An overview of types and characterization of hot fluids associated with reservoir formation in petroliferous basins

Abstract

Increasing petroleum explorations indicate that the formation of many reservoirs is in close association with deep hot fluids, which can be subdivided into three groups including crust-derived hot fluid, hydrocarbon-related hot fluid, and mantle-derived hot fluid. The crust-derived hot fluid mainly originates from deep old rocks or crystalline basement. It usually has higher temperature than the surrounding rocks and is characterized by hydrothermal mineral assemblages (e.g. fluorite, hydrothermal dolomite, and barite), positive Eu anomaly, low δ18O value, and high 87Sr/86Sr ratio. Cambrian and Ordovician carbonate reservoirs in the central Tarim Basin, northwestern China serve as typical examples. The hydrocarbon-related hot fluid is rich in acidic components formed during the generation of hydrocarbons, such as organic acid and CO2, and has strong ability to dissolve alkaline minerals (e.g. calcite, dolomite, and alkaline feldspar). Extremely 13C-depleted carbonate cements are indicative of the activities of such fluids. The activities of hydrocarbon-related hot fluids are distinct in the Eocene Wilcox Group of the Texas Gulf Coast, and the Permian Lucaogou Formation of the Jimusaer Sag and the Triassic Baikouquan Formation of the Mahu Sag in the Junggar Basin. The mantle-derived hot fluid comes from the upper mantle. The activities of mantle-derived hot fluids are common in the rift basins in eastern China, showing a close spatial relationship with deep faults. This type of hot fluid is characterized by high CO2 content, unique gas compositions, and distinct noble gas isotopic signatures. In the Huangqiao gas field of eastern China, mantle-derived CO2-rich hot fluids have created more pore spaces in the Permian sandstone reservoirs adjacent to deep faults.