Reservoir properties and hydrocarbon enrichment law of Chang 1 oil layer group in Yanchang Formation, Wanhua area, Ordos Basin

Abstract

Evaluation of tight oil reservoir properties is of great significance to the exploration of oil and gas in tight reservoirs. The Chang 1 Member of the Yanchang Formation in the Wanhua Area, Ordos Basin is a new exploration stratum for tight sandstone oil. The lack of understanding of reservoir characteristics and crude oil enrichment rules has seriously restricted the efficient development of oil and gas resources in this stratum. In this study, the reservoir characteristics of the Chang 1 Member in the Wanhua area and the effects of superimposed sand bodies, structures and paleogeomorphology on accumulation of hydrocarbons were systematically studied. The Chang 1 sandstone is a typical ultra-low porosity-ultra-low permeability reservoir, and it has experienced destructive diagenesis of mechanical compaction, pressure solution and cementation, and constructive diagenesis of dissolution. Strong pressure solution caused the secondary enlargement of quartz and feldspar and the formation of patchy dense mosaic structures. The target layer has experienced argillaceous, siliceous and carbonate cementations. Moreover, the sandstone reservoir in the Chang 1 Member also experienced strong dissolution, and it is the main factor for the formation of secondary pores and the improvement of reservoir physical properties. The study also found that the main types of pores in the Chang 1 Member are intergranular dissolved pores and remaining intergranular pores. Superimposed sand bodies, nose-shaped uplifts, dominant facies and eroded paleo-highlands have significant effects on the hydrocarbon accumulation. Based on this study, it was found that the migration and accumulation mode of hydrocarbons in the Chang 1 reservoir belongs to the ladder-like climbing migration + structural ridge accumulation type. In addition, sand body thickness is an important controlling factor for the hydrocarbon accumulation. At present, the discovered crude oil in the Chang 1 Member is always distributed in the areas with thick sand bodies (>20 m), and most of the sand bodies have a thickness in the range of 25–40 m, and the effective thickness is in the range of 2–6 m. In addition, the eroded highlands are the highest topographic units, they are favorable areas for the large-scale accumulation of oil and gas.