| Citation: |
Zhi-yuan Xie, Jian-gong Wei, Jin-yun Zheng, Zhen Sun, Kun Zhang, 2022. A 3D basin modeling study of the factors controlling gas hydrate accumulation in the Shenhu Area of the South China Sea, China Geology, 5, 218-233. doi: 10.31035/cg2022012
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A 3D basin modeling study of the factors controlling gas hydrate accumulation in the Shenhu Area of the South China Sea
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Abstract
Great advancement has been made on natural gas hydrates exploration and test production in the northern South China Sea. However, there remains a lot of key questions yet to be resolved, particularly about the mechanisms and the controls of gas hydrates enrichment. Numerical simulaution would play signficant role in addressing these questions. This study focused on the gas hydrate exploration in the Shenhu Area, Northern South China Sea. Based on the newly obtained borehole and multichannel reflection seismic data, the authors conducted an integrated 3D basin modeling study on gas hydrate. The results indicate that the Shenhu Area has favorable conditions for gas hydrate accumulation, such as temperature, pressure, hydrocarbon source, and tectonic setting. Gas hydrates are most concentrated in the Late Miocene strata, particularly in the structual highs between the Baiyun Sag and the Liwan Sag, and area to the south of it . It also proved the existence of overpressure in the main sag of source rocks, which was subject to compaction disequilibrium and hydrocarbon generation. It also shown that the regional fault activity is not conducive to gas hydrate accumulation due to excess gas seepage. The authors conjecture that fault activity may slightly weaken overpressure for the positive effect of hydrocarbon expulsion and areas lacking regional fault activity have better potential.
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References
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Zhi-yuan Xie, Jian-gong Wei, Jin-yun Zheng, Zhen Sun, Kun Zhang, 2022. A 3D basin modeling study of the factors controlling gas hydrate accumulation in the Shenhu Area of the South China Sea, China Geology, 5, 218-233. doi: 10.31035/cg2022012
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Figure 1.
Geological map of the study area (white rectangle represents the basin modeling area). BYS‒Baiyun Sag; LWS‒Liwan Sag; NU‒Northern Uplift; SU‒Southern Uplift; DSR‒Dongsha Rise; CSD‒Chaoshan Depression; PYLU‒Panyu Low Uplift; SHU‒Shenhu Uplift; ZHU I D‒ZHU I Depression; ZHU II D‒ZHU II Depression; ZHU III D‒ZHU III Depression. Yellow solid lines represents the seismic lines and the red dotted curve marks the continental-ocean boundary.
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Figure 2.
The structural sedimentary framework of the Shenhu Area (after Pang X et al., 2007; Xie ZY et al., 2017). L.‒Lower; U.‒Upper; M.‒Middle.
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Figure 3.
Structural model, fault model, and facies model of the Shenhu Area (in Fig. a , the deep layers of souce rocks are shown in purple and pink colors, and the overlying sedimentary layers are shown in blue colors; in Fig. b, the northern faults and southern faults are shown in green and pink colors).
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Figure 4.
Ro calibration of the boreholes (the boreholes’ locations are in Fig. 1; black dots represent measured vitrinite reflectance, and solid lines denote the model result of vitrinite reflectance). Fm‒Formation.
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Figure 5.
The maturity distribution of the sedimentary units in Shenhu Area, South China Sea.
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Figure 6.
GHSZ distribution under different heat flows.
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Figure 7.
GHSZ distribution under different SWITs.
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Figure 8.
GHSZ transect in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea.
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Figure 9.
The relationship between faults and gas hydrate accumulation (upper Hanjiang Formation).
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Figure 10.
The amount of gas hydrate accumulation in the different layers in Shenhu Area, South China Sea.
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Figure 11.
Overpressure evolution in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea. a‒c‒denote the overpressure distribution in Wenchang Formation in the different historical periods; d‒shows the 3D view of overpressure; e‒shows the pressure coefficient in the central main sag in Wenchang Formation for different fault models.
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Figure 12.
The favorable drilling sites in Shenhu Area, South China Sea. The area in light grey color represents the BSR by Yu XH et al. (2014) in Fig. a.
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Figure 13.
Schematic of biogenic gas migration in the Shenhu Area, South China Sea. The base map shows the porosity of the upper Hanjiang Formation (SB13.82‒SB12.50), and faults are shown in grey polylines.BYS‒Baiyun Sag; LWS‒Liwan Sag; SU‒Southern Uplift; DSR‒Dongsha Rise.
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Figure 14.
Interpreted seismic profiles along with L1 and L2 (L1 and L2 are shown in Fig. 1). Horizontal lines represent identified seismic sequences, and red inclined lines represent identified faults.