Distribution of Biogenic Gas Reservoirs and Optimization of Favorable Zones in the Sanhu Area, Qaidam Basin, China

Yunbo Zhang, Miao Miao, Jie Xu, Zhengliang Jia, Qing Li (), Yanhua Lin, Mingjian Wang () and Rui Wang
Additional contact information
Yunbo Zhang: Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China
Miao Miao: Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China
Jie Xu: School of Ocean Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
Zhengliang Jia: Research Institute of Exploration & Development of Qinghai Oilfield, PetroChina, Dunhuang 736202, China
Qing Li: College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
Yanhua Lin: Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China
Mingjian Wang: Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, Qingdao 266237, China
Rui Wang: Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100083, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: Based on the drilling results of the Taishen-1 well in the Sanhu area in the Qaidam Basin, the study proposed new findings on the conditions of source rock, reservoir, and overlaying strata, as well as accumulation characteristics for biogenic gas. Further, the controlling factors of biogenic gas accumulation as well as two favorable zones for exploration were identified based on the comparison of drilling results and geological findings in adjacent areas. The result of the study showed that: (1) the biogenic gas source rock in the Sanhu area is lacustrine dark mudstone, and the LLTOC (lower limit of total organic carbon) in Q 1+2 (the Qigequan Formation) and N (the Neogene) is 0.25% and 0.40%; (2) the ‘self-generation and self-storage’ source-reservoir combination developed across all the formations due to the absence of faults and the development of mudstone; (3) the controlling factors of gas accumulation in the studied area include the limit of burial depth, the methane yield, and climate conditions. The failure of the Taishen-1 well owes to the fact that the gas generated failed to support the demand for gas accumulation; (4) influenced by the southward movement of gas-containing groundwater from the high potential area in the north, the biogenic gas reservoirs are distributed in the northern slope and the central sag of the Sanhu depression, and the lower limit of exploration depth of the biogenic gas reservoirs is about 2119 m; (5) two favorable zones were selected for natural gas exploration: the Upper Tertiary thermogenic gas-bearing Yahu-Sebei area and the biogenic gas-bearing Tainan-Sebei area.

Keywords: biogenic gas; Qaidam Basin; Sanhu area; failure reasons; favorable zones (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/13/9920/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/13/9920/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:13:p:9920-:d:1176417

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().