No abstract

A prediction method of hydrocarbon distribution associated with fault-shale caprock configuration leakages is established through superposing hydrocarbon distribution at deep basin fault-shale caprock configuration leakages, and conducting faults to understand distribution of shallow reservoirs of “lower generation, upper accumulation” in petroliferous basins based on fault-shale caprock configuration leakage mechanism. Prediction of hydrocarbon distribution at the Ed-3 Member in the south of the northern Dagang area of Bohai Bay Basin was used to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. Results show that predicted oil and gas at the Ed-3 Member are mainly distributed in the middle of the north and in the middle of the south edge, where fault-shale caprock configuration leakages in the middle of the Sha-1 Member contributed positively to oil and gas migration from the hydrocarbon reservoir at deep basin to the shallow reservoirs. The prediction matches well with discovered oil and gas in this area, proving the validity of this method.

Favorable oil and gas channels during fault activity and cease episodes were determined to understand oil and gas distribution in reservoirs of “lower generation, upper accumulation”-type near faults in petroliferous basins through identifying and coupling conduit systems and hydrocarbon expulsion distribution during these periods, respectively. It was used to establish a method to identify the evolution patterns of favorable oil–gas charging positions at source fault configurations, which was applied to understand the evolution of favorable oil and gas channels in the middle and lower Es-3 sub-member in the southwest of the Jiuzhou fault. The results show that the conduit pattern in the Es-3 sub-member is mainly distributed in the center, west, and east of the F1 fault and the eastern part of the F7 fault in the southwest of the Jiuzhou fault. The conduit to non-conduit pattern is mainly distributed in the middle and center of the F7 fault. The non-conduit to conduit pattern is mainly distributed in the west and east of the F1 fault and the east of the F7 fault. The non-conduit is mainly distributed in the middle and east of the F7 fault. The conduit pattern and conduit to non-conduit pattern in the middle and lower Es-3 sub-member are favorable for hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. It is consistent with the oil and gas discovered in the middle and lower Es-3 sub-member near the southwest of the Jiuzhou fault, indicating that this method is feasible to identify the favorable oil and gas channels at source fault configurations.

Hydrocarbon fluid migration through faulted cap rocks was determined by comparing the maximum connected thickness of cap rocks required for hydrocarbon fluid migration and the actual values, since cap rocks are important in the study of hydrocarbon fluid distribution in petroliferous basins based on its migration mechanism(s). The maximum connected thickness required was identified by comparing the cap rocks, fault displacement, and oil/gas distribution. The hydrocarbon fluid at the Putaohua reservoir migrated to the overlying Saertu and Heidimiao reservoirs in the Bayan Chagan Area, northern Songliao Basin. This was predicted to demonstrate the validity of the method. The results show that the adjusted Putaohua oil reservoir was distributed near the Talahai fault and Bayanchagan fault, rather than the Gulong sag in the southwest of the study area, where oil migrated vertically through the Sapu cap rocks to the overlying Saertu reservoir. Thick mudstone cap rocks in the second member of the Nenjiang Formation made it difficult for hydrocarbon fluid to migrate to the Heidimiao reservoir. This agrees well with hydrocarbon fluid distribution at the Putaohua, Saertu, and Heidimiao reservoirs in the Bayan Chagan Area, indicating that this method is feasible for predicting hydrocarbon fluid migration through faulted cap rocks.