Influence of Gas Washing and Oil Mixing on the Phase Behavior and Physical Properties of Cambrian Light Oils in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin

Chengsheng Chen, Yifeng Wang, Zhihua He, Jian Li () and Yunpeng Wang ()
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Chengsheng Chen: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Yifeng Wang: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Zhihua He: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Jian Li: Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
Yunpeng Wang: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-15

Abstract: Gas washing and oil mixing have been widely studied in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin, but their effects on Cambrian subsaltic dolomite reservoirs have not yet been adequately explored. In this study, the influence of gas washing and oil mixing on light oils from these reservoirs was investigated. Using n -alkane mass depletion ( Q value) analysis, light oils from wells ZS1 and ZS5 were analyzed to quantify the intensity of gas washing and to identify possible oil mixing in the Cambrian Awataga (Є 2 a ) and Wusongar (Є 1 w ) reservoirs. Unaltered light oil was recovered and models of phase behavior were constructed by PVT simulation and basin modeling to compare with altered light oils. The results show that the light oil in well ZS1 experienced medium-strength gas washing ( Q value = 40.88%), while the gas washing in well ZS5 was weaker ( Q value < 40.88%), providing evidence of oil mixing. Despite these changes, the light oils in the Cambrian reservoirs maintained a single liquid-phase state over geologic time without transitioning to condensate or gas phases. These results improve the understanding of gas washing in the Tazhong area and show that it has significantly altered the Cambrian reservoirs and affected the preservation of hydrocarbons after oil accumulation.

Keywords: light oil; gas washing; oil mixing; phase behavior; Q value; Tazhong area; oil–gas production (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: 2024
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