Abstract:

The Well Shacan-2 in northern Tarim Basin was the first marine petroleum discovery in China, indicating a strategic breakthrough in the oil and gas exploration of marine sequences in the country. The exploration histroty of the Tarim Basin can be traced back to the 1970s when a strategic project was launced to assess the petorluem potential of the basin. In 1984, the Shacan-2 was tested with a high rate of oil flow in the Ordovician dolomite in northern Basin. In 1990, the giant Ordovician oil field was discovered in Tahe area. More than 30 years of exploration practice had not only inspired us grealty but also produced technology series for developing oil and gas from fractured-vuggy reservoirs in marine carbonates. A review of the history may serve to help us to be more brave and innovative in our future path of finding oil and gas for the country.

Key words: Shacan-2, hydrocarbon generation in marine layer, Paleozoic, Tahe oilfield, oil and gs exploration history, China