Formation and Preservation conditions of ultra-deep (>6000 m) hydrocarbon systems
- Authors: Khafizov S.F.1, Kuandykov B.M.2, Syngaevsky P.E.3
-
Affiliations:
- Gubkin University
- Meridian Petroleum
- Chevron
- Issue: Vol 6, No 3 (2024)
- Pages: 8-30
- Section: Geology
- URL: https://journal-vniispk.ru/2707-4226/article/view/266869
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.54859/kjogi107207
- ID: 266869
Cite item
Full Text
Abstract
For 40 years, the concept of petroleum systems has been well developed and a considerable amount of actual data has been accumulated. However, with the beginning of the development of ultra-large depths (more than 6000 m, although nowadays this boundary has been lowered to 8000 m) it became clear that many processes proceed somewhat differently, and some a priori assumptions cease to be relevant.
The article deals with the peculiarities of formation and conditions of preservation of petroleum systems when diving to ultra-large depths. Special attention is paid to numerous examples of HC detection in the liquid phase accumulated over the last decades, when the upper ‘classical’ threshold of formation temperatures, at which, as it was supposed, the transformation of liquid HC into gaseous should occur.
Examples of studies of ultra-deep sections, first, well data, considered in the article, allow us to constantly revise upward the maximum temperatures in the pools, leading to oil destruction, previously estimated rather conservatively. This, in turn, causes reassessment of HC potential of many basins. At the same time, the volume of reserves of both oil and gas in ultra-deep sections is constantly increasing, especially in China, where vast experience of direct continental projects has been accumulated. At the same time, there are limited opportunities to prepare any practical recommendations directly, and the development of methods for forecasting such accumulations requires further significant efforts.
It can be confidently assumed that the upper limit of the so-called ultra-deep will fall significantly below 8000 m, as the data show that geological constraints are significantly decreasing, technological solutions are continuously emerging, and their costs are steadily decreasing.
The development of ultra-deep projects as an alternative to the so-called ‘shale’ projects will inevitably lead to an increase in their efficiency in developing oil and gas deposits, which are not perceived as such today.
The article considers examples of ultra-deep hydrocarbon systems in the basins of continental China (Tarim, Dzungarian and Sichuan) and the Gulf of Mexico (Perdido folded zone).
Full Text
##article.viewOnOriginalSite##About the authors
Sergey F. Khafizov
Gubkin University
Author for correspondence.
Email: khafizov@gubkin.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1426-7649
Doct. Sc. (Geology and Mineralogy), professor
Russian Federation, MoscowBaltabek M. Kuandykov
Meridian Petroleum
Email: bmku@meridian-petroleum.kz
ORCID iD: 0009-0005-3696-8376
Doct. Sc. (Geology and Mineralogy)
Kazakhstan, AlmatyPavel E. Syngaevsky
Chevron
Email: pavel.syngaevsky@chevron.com
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-5035-1202
Cand. Sc. (Geology and Mineralogy)
United States, Houston, TexasReferences
- Perrodon A. Géodynamique pétrolière: genèse et répartition des gisements d'hydrocarbures. Paris: Masson Elf Aquitaine; 1980. 381 p.
- Magoon LB, Beamont EA. Petroleum Systems. Exploring for Oil and Gas Traps. Treatise of Petroleum Geology. Handbook of Petroleum Geology. Ch. 3. USA: AAPG; 1994. 34 p.
- Magoon LB, Dow WG. The petroleum system: From source to trap. AAPG Memoir. 1994;60:3–24.
- Khafizov SF, Kosenkova NN, Zhemchugova VA, et al. Uglevodorodnyye sistemy. Teoriya i praktika. Moscow: Krasand, 2019. 197 p. (In Russ).
- Nadeau PH, Bjørkum PA, Walderhaug O. Petroleum system analysis: impact of shale diagenesis on reservoir fluid pressure, hydrocarbon migration and biodegradation risks. Petroleum Geology Conference series. 2005;6(1):1267–1274. doi: 10.1144/0061267.
- Tissot BP, Welte DH. Petroleum formation and occurrence. 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer Verlag; 1984.
- Murray AP, Dawson DA, Carruthers D, Larter S. Reservoir Fluid Property Variation at the Metre-scale: Origin, Impact and Mapping in the Vincent Oil Field, Exmouth Sub-basin. Proc. Western Australian Basins Symposium, Perth; Aug 2013; Australia. Available from: https://pesa.com.au/western_australian_basins_symposium_2013_murray-pdf/.
- Hall LS, Palu TJ, Murray AP, et al. Hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Cooper Basin. AAPG Bull. 2019;103(1):31–63. doi: 10.1306/05111817249.
- Stainforth JG. New insights into reservoir filling and mixing processes. Understanding petroleum reservoirs: Towards an integrated reservoir engineering and geochemical approach. Geol. Soc. London special publication 237. 2004;115–132.
- Murray A, He Z. Oil vs. Gas: What are the Limits to Prospect-Level Hydrocarbon Phase Prediction? Search and Discovery Article #42513. 2020. doi: 10.1306/42513Murray2020.
- Vassoyevich NB. Teoriya osadochno-migratsionnogo proiskhozhdeniya nefti (istoricheskiy obzor i sovremennoye sostoyaniye). Izv. AN SSSR, ser. geol. 1967;11:135–156. (In Russ).
- Neruchev SG. Katagenez rasseyannogo organicheskogo veshchestva porod i generatsiya nefti i gaza v protsesse pogruzheniya osadkov. Dokl. AN SSSR, ser. geol. 1970;194(5):1186–1189. (In Russ).
- Feyzullayev AA, Lerche I. Temperature-depth control of petroleum occurrence in the sedimentary section of the South Caspian basin. Petroleum Research. 2020;5(1):70–76. doi: 10.1016/j.ptlrs.2019.10.003.
- Guo X, Hu D, Li Y, et al. Theoretical Progress and Key Technologies of Onshore Ultra-Deep Oil/Gas Exploration. Engineering. 2019;5(3):458–470. doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2019.01.012.
- Sokolov VA. Ocherki genezisa nefti. M.-L.: Gosudarstvennoye nauchno-tekhnicheskoye izdatel'stvo neftyanoy i gorno-toplivnoy literatury; 1948. 460 p. (In Russ).
- Xiaojun W, Yong S, Menglin Z, et al. Composite petroleum system and multi-stage hydrocarbon accumulation in Junggar Basin. China Petroleum Exploration. 2021;26(4):29–43. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7703.2021.04.003.
- Guangyou Z, Li J, Zhang Z, et al. Stability and cracking threshold depth of crude oil in 8000 m ultra-deep reservoir in the Tarim Basin. Fuel. 2020;282. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118777.
- Orr WL. Changes in sulfur content and isotopic ratios of sulfur during petroleum maturation – study of Big Horn Basin Paleozoic oils. AAPG Bull. 1974;58(11):2295–318.
- Davis GH, Northcutt RA. The Greater Anadarko Basin: An Overview of Petroleum Exploration and Development. Anadarko Basin Symposium circular 90; 1988; University of Oklahoma, Norman. Available from: https://ogs.ou.edu/docs/circulars/C89.pdf.
- Zhao X, Jin Q, Jin F, et al. Origin and accumulation of high-maturity oil and gas in deep parts of the Baxian Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China. Pet. Sci. 2013;10:303–313. doi: 10.1007/s12182-013-0279-0.
- Qi LX. Oil and gas breakthrough in ultra-deep Ordovician carbonate formations in Shuntuoguole Uplift, Tarim Basin. China Pet. Explor. 2016;21(03):38–51. (In Chinese).
- Lukin AY. Hydrocarbon potential of great depths and prospects of its development in Ukraine. Geofizicheskij zhurnal. 1991;36(4):3–23. (In Russ.).
- Chai Z, Chen Z, Liu H, et al. Light hydrocarbons and diamondoids of light oils in deep reservoirs of Shuntuoguole Low Uplift, Tarim Basin: Implication for the evaluation on thermal maturity, secondary alteration and source characteristics. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 2020;117. doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104388.
- Wang Y, Zhang S, Wang F, et al. Thermal cracking history by laboratory kinetic simulation of Paleozoic oil in eastern Tarim Basin, NW China, implications for the occurrence of residual oil reservoirs. Organic Geochemistry. 2006;37(12):1803–1815. doi: 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2006.07.010.
- Zhu G, Zhang Z, Zhou X, et al. Preservation of ultra-deep liquid oil and its exploration limit // American Chemical Society. Energy & Fuels. 2018;32(11). doi: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b01949.
- Cao LY. The hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism of Dabei–Kelasu structural zone in Kuqa Depression [dissertation]. Beijing: China University of Geosciences; 2010. (In Chinese).
- sipes.org [Internet]. Texas : Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists [cited Jul 09, 2021]. Availabel from: https://sipes.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/quarterlyMay10.pdf.
- Li Y, Xue Z, Cheng Z, et al. Progress and development directions of deep oil and gas exploration and development in China. China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation. 2020;25(1). doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7703.2020.01.005.
- Xu C, Zou W, Yang Y, et al. Status and prospects of deep oil and gas resources exploration and development onshore China. Journal of Natural Gas Geoscience. 2018;3(1): 11–24. doi: 10.1016/j.jnggs.2018.03.004.
- Kuandykov BM, Syngaevskii PE, Hafizov SF. Formation and preservation of reservoirs at great depth. Kazakhstan journal for oil & gas industry. 2022;1(10):11–26. doi: 10.54859/kjogi100605.
- He H, Tuzhi F, Xujie G, et al. Major achievements in oil and gas exploration of PetroChina during the 13th Five-Year Plan period and its development strategy for the 14th Five-Year Plan. China Petroleum Exploration. 2021;26(1):43–54. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7703.2021.01.004.
- Henian L, Buqing S, Liangqing X, et al. Major achievements of CNPC overseas oil and gas exploration during the 13th Five-Year Plan and prospects for the future. China Petroleum Exploration. 2020;25(4):1–10. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7703.2020.04.001. (In Chinese).
- Wenzhi Z, Suyun H, Wei L, et al. The multi-staged “golden zones” of hydrocarbon exploration in superimposed petroliferous basins of onshore China and its significance. Petroleum Exploration and Development. 2015;42(1):1–13. doi: 10.1016/S1876-3804(15)60001-5.
- Dai J. Giant Coal-Derived Gas Fields and Their Gas Sources in China. Elsevier Inc.; 2016. 582 p.
- Zhaoxu M, Wang F, Yang Y, et al. Evaluation of the potentiality and suitability for CO2 geological storage in the Junggar Basin, northwestern China. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control. 2018;78:62–72. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.07.024.
- Wang Y, Jia D, Pan J, et al. Multiple-phase tectonic superposition and reworking in the Junggar Basin of northwestern China– Implications for deep seated petroleum exploration. AAPG Bulletin. 2018;102(8):1489–1521. doi: 10.1306/10181716518.
- Zou C, Jinhu D, Chunchun X, et al. Formation, distribution, resource potential, and discovery of Sinian–Cambrian giant gas field, Sichuan Basin, SW China. Petroleum Exploration and Development. 2014;41(3):306–325. doi: 10.1016/S1876-3804(14)60036-7.
- Fiduk Joseph C, Weimer P, Trudgill DB, et al. Queffelec. The Perdido Fold Belt, Northwestern Deep Gulf of Mexico, Part 2: Seismic Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems. AAPG Bulletin. 1999;83(4):578–612.
Supplementary files
