Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2020, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5): 941-952.doi: 10.11743/ogg20200505

• Petroleum Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics of the Silurian reservoirs in Shuntuoguole region of Tarim Basin and their exploration significance

Huili Li1(), Jingjing Li1, Sujyu Yang2, Zhongyuan Ma2   

  1. 1. Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, SINOPEC, Beijing 100083, China
    2. Petroleum Exploration & Production Research Institute, SINOPEC Northwest Oilfield Company, Urumqi, Xinjiang 830011, China
  • Received:2020-04-27 Online:2020-10-28 Published:2020-10-22

Abstract:

A light oil reservoir was discovered in a reservoir-cap assemblage at the middle-to-lower members of the Silurian Kepingtage Formation in Well SH 9 drilled in the low uplifting area of Shuntuoguole region in Tarim Basin.Its properties were found to be quite different from those of the heavy oil reservoirs in the upper members of the Kepingtage Formation.A comparative study of the reservoirs in the upper and lower members was then conducted to better understand their accumulation process through geochemical analyses as well as characterization of reservoir bitumen and fluid inclusions in crude oil and oil-bearing sandstone extracts gathered during the drilling of Well SH 9.The results show that the samples from the lower member all have higher content of saturated hydrocarbon and lower content of asphaltene, but those from the upper member vary greatly from one to another.The two members share the similar distribution of normal alkanes, steranes and terpenes as well as carbon isotopic compositions.However, the 25-norhopanoids compounds are identified only in samples from the upper member.Both members contain reservoir bitumen but with different occurrence and optical properties.Oil inclusions in both members are similar in host mineral, fluorescence characteristics, and homogeneous temperature distributions.Combined with tectonic evolution and drilling activities, the study suggests that both members have experienced the same first stage of hydrocarbon accumulation and formed two petroliferous intervals with different hydrocarbon properties due to different preserving conditions.The lower member has better preservation conditions than the upper member.The light oil reservoir discovered in the lower member is very likely to be an old primary reservoir formed during the Late Caledonian to Early Hercynian, hence the primary oil reservoirs in the Silurian are still the focus of exploration in Shuntuoguole region.

Key words: old primary reservoir, hydrocarbon accumulation, Kepingtage Formation, Silurian, Shuntuoguole region, Tarim Basin

CLC Number: