Research Article Origin and Distribution of Carbonate Cement in Tight Sandstones: the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation Chang 8 Oil Layer in West Ordos Basin, China
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Hindawi Geofluids Volume 2017, Article ID 8681753, 13 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8681753 Research Article Origin and Distribution of Carbonate Cement in Tight Sandstones: The Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation Chang 8 Oil Layer in West Ordos Basin, China Jin Lai,1,2 Guiwen Wang,1,2 Jing Chen,1 Shuchen Wang,1 Zhenglong Zhou,1 and Xuqiang Fan1 1 College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China 2State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China Correspondence should be addressed to Jin Lai; [email protected] Received 13 February 2017; Revised 25 April 2017; Accepted 14 June 2017; Published 30 July 2017 Academic Editor: Xiaorong Luo Copyright © 2017 Jin Lai et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Two generations of carbonate cement as Type I (microcrystalline calcite and dolomite) and Type II (mainly Fe-calcite and Fe- dolomite) are recognized in Chang 8 sandstones, Ordos basin. Carbonate cement in Chang 8 sandstones is closely related to the dissolved carbon from thermal maturation of organic matters. Carbonate cement in the loosely packed framework grains precipitated shortly after deposition, and late-stage ferroan calcite and ferroan dolomite formed with progressive burial. The early diagenetic carbonate cement is partially to completely replaced by late-stage ferroan calcite and ferroan dolomite. Carbonate cement is much more commonly observed in sand bodies adjacent to Chang 7 source rocks. With increasing distance from the Chang 7 oil layers, the carbonate cement content gradually decreases. However, some tight carbonate cemented zones also occur at the sandstone-mudstone interfaces. Dissolution of Ca-feldspars by organic acids-rich fluids, together with clay mineral transformations such as illitization of smectite, would provide Ca and Mg ions for carbonate cementation. Organic acids and CO rich fluids wouldchargeintothereservoirswiththehydrocarbons,andwhentheCO2+ 2+ and acids were buffered by the framework grain dissolution, carbonate cement would precipitate with a decrease in CO concentration. 2 2 2 1. Introduction and cementation by carbonates and clays, are typical tight reservoirs with low porosity, low permeability, and strong The Ordos basin is the second largest petroliferous sedi- microscopic heterogeneity (Zeng and Li 2009; [4, 6, 7]). mentary basin in China [1, 2]. The basin was part of the Understanding diagenetic heterogeneity is vital for North China Craton prior to the Paleozoic, and it became an hydrocarbon exploration in tight sandstone reservoirs [8]. isolated lake basin during the Middle and Late Triassic [3]. Carbonate cementation is an important diagenetic alteration A series of lacustrine and deltaic clastic sediments, which that has profound impact on sandstone reservoir quality and were known as the Yanchang Formation, were deposited heterogeneity [9–12]. Precipitation of carbonate cement is an during this time [3]. The Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation, important agent of lithification [11], and it often contributes to which is underlain by the Middle Zhifang Formation and the poor reservoir property. When the carbonate cement fills overlain by the Lower Jurassic Yanan Formation (Figure 1; the pore space completely, the reservoir quality will become [4]), is a significant oil-producing bed in the Ordos basin so poor that they may act as baffles or seepage barriers to [3, 5]. The Chang 8 (eighth member of Yanchang Forma- fluid flow [13, 14]. The carbonate cementation in sedimentary tion) sandstones, which consist of braided-delta subaqueous rocks may be spatially discontinuous, producing conspicuous distributary channels, are important reservoir units [4]. structures called concretions [11]. However, the Chang 8 sandstones, which had experienced Carbonate cement is the predominant diagenetic miner- various types and degrees of diagenesis such as compaction als in Chang 8 sandstones [6]. Mineralogical, petrographic, 2 Geofluids Sedi. Lake Sequence Yimeng upli Stratigraphy Lithology facies level stratigraphy Hangjinqi E’ erduosi J Yanan Fm. Low High 3rd 2nd Shenmu Yinjinhuoluoqi Ch1 Wushenqi Shallow Yulin Ch2 lacustrine Yinchuan and delta Jingbian Tianhuan depression Dingbian Ch3 Western thrust belt Western Jinxi fault-fold belt Jiyuan Suide Zhidan Qingjian Ch4 L331 Delta Yishan slope + W100 Yanan front L68 T11 Ch5 Z388 Z168 Z70 Delta Qingyang front N51 Ch6 T Weibei upli (km) Deep 04080 Ch7 to semideep lake Fault Tectonic units Well City Yanchang formation Ch8 (a) Delta front Ch9 Deep lake Delta front Delta Ch10 Beijing plane T Zhifang Fm. Ordos basin China Basin boundary Argillaceous siltstone Sandstone Mudstone Siltstone (c) (b) Figure 1: (a) The tectonic divisions of Ordos basin (after [6, 18, 24, 25]); (b) sequence stratigraphic column of Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos basin, Ch = Chang (after [4]); and (c) map showing the location of the Ordos basin within China. and geochemical analyses combined with ECS log data 2. Geologic Setting were used to describe the petrography and geochemistry of the carbonate cement and associated features in Chang TheOrdosbasinislocatedinthewesternpartoftheNorth 8 sandstones, with the special aim to unravel the origins, China block [1, 3, 15] and across five provinces: Shaanxi, paragenesis, and distribution patterns of carbonate cement. Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi (Figure 1(a); This multidisciplinary work would provide insights into [16]). A series of Cenozoic rift basins separate the Ordos basin distribution patterns of carbonate cement within a siliciclastic from adjoining mountains [17]. The Ordos basin can be succession and will have scientific significance in similar divided into six structural units: the Yimeng uplift zone in the sandstone successions worldwide. north, the Weibei uplift zone in the south, the Jinxi flexural Geofluids 3 0 T J K E N + Q Strata bar of a delta front [27, 28, 38]. The siltstones with parallel ∘ 20 C bedding are mainly deposited in the distal bar microfacies. In ∘ 30 C contrast, the horizontal bedding can be observed in the dark K 500 mudstones, representing a low water energy environment [6]. ∘ 40 C 3. Samples and Methods ∘ 1000 50 C *2 −*3 Core samples and related thin sections were collected from * ∘ 1 60 C more than 120 wells in the oilfield in the west Ordos basin. ∘ 70 C Ch1 + 2 1500 ∘ Standard modern wire-line logs comprise gamma-ray (GR), Burial (m) depth 80 C Ch3 ∘ Ch4 + 5 spontaneous potential (SP), bulk density (DEN), compen- 90 C Ch6 sated neutron (CNL), borehole-compensated sonic (AC), and Ch7 100∘ 2000 C Ch8 resistivity logs (RT and Rxo). The core-to-log depth matching ∘ 110 C is done by correlating the GR signature with the core description. ECS logging data is available in some wells such 2500 as An 157, Cheng 96, Yue 37, Hao 22, Zheng 53, Ban 28, and 250 200 150 100 50 0 Xi 236. Age (Ma) ThegeochemicalECSloggingtoolusesastandardameri- Figure 2: Burial and thermal histories of the Upper Triassic cium beryllium (AmBe) neutron source and bismuth ger- YanchangFormationforWellL47inOrdosbasin(after[26]). minate (BGO) detector to measure the released gamma rays [39]. By processing the measured -ray energy spectra using anoxideclosuremethod,theECScanprovideinformationon the mineralogy including the mass fractions of certain com- fold zone in the east, the Yishan slope in the midsection, the ponents of carbonates, total clay, Q-F-M (quartz, feldspar, and Xiyuan obduction zone, and the Tianhuan depression in the mica), siderite, and pyrite, as well as anhydrite, salt, and coal west (Figure 1(a); [16, 18–23]). The study area of this paper [39, 40]. Compared with the standard set of logging data, the is located in the west Ordos basin (mainly the Yishan Slope high vertical resolution (1.5 ft), open-hole ECS well logs can and Tianhuan Depression), and abundant hydrocarbons are provide insight into predicting the distribution of carbonates produced from the oil fields located in this area, including in wells that lack core control. the Jiyuan, Heshui, Wu 464, Zhengning, and Huachi oil fields Core samples and some cutting samples representative (Figure 1). Burial history reconstructions were based on the of noncored intervals were collected. Diagenesis and petro- workofShietal.,2012(Figure2),andfromFigure2itcan physical properties were interpreted from petrographic data be concluded that the Yanchang Formation had its maximum and core analyses. A total of 1735 samples analyses of He- burialdepthatabout100Ma,thenfollowedbyanupliftand porosity and air permeability were obtained. However, there erosion of 400–500 m of sedimentary strata. are only 242 samples with their lithology known, and these The Ordos basin is a gently dipping, very stable intracra- 242 samples have also measured the carbonate content. tonic basin [32]. The surrounding Yinshan and Qinling Cathode Luminescence (CL) analyses were performed Mountains were thought to be the primary provenances for on polished thin sections to characterize different cement the Upper Triassic fluvial-deltaic sequences [17]. From the generations using a Technosyn cold cathode luminoscope. aspect of exploration and exploitation purposes, the Yan- Representative thin sections examined with a petro- chang Formation could be subdivided into 10 informal oil graphic microscope were