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173-8 Cost-Effective Development of Lacustrine Shale oil in Bohai Bay Basin, China: Nano-Petrophysical Studies

Session: Geologic Energy Resources and Storage for Now and the Future

Presenting Author:

Qinhong Hu

Authors:

Hu, Qinhong¹, Liu, Huimin², Pu, Xiugang³, Yang, Shengyu⁴, Wang, Qiming⁵, Zhang, Tao⁶, Lin, Zizhi⁷, Yin, Na⁸

(1) National Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, (2) Shengli Oil Field of SinoPec, Dongying, Shandong Province, China, (3) PetroChina Dagang Oil Field Company, Tianjin, China, (4) China University of Petroleum (East China), School of Geosciences, Qingdao, China, (5) China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, China, (6) University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA, (7) China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China, (8) China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China,

Abstract:

Shale oil development from lacustrine depositions in China has been showing major breakthroughs towards economic and sustainable production, but also implicated with a steep production decline in stimulated shale formations. Working with Paleogene-aged Shahejie and Kongdian Formations with low to moderate maturity in Bohai Bay Basin, China, this presentation shows that the limited matrix-fracture interaction (e.g., anomalous matrix feeding of petroleum molecules from the poorly-connected matrix pore space to the hydraulically-stimulated fracture networks) is the root cause of steep initial decline and low overall recovery. Nano-petrophysical studies include rock properties, fluid (formation water, liquid hydrocarbons, gas, supercritical CO₂) properties, and the interaction between rocks and fluids. This presentation showcases the development and application of an integrated and complementary suite of nano-petrophysical characterization approaches, including pycnometry (liquid and gas), pore and bulk volume measurement after vacuum saturation, porosimetry (mercury intrusion porosimetry, low-pressure gas physisorption isotherm, nuclear magnetic resonance), imaging (X-ray computed tomography, Wood’s metal impregnation, field emission-scanning electron microscopy), scattering (ultra- and small-angle neutron), and the utility of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic fluids as well as fluid invasion tests (imbibition, diffusion, vacuum saturation) followed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry imaging of different nm-sized tracers on porous materials. The matrix-fracture interaction is influenced by connectivity, wettability, movability, and fracability of shale formations, such as a predominance of minerals-related and generally water-wet pore space in shales of low to moderate maturity. However, there is a poor pore connectivity of fine-grained shale matrix with a wide spectrum of nm-μm sized pore networks to lead to anomalous diffusion and limited movability, for a limited matrix feeding process and steep production decline.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-4292

Cost-Effective Development of Lacustrine Shale oil in Bohai Bay Basin, China: Nano-Petrophysical Studies

Description

Session Format: Oral

Presentation Date: 10/21/2025

Presentation Start Time: 09:55 AM

Presentation Room: HBGCC, 302C

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