Opportunities in Measuring Multiscale Pore Structure of the Continental Shale of the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China

Yanyan Li, Zhihong Zhang, Siyu Wei, Peng Yang and Yanjun Shang
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Yanyan Li: Faculty of Urban Construction, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Zhihong Zhang: Faculty of Urban Construction, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Siyu Wei: Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China
Peng Yang: Tianjin Centre, China Geological Survey, Tianjin 300170, China
Yanjun Shang: Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: Pores of shale exhibit multiscale characteristics, and pore characterization is challenging due to the complexity of pore systems. Currently, research is focused on nano-submicron pores, but the structure of micrometer-scaled pores is not well understood. In this research, an investigation of the three-dimensional pore network of the Chang 7 shale in the Ordos Basin of China was conducted, in order to provide an insight into the full characteristics of pore systems. Nano-CT and micro-CT scanning technology was used to comprehensively delineate the pore structure at different scales, for further understanding the gas storage mechanism in shale rocks. Results show that the radius of micro-scale pores ranges from 1 to 15 μm, with an average of 2.8 μm, and pores with radii of 1–5 μm occupy approximately 90% of all the pores. For the nano-scale pores, the size ranges from 86 to 2679 nm, with an average of 152 nm, yet it has a rather concentrated distribution within 300 nm. The nano-scale pores constitute most of the pore amount in the shale, whereas the micro-scale pores constitute most of the pore volumes. Moreover, the results show that more than 70% of nano-scale pores in the Chang 7 shale are isolated pores, indicating that pore bodies formed in the shale reservoir have poor connectivity. Positive linear relationships between pore sizes and the number of pore throats at the micro-scale and nano-scale were both obtained, suggesting that larger pores tend to have better connectivity than smaller pores.

Keywords: shale gas; pore structure; micro-CT; nano-CT (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 complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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