Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2021, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (6): 1354-1364.doi: 10.11743/ogg20210610

• Petroleum Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation of sealing effectiveness of gypsolyte during burial: A case study of the gypsolyte caprock in deep Cambrian, Tarim Basin

Tong Lin1(), Tongshan Wang1, Wenqing Pan2, Wenfang Yuan2, Qiufen Li1, Wei Ma1   

  1. 1. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China
    2. Research Institute of Exploration and Development of Tarim Oilfield Branch Company Ltd., PetroChina, Korla, Xinjiang 841000, China
  • Received:2020-08-17 Online:2021-12-28 Published:2021-12-16

Abstract:

Gypsolyte has been widely accepted as a superior caprock for oil and gas reservoirs. However, not all gypsolytes are of effective sealing capacity, to which certain geological conditions are in need. The core and outcrop gypsolyte samples taken from the Tarim Basin are applied to carry out scanning electron microscopy (SEM), physical property analysis, breakthrough pressure test and triaxial stress test. The results suggest that (1) both gypsolyte and saline rock initially formed are of strong sealing capacity, which tends to grow weaker as the gypsum under dehydration transforms into anhydrite during evolution under burial, and the spaces formed thereby undermine its sealing performance; (2) The maximum burial depth at which gypsum-to-anhydrite transformation occurs is about 2000 m in the Tarim Basin, and the anhydrite developed under dehydration is significantly different from the initial gypsum in terms of shear resistance; (3) During the evolution process under burial, the sealing properties of gypsolyte are constantly changing under different formation temperatures and confining pressures, and it all depends on the sealing capacity and shear resistance of the gypsolyte under burial whether the gypsolyte can be eventually developed into effective caprock.

Key words: dehydration, breakthrough pressure, sealing capacity, triaxial stress test, gypsum, anhydrite, gypsolyte caprock, Tarim Basin

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