and simplifies the network structure. The self-organising neural network structure is designed based on the input sample features. Training is then carried out, and the network weights are updated. Attribute clustering is performed to obtain the river identification results. The effectiveness of this method for paleochannel recognition is verified by the clear morphology of the recognised paleochannels in the Songliao Basin, their conformity to geological understanding, and their matching with drilling information.

Synthesis and performance evaluation of polymer-ceramic composite microcapsules as reservoir protectant for natural gas hydrate drilling.

Natural gas hydrate is a promising unconventional natural gas source due to its high energy density and huge global reserves. During exploitation, the drilling fluid may invade the hydrate formation and induce hydrate decomposition, causing reservoir damage. Herein, a novel reservoir protectant made by bio-degradable temporary plugging material (BDTPM) was developed in the form of polymer-ceramic composite microcapsules. As an additive to the drilling fluid, the BDTPM can minimize drilling fluid intrusion by plugging the reservoir during drilling and afterwards maximize permeability recovery by degrading the material. The particle size distribution was in the range of 1-130μm. The optimal mass ratio between modified ceramic particles, ethyl cellulose and epoxy resin was found to be 4:2:1. The plugging rate was 100% when ethyl cellulose and epoxy resin were mixed to coat the ceramic particles to form BDTPM, and the plugging performance was the best. At a temperature close to the typical hydrate reservoir environment (5°C), 0.02 wt% low-temperature complex enzyme can degrade BDTPM, and the permeability recovery rate is 64.66%. The efficient reservoir protectant developed in this work could play an important role in the successful drilling of natural gas hydrate reservoirs.

Modern aspects of rabies in Cameroon

The article presents the results of an epidemiological study of the incidence of rabies in the population of the Republic of Cameroon in the period from 2014 to 2022. The system of epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of rabies in Cameroon is presented. According to WHO, human and animal rabies is recognized as endemic to Central Africa as a whole, and in Cameroon, in particular, this infectious goiter is classified as the first priority zoonosis within the framework of the National Program for the Prevention and Control of Recurrent and Re-emerging Zoonosis (PNPLZER). The average annual incidence of rabies recorded between 2014 and 2022 was 405.7% (95% CI: 401.9% – 409.5%). Based on the results of a retrospective epidemiological analysis, the dynamics of rabies cases among people in Cameroon is presented in accordance with data recorded at the Operational Center for Public Health Emergencies (CCOUSP). The highest rates were recorded in the period from 2018 (547.4%) to 2019 (276.8%), and the lowest in 2021 (10.7%) to 2022 (3.1%). To identify socio-demographic risk factors, a survey of rabies foci was conducted using specially designed questionnaires (epidemiological information collection cards). Mapping of registered cases of rabies in humans was carried out for 10 administrative regions of the country using the LTR QGIS (quantum GIS) program, which allowed us to show the distribution of cases across the country and dynamics over time. It has been established that the distribution of cases of the disease across the territory does not always depend on the population density in administrative districts, but is associated with specific socio-demographic risk factors such as profession, gender, age, type of animal reservoir of the virus, which affect the activity of the pathogen circulation among natural hosts.

FEATURES OF THE LITHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RESERVOIR ROCKS AND HYDROCARBON RESERVOIRS IN THE MIDDLE DEVONIAN SEDIMENTS OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE TUZLIV DEPRESSION (DOBRUDJA FOREDEEP)

The aim of the work was to clarify the features of the lithological structure of the Middle Devonian sediments of the Zhovtoyarska-Tuzlivska and Biloliska-Zarichnenska prospective areas of the Dobrudja Foredeep and to determine its influence on the formation of reservoir rocks, traps and hydrocarbon reservoirs. The research was based on the results of geophysical research of wells (radioactive methods) in combination with fragmentary geological (lithological) data. As a result, 9 lithocycles of regressive nature were identified in the section for the first time (e-1 – e-5; g-1 – g-4). Each lithocycle is characterized by a two-membered structure and represents a separate productive horizon (PH). The lower parts of the latter are composed of porous and fractured reservoir rocks (limestones, dolomites, siltstones, sandstones), and the upper parts are composed of fluid-resistant packs (marls, anhydrites). It has been shown that cyclites are grouped into larger units (mesocyclites) of re- or progressive nature, which in different wells (in separate intervals) exhibit a certain similarity or difference in structure. Such spatial and age variability is caused, on the one hand, by the placement of wells in different facies zones of the sulfate-carbonate shelf, and on the other, by the processes of interaction of synsedimentary tectonic movements and paleoceanographic (sea level changes, etc.) factors. The consequence of this is the lateral lithological heterogeneity, which in the petrogeological aspect is manifested in the morphological features of the reservoirs and the character of the development of various types of reservoirs and ultimately determines, taking into account secondary rock changes, the prospects of specific productive horizons. Thus, for the Zhovtoyarska-Tuzlivska area, the vaulted trap is localized near borehole Zhovtoyarska-1 (e-1, e-2 productive horizons), according to other horizons it is fixed near borehole Zhovtoyarska-2. The development of lithological traps is predicted in e-1, e-3 and e-4 productive horizons, which is associated with the wedging of pore reservoirs in the direction from borehole Tuzlivska-2 to borehole Zhovtoyarska -2 and -1. For most productive horizons, the quality of reservoir rocks is expected to deteriorate in the same direction, which suggests the possibility of catagenetic screening of fluids. For the Biloliska-Zarichnenska area, along all productive horizons, trap vaults are localized near borehole Zarichnenska-1 or further south. The most capacious are the traps of horizons e-1, e-4 and e-5, composed mainly of pore-type collectors, the quality of which is low due to anhydritization. The best reservoir rocks are predicted in the Givetian sediments (g-2 – g-4 productive horizons) of borehole Zarichnenska -1.

Fracability evaluation model for unconventional reservoirs: From the perspective of hydraulic fracturing performance

Fracability evaluation for unconventional reservoir is critical to the selection of candidate zones for post-frac productivity and plays a key role in fracturing design. Historically, the prevailing models for assessing fracability have been largely relied on brittleness indices. Brittleness indices focus mainly on rock fracture characteristics and offers limited assessment of fracture surface area and the complexity of fracture network, which are more relevant to the practical production. We explored a new fracability evaluation model for unconventional reservoirs from the perspective of fracturing performance, which comprehensively characterizes the rock's ability to generate larger fracture surface areas, more shear fractures and complex fracture networks. The new fracability index considers both the physical processes of rock failure and fracture propagation, and is directly associated with the dynamic production capacities of reservoir. According to the analysis of energy conservation during hydraulic fracturing, we quantify the rock fracture surface area using the KGD and the PKN models. The ability of rock formation to generate shear fractures is mainly influenced by Poisson's ratio and mode II fracture toughness. Brittle mineral content and mineral heterogeneity are two vital criteria that significantly affect the complexity of fracture networks. Based on the logging and production data, this fracability model was applied to two types of unconventional reservoirs. Preliminary results show that this fracability model has an improved correlation with the pay zones and actual production, which is beneficial for optimizing fracturing strategies and identifying production sweet spots.

Identification of the low resistivity-low contrast (LRLC) gas-bearing pay zones in Shaly sand reservoirs using acoustic data: a case study from the Messinian Abu Madi formation, onshore Nile Delta, Egypt

AbstractDetection of the low resistivity-low contrast (LRLC) reservoirs is among the main challenges in the oil industry. In this concern, the LRLC pay zones of the Upper Messinian Abu Madi clastic reservoirs in the onshore Nile Delta Gas fields became a main challenge for significant exploration. This type of reservoirs, including low resistivity-low contrast zones and thin-bedded intervals, are often overlooked using the conventional petrophysical evaluation techniques, especially in the wildcat exploratory wells or highly agitated shoreline depositional environments like the Nile Delta of Egypt. These hidden low contrast reservoirs are generally challenging due to the presence of many shale intercalations/laminations and/or due to increasing the shale volume represented in the form of dispersed distribution, and the dominance of conductive clay minerals. Therefore, in this study, the expected high resistivity values of the gas-bearing reservoir intervals of the Abu Madi Formation in the onshore Begonia gas Field, as a typical case study of the LRLC reservoirs, are masked due to the relatively high shale conductivity, particularly when the thickness of these intervals is less than the vertical resolution of the utilized conventional resistivity log. To verify the LRLC phenomena of the Begonia gas Field, the obtained data was compared to the South Abu El Naga gas Field as a normal case study with a relatively high resistivity gas-bearing pay zone. To overcome the impact of the conductive clay mineral content and identify these hidden low resistivity reservoir intervals, it is necessary to integrate the conventional logging data (gamma-ray, shallow and deep resistivity, density, and neutron) with the acoustic log data including shear and compressional sonic data. In this way, a useful relationship can be established enabling the detection of these hidden LRLC reservoir intervals. This integration is based on the principle that shear waves are not influenced by the fluids types, whereas the compressional sonic waves are influenced by the reservoir fluids. However, to effectively investigate these concealed LRLC reservoir intervals, which can boost production and increase the potential reserves, it is essential to have a low water cut value. The present study represents introduces an efficient workflow, which can be extended to other similar LRLC pay zones in the Nile Delta and northeast Africa. It is also extendible to the LRLC reservoirs in similar deltaic systems having conductive minerals-bearing reservoirs or thin beds.

Distribution law of Chang 7 Member tight oil in the western Ordos Basin based on geological, logging and numerical simulation techniques

Abstract Fine characterization of oil plane distribution in highly heterogeneous tight sandstone is a prerequisite for efficient reservoir development. This study systematically evaluated the distribution characteristics of tight oil in the Chang 7 Member of the Western Ordos Basin using a large number of experimental tests, logging interpretation, and 3D modelling methods. The logging interpretation models of shale content, porosity, permeability, and oil saturation were constructed, and the effective reservoir was identified by establishing the intersection identification pattern of reservoir acoustic wave time difference and deep lateral resistivity. The 3D numerical simulation results showed that the tight oil is distributed between injection and production wells. The areas with high tight oil content are mainly distributed along the WE direction, and a series of high remaining oil zones are formed locally. Under the influence of long-term injection and production, a high permeability zone will be formed between wells, which is similar to a high-speed channel and will be flooded quickly, and a banded remaining oil retention zone will be formed around it. For the horizontal well flooding area, the water flooding range of the water injection well is small, and a large amount of remaining oil is enriched between water injection wells. Finally, the classification standard of the remaining oil in the Chang 72 sub-member of the study area is proposed, and then, the strategy of adopting different development and adjustment schemes according to different types of reservoirs is formed.

3D-printed implants loaded with acriflavine for glioblastoma treatment

Drug delivery routes play an essential role in determining the efficacy and safety of medications. This study focused on the development and optimization of 3D-printed reservoir type implants as a combinational therapy drug delivery system for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) post-surgery, possessing also antibacterial properties. In this study, we used a multimodal agent, Acriflavine (ACF) as an alternative drug to treat GBM. To date, ACF is used only as an antiseptic agent, although it has been shown to possess strong anticancer activities. ACF and a low molecular weight PCL were loaded into 3D-printed reservoir-type implants for sustained drug delivery. The study demonstrated that ACF implants exhibited sustained drug release kinetics, with faster release during the initial 30 days, followed by a gradual decrease over 90 days. This controlled release profile enhances the effectiveness of ACF delivery to tumour targets while minimizing side effects associated with systemic administration. In vitro experiments confirmed the inhibitory activity of ACF against GBM cells compared to non-tumour cells. The study also highlighted the bacteriostatic effects of ACF, making the implants potentially useful for post-surgery infection management, particularly against S. aureus, a common bacterial infection associated with brain surgery. The long-term drug-release capabilities of the implants make them attractive candidates for both tumour inhibition and antibacterial treatment. The study suggests that the developed ACF delivery systems have the potential for future clinical studies. Their ability to provide increased drug efficacy without systemic toxicity makes them promising candidates for cancer therapy and post-surgery infection management.

Conceptual modelling on water-rock reaction and genesis of high pH fluids in a typical granitoid geothermal reservoir: A case from Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone, India

Two novel thermal springs are investigated along ITSZ of north-west Himalayas in Demchok geothermal belt. The area consists of deep-seated faults in LGB; despite being situated in ITSZ, fluid chemistry of these low-temperature springs differs significantly, specifically in terms of low TDS (161–168 mg/l) and high alkalinity, with neighbouring springs in Puga and Chumathang (∼2100 mg/l). Thermal waters are mixed type (Na–Cl–HCO3–SO4) with elemental composition influenced through silicate rock weathering and partial carbonate dissolution. Variable temperature speciation (25 °C–200 °C) indicates that in reservoir fluid, Na+ precedes over other cations, while sulfate and carbonate complexes being prominent for Mg and Ca, respectively. Aquifer boiling modelling suggests calcite scaling and silica mineral equilibration in reservoir. Environmental stable isotopes (δ18O and δD) suggest high-altitude recharge from Jamlung La (6156 m), with altitude-effect of 0.43 ‰ isotopic depletion per 100 m elevation in altitude. As only silica minerals equilibrate with thermal waters, silica, and gas geothermometers give most conservative estimate of reservoir temperature (125°−135 °C). The steep topography enables extensive lateral flow of hot fluids in outflow zone, leading to high mixing and a high water-rock ratio, which contribute to lower TDS. Conceptual modelling reveals that geothermal system is a low-enthalpic hydrothermal system controlled by joints and permeable fractures, having deep fluid circulation of meteoric waters of ∼1275 m at sub-surface, with anomalous geothermal gradient and steam migration as reservoir heat sources. These fluids closely resemble springs of Guerrero state, Mexico, exhibiting similarities in low-TDS, high-pH, and high concentration of dissolved silica.

Integrated geological quality evaluation using advanced wireline logs and core data: a case study on high clay shale oil reservoir in China

Abstract In the unconventional energy sector, shale oil is increasingly recognized as a crucial supplement to production. In recent years, China has made significant advancements in the development of shale oil. A unique type of pure shale reservoir in the Songliao basin, distinct from established shale oil reservoirs worldwide, has emerged as a focal point for exploration and research endeavors. This kind of shale exhibits enhanced heterogeneity, high clay content, intricate rock electricity relationship, posing significant challenges to formation evaluation. This study introduces conversion coefficients for the elements and minerals, a decision tree model, a variable T2 cutoff value method, and 2D NMR cluster analysis, all based on the integration of microimaging, spectroscopy, and 2D NMR logging. These novel approaches facilitate a comprehensive geological quality evaluation of key parameters, including mineral composition, lithology, effective porosity, total organic carbon content, fluid composition, and saturation characteristics within pure shale formations from the Songliao Basin. The established petrophysical model has been validated by core analysis data and successfully applied in exploration wells. Through systematic petrophysical analysis, the optimal landing point for horizontal wells was identified based on the identification of the best reservoir quality interval with high movable oil and oil saturation. The subsequent drilling of horizontal wells demonstrated the reliability of petrophysical evaluation in terms of oil production. This integrated evaluation method for pure shale holds reference significance for similar shale reservoirs in other blocks in the future.

Volcanic weathered crust reservoir analog: Insights from fault-controlled fracture permeability in the trachytic rocks of the Pernambuco Basin, NE Brazil

Naturally fractured volcanic rocks represent a globally significant potential hydrocarbon reservoirs and can also be used for CO2 storage; however, the study of volcanic reservoirs in Brazil is limited. Although numerous volcanic reservoir types have been classified, relatively few studies are dedicated to the weathering of crust-like reservoirs, i.e., volcanic rocks undergoing subaerially alteration by weathering prior to deep burial. This study aims to characterize a volcanic weathered crust reservoir analog located in the coastal zone of the Pernambuco Basin, NE Brazil. We applied a multiscale approach motivated by the expressive potential of volcanic rocks as reservoirs in this marginal basin and considered their implications for CO2 geological storage projects. The deformational aspects observed in this analog have also been observed in other volcanic rocks that crop out in the coastal zone, thus, the data provided here can guide future characterization of both onshore and offshore reservoirs. We focused on an 80 m wide outcrop and employed geometric and topological analysis of two-dimensional fracture networks to investigate the influence of regional fault zone control on the fracture permeability tensors. The parameters of fracture systems were studied using terrestrial gravimetric data, orthophoto mosaic obtained by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), petrography, and outcrop-based structural data. The investigated outcrop includes porphyritic trachytes with euhedral sanidine crystals and minor quartz phenocrysts, sourced from the Ipojuca Magmatic Suite. The residual Bouguer map indicates the influence of at least two regional rift fault zones, i.e., NW-SE (strike-slip) and NE-SW (normal) trending systems, in the studied rocks. These trachytic rocks exhibited a marked dissolution of sanidine phenocrysts and matrix, columnar disjunctions, and natural fractures, causing the porosity and permeability of the reservoir analog to increase. Geometric and topological analyses showed that the south-central sector of the outcrop exhibits heightened connectivity within the fracture network. Furthermore, the principal fracture permeability is controlled by the primary families of the fracture network and regional fault zones. Our results demonstrate that the fracture network observed in the volcanic reservoir analog was influenced by the post-rift tectonic reactivation of Cretaceous structures within the Pernambuco Basin. The secondary porosity resulting from weathering and subsequent dissolution of the primary constituents and fractures of the rocks studied demonstrates the potential for the exploration of these reservoirs as models for known occurrences of volcanic rocks in the onshore and offshore domains of the Pernambuco Basin.

Productivity Prediction Model of Tight Oil Reservoir Based on Particle Swarm Optimization–Back Propagation Neural Network

Single-well productivity is a crucial metric for assessing the effectiveness of petroleum reservoir development. The accurate prediction of productivity is essential for achieving the efficient and economical development of oil–gas reservoirs. Traditional productivity prediction methods (empirical formulae and numerical simulation) are limited to specific reservoir types. There are few influencing factors, and a large number of ideal assumptions are made for the assumed conditions when predicting productivity. The application scenario is ideal. However, in tight oil reservoirs, numerous factors affect productivity, and their interactions exhibit significant complexity. Continuing to use traditional reservoir productivity prediction methods may result in significant calculation errors and lead to economic losses in oilfield development. To enhance the accuracy of tight reservoir productivity predictions and achieve economical and efficient development, this paper investigates the tight reservoir in the WZ block of the Beibuwan area, considering the impact of geological and engineering factors on productivity; the random forest tree and Spearman correlation coefficient are used to analyze the main influencing factors of productivity. The back propagation neural network optimized by particle swarm optimization was employed to develop a productivity prediction model (PSO-BP model) for offshore deep and ultra-deep tight reservoirs. The actual test well data of the oilfield are substituted into this model. The analysis results of the example application yielded an RMSE of 0.032, an MAE of 1.209, and an R2 value of 0.919. Compared with traditional productivity prediction methods, this study concludes that the model is both reasonable and practical. The calculation speed is faster and the calculation result is more accurate, which can greatly reduce productivity errors. The model constructed in this paper is well suited for predicting the productivity of tight reservoirs within the WZ block. It offers substantial guidance for predicting the productivity of similar reservoirs and supports the economical and efficient development of petroleum reservoirs.

Natural gas accumulation conditions and exploration directions of Carboniferous clastic rocks in the northeastern margin of Junggar Basin, China

The Carboniferous strata in the northeastern Junggar Basin are an important exploration field for natural gas in the basin. However, volcanic rocks have long been the primary exploration target. In contrast, the exploration and research of clastic rocks associated with source formations have been largely overlooked, resulting in an insufficient understanding of the reservoir forming conditions and exploration potential of Carboniferous clastic rocks. Through the evaluation of Carboniferous source rocks, effective source stove characterization, clastic reservoir evaluation, oil and gas source correlation, and reservoir formation model construction in this region, three key findings have been made. First, the Carboniferous in the northeastern Junggar Basin has developed three sets of high-quality gas source rocks: the Dishuiquan Formation, the Songkalsu B Member, and the Shiqiantan Formation. These formations correspond to three hydrocarbon source centers: the Sannan–Dishuiquan Sag, the Wucaiwan Sag–Dajing area, and the Dongdao Haizi Sag–Baijiahai High. Second, the Carboniferous system in the northeast has developed multiple types of large-scale reservoirs, including sand conglomerates, sandstones, turbidites, dolomitic rocks, and shale. These reservoirs are generally characterized by low porosity to ultra-low porosity and low permeability to ultra-low permeability reservoirs. There is a dissolution pore development zone at depths of 2900–4500 m. Third, a comparison of oil and gas sources reveals that all three sets of gas source rocks contribute to the natural gas found in the northeast, with obvious characteristics of near-source reservoir formation. The Carboniferous clastic rocks host two types of natural gas reservoirs: unconventional and conventional near-source reservoirs. It is predicted that there is an orderly accumulation pattern of shale gas, tight sandstone gas, and conventional natural gas reservoirs. This study reveals that the Carboniferous clastic rock source and reservoir configuration in the northeastern Junggar Basin is highly favorable, and the natural gas reservoirs in source and near-source clastic rocks represent important exploration directions.