Clarifying the Effect of Clay Minerals on Methane Adsorption Capacity of Marine Shales in Sichuan Basin, China

Hongyan Wang, Shangwen Zhou, Jiehui Zhang, Ziqi Feng, Pengfei Jiao, Leifu Zhang and Qin Zhang
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Hongyan Wang: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
Shangwen Zhou: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
Jiehui Zhang: PetroChina Zhejiang Oilfield Company, Hangzhou 311100, China
Ziqi Feng: School of Geosciences and Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Pengfei Jiao: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
Leifu Zhang: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
Qin Zhang: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 20, 1-15

Abstract: The effect of clay minerals on the methane adsorption capacity of shales is a basic issue that needs to be clarified and is of great significance for understanding the adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of shale gas. In this study, a variety of experimental methods, including XRD, LTNA, HPMA experiments, were conducted on 82 marine shale samples from the Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation of 10 evaluation wells in the southern Sichuan Basin of China. The controlling factors of adsorption capacities were determined through a correlation analysis with pore characteristics and mineral composition. In terms of mineral composition, organic matter (OM) is the most key methane adsorbent in marine shale, and clay minerals have little effect on methane adsorption. The ultra-low adsorption capacity of illite and chlorite and the hydrophilicity and water absorption ability of clay minerals are the main reasons for their limited effect on gas adsorption in marine shales. From the perspective of the pore structure, the micropore and mesopore specific surface areas (SSAs) control the methane adsorption capacity of marine shales, which are mainly provided by OM. Clay minerals have no relationship with SSAs, regardless of mesopores or micropores. In the competitive adsorption process of OM and clay minerals, OM has an absolute advantage. Clay minerals become carriers for water absorption, due to their interlayer polarity and water wettability. Based on the analysis of a large number of experimental datasets, this study clarified the key problem of whether clay minerals in marine shales control methane adsorption.

Keywords: shale gas; clay mineral; adsorption process; organic matter; marine shale; controlling effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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