Pore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Continental Low Maturity Organic-Rich Shale in the Sha-4 Member of the Liaohe Western Depression

Yinglin Liu, Lei Zhang (), Xuejuan Zhang, Xin He, Jinpeng Li, Yabing Xing, Fuxin Jin and Yiran Wang
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Yinglin Liu: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Lei Zhang: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Xuejuan Zhang: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Xin He: College of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Jinpeng Li: Exploration and Development Research Institute of Liaohe Oilfield, Panjin 124010, China
Yabing Xing: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Fuxin Jin: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China
Yiran Wang: School of Petroleum Engineering, Chongqing University of Science & Technology, Chongqing 401331, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: The research on pore structure and heterogeneity of shale reservoirs has always been a hotspot in the study of unconventional reservoir characteristics. China is a country dominated by continental shale. Compared with marine shale, continental shale has lower maturity and stronger reservoir heterogeneity. In this study, Sha-4 shale in the Liaohe Western Depression was selected for low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy and other experiments revealing the pore structure and fractal characteristics of continental low mature organic-rich shale. The fractal dimension was calculated by the FHH model and the effects of TOC and mineral composition on pore structure and fractal characteristics were discussed. The results show that the Sha-4 shale in the study area is mainly mesoporous and the main pore types are inorganic pores with relatively large pore diameters, such as intergranular pores and inter-crystalline pores. The pore morphology is very complex, mainly narrow slit and flat pore, and the pore is often filled with organic matter. The fractal dimensions D 1 range from 2.58 to 2.87 and D 2 range from 2.18 to 2.55, and the pore structure shows obvious dual fractal characteristics. The pore structure and fractal characteristics of shale are mainly affected by TOC and quartz due to the low degree of the thermal evolution of shale and their effects are different from those of marine shale reservoirs. The increase in TOC reduces the heterogeneity of the shale reservoir. In addition, mineral particles with strong weathering resistance and stability such as quartz can protect the pore structure of shale, improve the pore structure and reduce the reservoir heterogeneity. This study can provide support for the study of low maturity continental shale reservoir heterogeneity in the Sha-4 member of the Liaohe Western Depression.

Keywords: continental low mature organic-rich shale; pore structure; fractal feature; Liaohe Western Depression; Sha-4 shale; unconventional shale reservoirs (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: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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