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Geological Characteristics of Shale Gas in Different Strata of Marine Facies in South China

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Abstract

In the Middle and Upper Yangtze region of South China, there are well developed sets of marine shale strata. Currently only Wufeng Longmaxi shale gas has been developed in scale, while the Sinian and Cambrian shale gas are still under exploration. The various shale strata show different characteristics in lithological features, such as lithofacies types and reservoir physical properties, which are due to the influence of tectonic pattern, sedimentary environment, and diagenesis caused by tectonic subsidence. This will affect the later fracturing technology and fracturing effect. The shale reservoirs of Sinian doushantuo, Cambrian Niutitang, Upper Ordovician Wufeng, and the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale were evaluated and compared with each other with respect to their sedimentary environments, lithofacies, minerals compositions, and micro pore characteristics. The reservoir characteristics of the shale and the main control factors of shale gas enrichment were summarized in this study.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2016ZX05034), and the Shale Gas Strategic Constituency Survey in Chongqing-Hubei-Yunnan-Guangxi provinces (No. DD20190108). The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1104-5.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oil and Gas Survey, China Geological Survey, Beijing, 100083, China

    Yufang Wang, Gangyi Zhai, Guoheng Liu, Juan Li & Yunxiao Zhang

  2. Key Laboratory of Unconventional Oil and Gas Geology, China Geological Survey, Beijing, 100029, China

    Yufang Wang & Gangyi Zhai

  3. School of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Wanzhong Shi & Yongchao Lu

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  1. Yufang Wang
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  2. Gangyi Zhai
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  6. Juan Li
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Correspondence to Gangyi Zhai.

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Wang, Y., Zhai, G., Liu, G. et al. Geological Characteristics of Shale Gas in Different Strata of Marine Facies in South China. J. Earth Sci. 32, 725–741 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1104-5

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