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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "H1: Petroleum Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 April 2023) | Viewed by 10039

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Prof. Dr. Yong Chen

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Guest Editor

School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Interests: petroleum geology; reservoir geochemistry; fluid inclusion; diagenesis

Prof. Dr. Chuanbo Shen

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Guest Editor

School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: petroleum geochronology

Dr. Miao Wang

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Guest Editor

School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Interests: hydrocarbon generation and expulsion; fluid incluison; IOCG ore deposit

Dr. Cui Mao

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Guest Editor

School of Earth Sciences, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing 163318, China
Interests: sedimentology; petroleum reservoir geology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As an important type of energy resource, hydrocarbon sources’ (including oil and natural gas) formation, exploration and efficient and cost-effective exploitation are crucial for the security of the global energy supply. In recent years, with the continuous development of unconventional petroleum reservoirs, hydrocarbon resources have attracted increasing attention. Therefore, the accurate characterization and understanding of the generation and enrichment mechanism in source rocks, their subsequent migration and the accumulation process in reservoirs and their exploration and exploitation represent challenges of great importance.

Therefore, we are inviting the submission of original research articles, as well as review articles, that will stimulate continuous efforts towards the subject at hand, covering topics including, but not limited to: hydrocarbon generation and expulsion; conventional and unconventional reservoirs’ sedimentary characteristics and formation mechanisms; the migration and accumulation mechanisms of conventional and unconventional reservoirs; migration and accumulation dynamics characteristics; hydrocarbon charge dating and migration pathways tracing; evaluation of hydrocarbon preservation conditions; and sweet spot prediction and development.

Prof. Dr. Yong Chen
Prof. Dr. Chuanbo Shen
Dr. Miao Wang
Dr. Cui Mao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

hydrocarbon generation and accumulation
conventional/unconventional reservoir formation
hydrocarbon preservation conditions
sweet spot prediction

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 6200 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Evaporite-Related Source Rocks and Implications for Petroleum Exploration: A Case Study of the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, Eastern China

by Yong Chen, Yun Han, Pengfei Zhang, Miao Wang, Yibo Qiu, Xuelei Zhu and Xuejun Zhang

Energies 2023, 16(13), 5000; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135000 - 28 Jun 2023

Viewed by 946

Abstract

The Dongying Depression (Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China) was widely filled with evaporite (anhydrite and halite) layers during the Paleogene period, especially the middle of the fourth member of the Shahejie Formation (Es₄). Most evaporite layers are interbedded with mudstone strata. The strata of Es₄ are divided into three sections, referred to as the upper layers, evaporite layers, and lower layers, respectively. The analysis of elemental concentrations, elemental ratios, and Pr/Ph suggests that the lower layers were deposited in an intermittent saline lake environment within a relatively dry climate. The evaporite layers were formed in a highly saline lake environment, whereas the upper layers were formed in a brackish-saline to fresh-water environment. Organic matter (OM) abundance indices, including total organic carbon (TOC), chloroform extracts, total hydrocarbon content (HC), hydrocarbon generation potential (S₁ + S₂), and OM type, show that the source rock potential for petroleum generation in the upper layers is best, that in the evaporite layers is fair, and in the lower layers it is poor. Carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) of hydrocarbons in the evaporite and lower layers were heavier than those in the upper layers. Thermal maturity parameters show that the thermal evolution process of OM in the upper layers was faster where evaporite were present compared with evaporite-free areas, while the thermal evolution of OM in the lower layers was slower in these regions. The high thermal conductivity of evaporites may have accelerated the thermal evolution of source rocks in upper layers and allowed hydrocarbon generation at a shallower burial depth. This resulted in the earlier appearance of the petroleum generation window compared to in evaporite-free areas. Meanwhile, the thermal evolution of OM in the lower layers was restrained, and consequently the hydrocarbon generation window was widened, which implies the potential for petroleum exploration in deep strata under the evaporite sequence. This is a common phenomenon in evaporite-bearing basins, according to previous and present studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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14 pages, 3197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Geochemical Characteristics and Evaluation Criteria of Overmature Source Rock of the Laiyang Formation in Well LK-1, Riqingwei Basin, Eastern China

by Yang Chen, Yaoqi Zhou, Tengfei Zhou, Hanjie Zhao, Hongyu Mu and Chun Zhang

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3482; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083482 - 17 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1246

Abstract

Total organic carbon (TOC) and hydrocarbon generation potential (Pg) are essential parameters for the qualitative evaluation of source rock and the basis for evaluating hydrocarbon resources in petroliferous basins. However, there will be some deviations in evaluating hydrocarbon resources of overmature source rock by using TOC and Pg. The super-thick overmature source rock of the Early Cretaceous Laiyang Formation was found in well LK-1, the Riqingwei Basin. To accurately understand the oil and gas potential of the Riqingwei Basin, this paper conducted a systematic organic geochemical analysis of the overmature source rock of the Early Cretaceous Laiyang Formation found in well LK-1. Combined with the results of previous thermal simulation tests on hydrocarbon generation of low-maturity samples in the Jiaolai Basin, the original total organic carbon (TOC⁰) content of source rock in well LK-1 was recovered and the evaluation criteria of overmature source rock was established. Results: (1) The average TOC content of well LK-1 source-rock samples is 1.25 wt.%, and the average Pg content is 0.11 mg/g. The type of organic matter is mainly type II₂, including a small amount of type II₁ and type III. The average reflectance of vitrinite (R_o) is 4.35%, which belongs to overmature source rock of a poor–fair level and mixed kerogen. (2) After recovery calculation, these samples’ original hydrocarbon generation potential (Pg⁰) contents ranged from 0.63 to 108.1 mg/g, with an average value of 6.76 mg/g. Furthermore, the TOC⁰ contents of the analyzed source-rock samples ranged from 0.62 to 30.6 wt.%, with an average value of 2.01 wt.%. It belongs to fair–good source rock, showing better hydrocarbon generation potential. (3) According to the relationship between the Pg⁰, Pg and TOC content, the evaluation standard for overmature source rock in well LK-1 was established. Under the evaluation standard of overmature source rock, a source rock with a TOC content exceeding 0.6% and a Pg content greater than 0.1 mg/g can be identified as a good source rock. This paper provides a foundation for the fine classification and evaluation of the overmature source rock of the Riqingwei Basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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14 pages, 4558 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics and Significance of Acid-Soluble Organic Matter in Marine Carbonate Source Rocks

by Danting Feng, Xiaofeng Wang, Wenhui Liu, Dongdong Zhang, Jie Wang, Houyong Luo and Peng Liu

Energies 2023, 16(4), 2017; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16042017 - 17 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1297

Abstract

Since the 1950s, major breakthroughs have been made in the field of carbonate oil and gas exploration, and large reservoirs have been found in carbonate strata in many countries; however, the validity of highly evolved carbonate source rocks has been controversial. Because of the loss of organic carbon during acid-solution processing in conventional total organic carbon (TOC) determination, we decided to use a new method of reducing acid-solution losses in order to more effectively quantify acid-soluble organic matter in carbonate rock samples. Different levels of acid-soluble organic matter were present in different types of samples, and there was no positive correlation between the content of acid-soluble organic matter and conventionally measured TOC values. However, the thermal evolutionary maturity of samples with high acid-soluble organic matter content is relatively low, and the high hydrocarbon generation conversion rate of acid-soluble organic matter and conventional TOC in carbonate rocks is an important reason for the low residual TOC in highly evolved carbonate rocks. The new method is helpful in re-evaluating the abundance of organic matter in carbonate rocks and in providing evidence for studying hydrocarbon generation and the hydrocarbon capacity of carbonate source rocks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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21 pages, 7637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relationship between Fluid Evolution and Hydrocarbon Accumulation and Metallization in the Nanpanjiang-Youjiang Basin: Evidence from Calcite Petrography and Fluid Inclusions

by Peng He, Xiang Ge, Chuanbo Shen, Shuaiping Li and Youzhi Chen

Energies 2023, 16(1), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010328 - 28 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1305

Abstract

In the process of diagenesis and burial of sedimentary basins, basin fluid activities participate in the process of hydrocarbon accumulation and metal mineralization. Understanding the evolution of basin fluid is of great significance in revealing the related hydrocarbon accumulation and mineralization. Paleo-reservoirs are closely associated with Carlin-type gold deposits in the Nanpanjiang-Youjiang Basin, South China. Calcite, the fluid activity product, is closely related to bitumen and gold-bearing pyrite. By integrating petrographic, cathode luminescence, and fluid inclusion analysis, as well as the relevant chronological results of predecessors, this paper attempts to establish the relationship between fluid evolution, hydrocarbon accumulation, and gold mineralization. Two types of calcite (black/gray and white) developed in the Banqi-Yata-Laizishan area, the Nanpanjiang-Youjiang Basin. Black/gray calcite is symbiotic with bitumen and features dark red colors in cathode luminescence. Many hydrocarbon inclusions developed along with fluid inclusion analysis at low homogenization temperatures (65.7~173.1 °C). Combining the previously reported U-Pb ages (~250–230 Ma) of this kind of calcite with some geochemistry data on the associated reservoir and gold deposit, this calcite records the consecutive hydrocarbon accumulation and Carlin-type gold mineralization from the Late Permian to the Late Triassic periods controlled by Indosinian tectonic movement. The white calcite featuring bright red in cathodoluminescence is symbiotic with gold-bearing pyrite and realgar, and the associated fluid inclusions have high homogenization temperatures (128.2~299.9 °C). Combined with regional tectonic background and isotopic chronology (~140–106 Ma), it seems to record the early Cretaceous Carlin-type gold mineralization controlled by the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate in the late Yanshanian period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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17 pages, 7012 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Generation Potential of Laiyang Formation Source Rocks in Ri-Qing-Wei Basin, Eastern Shandong

by Fulai Li, Chun Zhang, Haitao Xue, Wenbiao Huang, Kaining Wang, Yang Chen and Yaoqi Zhou

Energies 2022, 15(20), 7549; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207549 - 13 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1161

Abstract

The Ri-Qing-Wei Basin is a newly discovered Late Mesozoic rift basin on the eastern Shandong coast in recent years. Thick, continuous deposited source rocks are found in the Lingshan Island scientific drilling project. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the distribution and hydrocarbon generation potential of source rocks in this area. Organic geochemical experiments were carried out on samples from the core of LK-1 and outcrops in the Lingshan Island, the Laoshan area, and the Jimo Zhougezhuang area to evaluate the maturity, abundance, and type of organic matter in source rocks. The results show that the cumulative thickness of the source rocks in the study area is more than 500 m, and the TOC content is generally greater than 1.0%. The organic matter type is good (mainly type II₁ and type II₂ kerogen) and the R_o value is more than 2.0. The thermal evolution degree of the organic matter is high with natural gas predominantly generated. We carried out Rock-Eval, PY-GC and gold tube experiments on low-maturity samples of Laikong 2 and established a chemical kinetic model to quantitatively evaluate the study area in combination with sedimentary burial history and thermal history data. The results show that the total resources of the five sags in the study area are about 476 billion cubic meters, and the average resource intensity is about 82.2 million cubic meters/km². Among them, the resource intensities of the Lingshan Island Sag and Laoshan Sag are 112.6 million cubic meters/km² and 98.8 million cubic meters/km², respectively. Studied sites are “small and fertile” and may be used as favorable exploration prospect areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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17 pages, 5504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study of Tectonic Evolution and Oil–Gas Accumulation in the Ri-Qing-Wei Basin and the Jiaolai Basin

by Yue Zhang, Yaoqi Zhou, Tengfei Zhou, Yang Chen, Sunyi Li, Yuehan Shang, Hongyu Mu, Bingyang Bai, Hao Gao, Anyu Jing, Yang Gao and Guojie Yang

Energies 2022, 15(15), 5322; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15155322 - 22 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1519

Abstract

The Ri-Qing-Wei basin is located in the central Sulu Orogeny on the eastern side of the Tanlu fault zone in eastern Shandong province. To the north, the Jiaonan uplift separates it from the Jiaolai basin, where drilling in the lower Cretaceous sedimentary rock of the Laiyang group has indicated good oil and gas reserves. Drilling in the Ri-Qing-Wei basin, in contrast, is in the preliminary exploration stage. Lingke 1, the only scientific well, is on Lingshan Island on the basin boundary, and it encountered a large set of source rocks 700 m thick. The two basins were comprehensively compared and analyzed based on comprehensive fieldwork, drilling, core data, seismic profiling, sedimentary filling sequence, tectonic evolution history, basin burial history, geothermal history, and geochemical characteristics of the source rocks. The results showed three things: (1) from the late Jurassic to the early Cretaceous (the Laiyang period), subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate under the Eurasian plate delaminated the lithospheric mantle of the Sulu Orogeny, thus forming a series of passive continental rift basins. Of these, the Ri-Qing-Wei is central and the Jiaolai is its branch. After the active rift stage in the Qingshan period and the depression stage in the Wangshi period, the burial depth of the source rocks in the Ri-Qing-Wei basin was up to 6000 m, while the maximum burial depth in the Jiaolai basin was about 3000 m. The paleogeotemperature of both basins exceeded 125 °C, indicating that the source rocks were very mature. (2) A comprehensive comparison of their geochemical characteristics—organic matter abundance, type, and maturity—showed that both basins have oil-generating potential. It is worth noting that the magmatic activity in the Qingshan period had a positive effect on the evolution of the source rocks but was not the key factor: burial depth was. (3) Oil and gas failed to accumulate in the Jiaolai basin because they were destroyed by the lateral tectonic activities. During the right-lateral strike-slip stage (50 ± 5 Ma) during the late Wangshi, the Jiaolai basin was strongly uplifted over a range of more than 1000 m by the Tanlu and Wulian-Mouji fault zones along the boundary. The Wangshi group, as a cap rock, was eroded, and oil and gas overflowed along the fault that reached the surface. The late Wangshi period uplift of the Ri-Qing-Wei basin was less than 1000 m because the source rock was deeper, and the reverse faults in the basin were sealed well. The uplift did little damage to the oil in the Ri-Qing-Wei basin. Above all, tectonic evolution was the main controlling factor of oil accumulation in the study area, and the layers of the Laiyang group in the Ri-Qing-Wei basin have oil and gas potential, making it a prospective target for unconventional offshore oil and gas exploration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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19 pages, 6968 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sedimentary Characteristics of the Neogene in the Eastern Liaodong Area, Bohai Sea, China

by Ranran Hao, Yongshi Wang, Jing Wang, Zhiping Wu, Anyu Jing, Xiaolin Liu, Haoqing Xu and Qunhu Wu

Energies 2022, 15(13), 4704; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15134704 - 27 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1322

Abstract

The sedimentary characteristics of the Neogene in the eastern Liaodong area are poorly studied, which restricts the oil and gas exploration in this area. Based on the current seismic, logging, drilling, and core data, we have studied the sequence stratigraphy and sedimentary characteristics of the Neogene in the eastern Liaodong area. Ultimately, we identified the controlling factors of sedimentation and established the depositional model. In this study, six sequence boundaries of the Neogene were identified and can be divided into five third-order sequences. The sedimentary evolution can be divided into four stages: braided river delta, meandering river delta with a low sand-stratum ratio, meandering river delta with a high sand-stratum ratio, and meandering river delta. Both the palaeotectonic movements and paleoclimate changes of the Neogene influence the periodical fluctuation of the lake level and then control the vertical evolution of the sedimentary types. The paleogeomorphology controls the macroscopic distribution of the sedimentary facies zone, the paleo-valleys that are associated with the strike-slip faults control the channel strike, and the fault slopes at the edge of the lacustrine basins control the sand redistribution of the delta front. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation, Exploration and Production of Oil and Gas)

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