ISBN: 9780891810926

Cover to Cover: 148 pages

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ARTICLES

Studying overpressure

Understanding reservoir fluid overpressure evolution is vital for characterizing petroleum accumulation and preservation in deeply buried reservoirs. This study integrates petrography, fluid inclusion microthermometry, Raman spectroscopy, thermodynamics, and basin modeling to constrain the diagenetic fluid history of the Dengying Formation, Sichuan Basin, China. Identifying where reservoir quality is decoupled from extreme burial depth overpressure should be a primary strategy for ultradeep exploration because these zones represent the most viable targets for multitrillion cubic feet gas discoveries.

Modeling ultradeep strata

With the gradual depletion of oil and gas resources in shallower strata (<4000 m), exploration toward ultradeep strata (>6000 m) is becoming inevitable. The authors’ work systematically summarizes 10,000-m deep petroleum geology model, based on recent research progress and exploration discoveries. Ultradeep petroleum exploration has revealed oil fields with nearly 1000-m-high oil columns and a series of wells producing up to 1000 metric tons of oil per day (7330 BOPD), challenging traditional theories of petroleum accumulation that focus on high points of traps.

Investigating porosity and permeability

The analysis of geological and petrophysical properties is fundamental for evaluating the heterogeneous and complex nature of carbonate reservoirs. This paper investigates how pore-scale geometric attributes derived from thin sections relate to porosity and permeability measured in corresponding core plugs from the Barra Velha Formation, Santos Basin, Brazil. Digital image analysis was applied to thin sections to quantify total optical porosity and pore geometry parameters. This method has proven to be an accurate and cost-effective technique for obtaining petrophysical data and geometric parameters of the pores.

Understanding lithologies

Hydrocarbon production from the Mississippian Caney Shale, Ardmore Basin, Oklahoma, is highly influenced by the heterogeneous rock physical properties. This research aims to establish a petrographic model to better understand the potential diagenetic pathways and evolution of bulk physical properties among different lithologies in the Caney Shale. The results suggest that the Caney Shale comprises five major lithologies: massive argillaceous mudstone, planar-laminated argillaceous mudstone, planar-laminated siliceous mudstone, massive calcareous mudstone, and massive to wavy-laminated wackestone and packstone.