| Citation: |
Yu-ru Yang, Xiao-chen Liu, Hui Zhang, Gang-yi Zhai, Jiao-dong Zhang, Zhi-fang Hu, Shu-jing Bao, Cong Zhang, Xiang-hua Wang, Xiao Yang, Zheng-zhuang Liu, Ting Xie, Juan Chen, Li-yu Fang, Li-juan Qin, 2019. A review and research on comprehensive characterization of microscopic shale gas reservoir space, China Geology, 2, 541-556. doi: 10.31035/cg2018116
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A review and research on comprehensive characterization of microscopic shale gas reservoir space
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Abstract
In this paper, substantial domestic and foreign research results of microscopic shale reservoir space were systemically reviewed, the research history consisting of simple observation and qualitative classification, quantitative research, the combination of qualitative and quantitative research successively as well as the characteristics of each research stage were summarized. In addition, the current problems existing in the characterization methods of shale reservoir space were also analyzed. Furthermore, based on massive actual detection of typical core samples obtained from more than 50 global shale gas wells and relevant practical experience, a comprehensive characterization method of combining qualitative with the semi-quantitative characterization was put forward. In detail, the indicators of the qualitative characterization include pore combination type and organic-matter microscopic morphology type, while the core elements of the semi-quantitative characterization include the percentage of the organic-matter area and the plane porosity of the pores of different types. Based on the reference of the naming and classification of rocks, the three-end-member diagram method was used to characterize microscopic shale reservoir space. This is achieved by plotting the three end-member diagram of 3 kinds of first-order critical reservoir spaces, i.e., organic-matter pores, matrix pores, and micro-fractures, in order to intuitively present the features of the microscopic pore combination. Meanwhile, statistic histograms of organic-matter microscopic morphology type and the plane porosity of different types of pores were adopted to characterize the development degree of second-order pores quantitatively. By this comprehensive characterization method, the importance of both pore combination and the microscopic morphology of organic matter were emphasized, revealing the control of organic-matter microscopic morphology over the organic-matter pores. What is more, high-resolution FE-SEM was adopted to obtain semi-quantitative statistics results. In this way, the features of pore development and pore combination were quantified, not only reflecting the types and storage capacity of the microscopic shale reservoir space, but also presenting the hydrocarbon-generating potential of organic matter in shale. Therefore, the results of this research are capable of providing in-depth microscopic information for the assessment and exploration and development of shale gas resources.
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References
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Yu-ru Yang, Xiao-chen Liu, Hui Zhang, Gang-yi Zhai, Jiao-dong Zhang, Zhi-fang Hu, Shu-jing Bao, Cong Zhang, Xiang-hua Wang, Xiao Yang, Zheng-zhuang Liu, Ting Xie, Juan Chen, Li-yu Fang, Li-juan Qin, 2019. A review and research on comprehensive characterization of microscopic shale gas reservoir space, China Geology, 2, 541-556. doi: 10.31035/cg2018116
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Figure 1.
Different morphologies of organic matter in shale. a–Interstitial/interactive organic matter in marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin; b–banded organic matter in marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin; c–interstitial organic matter in transitional-facies shale of Gufeng Formation in Lower Yangtze Region; d–bioclastic-texture and banded organic matter in transitional-facies shale of Gufeng Formation, Lower Yangtze Region; e–irregularly cloddy, bioclastic-texture and interstitial organic matter in continental-facies shale of Yanchang formation, Erdos Basin; f–irregularly crumby, banded, and interstitial organic matter in continental-facies shale of Shahejie Formation, Bohai Bay Basin; g–interstitial, irregularly cloddy, and bioclastic-texture organic matter in marine-facies shale in Eagle Ford, the US; h–interstitial and irregularly cloddy organic matter in marine-facies shale in Barnett, the US.
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Figure 2.
Organic matter of different microscopic morphologies and the development features of the pores in it. a–Interstitial organic matter of marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation, Sichuan Basin and the pores in it; b–interactive organic matter of marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation, Sichuan Basin and the pore in it; c, d–organic-texture organic matter in marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation, Sichuan Basin, with no or very few pores developing; e–organic-texture organic matter and interstitial organic matter in transitional-facies shale of Gufeng Formation, Lower Yangtze Region, with no pore developing in the former and pores developing in the latter; f–organic-texture organic matter and interstitial organic matter in transitional-facies shale of the Mesozoic, northeast Sichuan, with no pore developing in the former and pores developing in the latter; g, h–interstitial organic matter and cloddy organic in continental-facies shale of Yanchang formation, Erdos Basin, with pores developing in the former and no pore developing in the latter; i–interstitial organic matter and irregularly cloddy organic in continental-facies shale of Shahejie Formation, Bohai Bay Basin, with pores developing in the former and no pore developing in the latter; j–interstitial organic matter and organic-texture organic matter in marine-facies shale in Eagle Ford in the US, with pores extremely developing in the former and no pore developing in the latter; k, l–interstitial organic matter and organic-texture organic matter in the Sinian marine-facies shale of Doushantuo Formation in Hubei and Hunan, with pores developing in the former and no pore developing in the latter.
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Figure 3.
Different types of matrix pores in shale. a–Inter- (intra-) crystal pore of authigenic siliceous matter in marine-facies shale of Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin; b–intra-crystal pore of dolomite, interlayer pore/joint of lamellar clay minerals, and diagenetic joint in marine-facies shale of Niutitang Formation in Hubei and Hunan region; c–residual pore, diagenetic joint, and interlayer pore/gap of clay minerals in transitional-facies shale of the Mesozoic in southeast Sichuan; d–inter-crystal pore of authigenic minerals in continental-facies in Erdos Basin; e–residual pore, diagenetic joint, interlayer pore/joint of clay minerals, and diagenetic joint in continental-facies shale in Bohai Bay Basin; f, g–interlayer pore/gap of clay minerals, residual pore, and diagenetic joint in transitional-facies shale of in the Permian in Upper Yangtze Region; h, i–intra-crystal and inter-crystal pores of recrystallization carbonate minerals and residual pore in marine-facies shale in Eagle Ford, the US.
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Figure 4.
Types of microscopic pore combinations in shale of different eras, different types and in different regions. a–Longmaxi shale: “organic-matter pore + inter- (intra-) crystal pore of authigenic quartz” combination; b–transitional-facies shale of the Permian in Lower Yangtze Region: “organic-matter pore + inter- (intra-) crystal pore of authigenic quartz” combination; c–transitional-facies shale of the Permian in Lower Yangtze Region: “matrix pore + organic-matter pore” combination; d–marine-facies shale of Niutitang Formation in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi: “organic-matter pore + matrix pore” combination; e–marine-facies shale of Doushantuo Formation in Hubei and Hunan: “organic-matter pore + matrix pore” combination; f–transitional-facies shale of the Mesozoic in southeast Sichuan: “matrix pores + very few of organic-matter pores” combination; g–continental-facies shale of Yanchang Formation in Erdos Basin: “organic-matter pore + matrix pore (intercrystal)” combination; h–shale in the Cenozoic Shahejie Formation in Bohai Bay Basin: “matrix pore (inter- and intra-crystal) + organic-matter pore” combination; i–shale in Eagle Ford, the US: “organic-matter pore + matrix pore (intra- and inter-crystal pores of carbonate)” combination.
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Figure 5.
Three-end-member diagram of storage types of shale of different types.
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Figure 6.
Comparison of organic-matter microscopic morphology among the different types of shale. a–Shale of Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin (16 wells); b–shale of the Carboniferous-Permian in Lower Yangtze Region (11 wells); c–shale of Shahejie Formation in Bohai Basin and shale of Yanchang Formation in Erdos Basin (7 wells); d–shale in Eagle Ford Shale, USA (3 wells); e–shale in Barnett and elsewhere, USA (13 wells).
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Figure 7.
Statistics and comparison of subdivided pore types among different types of shale. a–Shale of Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin (16 wells); b–shale of the Carboniferous-Permian in Lower Yangtze Region (11 wells); c– shale of Shahejie Formation in Bohai Basin and shale of Yanchang Formation in Erdos Basin (7 wells); d–shale in Eagle Ford Shale, USA (3 wells); e–shale in Barnett and elsewhere, USA (13 wells).