The shale gas resources are rich in the Upper Yangtze platform

especially the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation.Cen'gong shale gas block is located within the Niutitang shale gas play on the Upper Yangtze platform.This paper systematically studied the structure

source rocks and reservoirs characteristics of the Niutitang Formation in Cen'gong block through stratigraphic correlation

laboratory test of reservoir rock sample and geochemical analysis of source rock samples and in combination with previous study results.The distribution of Niutitang Formation

reservoir physical property and thickness of source rocks were mapped.Further more

the resource volume of shale gas was calculated by using the gas content data obtained from testing in well Cenye 1 that the following results were obtained.The organic matters of the Niutitang Formation are mainly of typeⅠand typeⅡ

1

.The average organic matter content of the source rock is as high as 3.38%.The average R

o

is calculated to be 3.56%

which reflects the source rock has entered high maturation stage.The reservoirs are characterized by low porosity-ultralow permeability and large specific surface area.The recoverable resource volume of shale gas is estimated at 7.19 billion cubic meters.The Minhe

Yangqiao and Daping areas of the Cen'gong block can be selected as favorable shale gas play fairways for further exploration and evaluation.