Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2021, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (5): 1030-1042.doi: 10.11743/ogg20210502

• Petroleum Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Thermodynamic evolution and hydrocarbon accumulation in the Ordos Basin

Zhanli Ren1,2(), Kai Qi1, Jinbu Li3, Xiaoju Huo4, Junping Cui1, Peng Yang1, Kun Wang1, Zhanjun Chen2,5, Guilin Yang1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
    2. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Lacustrine Shale Gas Accumulation and Exploitation, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710075, China
    3. Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Changqing Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710018, China
    4. The second oil Production Plant of Changqing Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Qingyang, Gansu, 745100, China
    5. Longdong University, Xifeng, Gansu 745000, China
  • Received:2021-02-03 Online:2021-10-28 Published:2021-10-26

Abstract:

The thermal history and thermal lithospheric thickness restoration for the Ordos Basin indicate that tectonic thermal events and dynamic processes of deep thermal lithosphere thinning in the Early Cretaceous result in thin lithosphere, high heat flow values and geothermal gradient at the southern part of the basin.Source rocks at different horizons there also show high maturity and obvious thermal anomalies.Thermal simulation for the source rocks and thermodynamic history of the basin indicate strong influence of the thermal events and thermal anomalies in the Early Cretaceous on the significantly increasing amount of hydrocarbon generation, which is also interpreted to be one of the important reasons behind the high oil and gas enrichment in the basin.The large-scale hydrocarbon generation and accumulation from these source rocks in the Early Cretaceous are mainly controlled by the deep thermodynamic process of lithosphere thinning and tectonic thermal events during the period.The distribution of oil and gas fields in different Paleozoic and Mesozoic layers is mainly controlled by the distribution of source rocks and their thermal maturity as well as reservoirs.From the perspective of source rock development and thermal maturity, tight oil and shale oil in the Chang 7 member (Yanchang Formation) of southern basin have high thermal maturity, and are widely distributed, making the member a quite promising exploration target.The Carboniferous-Permian with its basin-wide occurring coal-measure source rocks has high exploration potential for natural gas.The deep Lower Paleozoic Ordovician carbonate sequences have the conditions favorable for large gas fields to form but further study is needed to clarify the hydrocarbon generation potential of source rocks.The deep Proterozoic is also worthy of an exploratory gaze with the distribution of fault depressions and the hydrocarbon generation capacity of source rocks being recommended as the focuses.

Key words: hydrocarbon generation amount, thermal anomaly, tectonic thermal event, lithospheric thickness, thermodynamics, accumulation period, hydrocarbon enrichment, Ordos Basin

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