Geological characteristics and mechanism of helium accumulation in typical abiotic helium-rich gas fields in the United States

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.1.70

Abstract

Abstract:

Economically viable abiotic helium-rich gas fields are widely developed in the United States. He-rich N₂ gas fields, for example, contain as much as 10% He, as the basement rocks in situ and in the surrounding area provides sufficient crustal He and N₂ to yield an N₂/He (He > 0.1%) ratio typically between 5-50. However, He-rich N₂ gas fields so far are only found in the United States, and further research is needed to determine whether they are due to unique geological conditions, or yet to be discovered elsewhere. He-rich CO₂ gas fields also contain significant quantity of crustal helium. He-rich CO₂ gas fields in the Colorado Plateau are all thought to have originated from late Cenozoic magmatism, and the magmatic rocks in the region have high U/Th contents. The groundwater gas stripping and re-dissolution (GGS-R) model is commonly used to explain the trapping mechanism of noble gases in CO₂ gas reservoirs. According to this model, mantle-sourced CO₂ carrier gas stripes air-sourced noble gases dissolved in the groundwater to charge reservoirs along with crustal-derived noble gases, and dissolution equilibrium subsequently reestablishes between the noble gases and groundwater. While the water/gas ratios at equilibrium differ between different gas fields, they are similar in all gas fields in the Colorado Plateau ranging between 0-100 (at reservoir pressure and temperature). By systematic analysis and summarization of the source, migration, and accumulation mechanisms of helium in helium-rich abiotic gas reservoirs in the United States, and discuss the enrichment of helium of primary migration by diffusion in helium source rocks, and of secondary migration by water phase mass flow or multiphase porous flow/seepage with inorganic carrier gases N₂ and CO₂, this paper provides a theoretical basis for helium exploration in China, and can be used as a reference for geological evaluation of CO₂ reservoirs and development of CO₂ safe storage.

Key words: helium, helium-rich gas field, CO₂ gas field, N₂ gas field, abiotic natural gas, inorganic genesis, geological characteristics, enrichment mechanism

CLC Number:

YANG Yiqing, TAO Shizhen, CHEN Yue. Geological characteristics and mechanism of helium accumulation in typical abiotic helium-rich gas fields in the United States[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2024, 31(1): 327-339.

Figures/Tables 17

References 35

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气田类型	气田名称	所属盆地	天然气储量/(10⁸m³)	层位	平均氦含量/%	R/R_a
CO₂气田	Big Piney-La Barge	Green River盆地	48 988.1	密西西比系	0.50	0.050~0.070
	McElmo Dome	Paradox盆地	8 495.1	密西西比系	0.20	0.057~0.215
	St. Johns	Holbrook盆地	2 520.2	二叠系	0.63	0.394~0.455
	Doe Canyon	Paradox盆地	1 444.2	密西西比系	0.78	0.150
	Sheep Mountain	Raton盆地	877.8	白垩系、侏罗系	0.10	0.963
	McCallum	North Park盆地	792.9	下白垩统	0.28	0.402
	Kevin Dome	Williston盆地	3 964.4	泥盆系	0.29
N₂气田	Pinta Dome	Holbrook盆地	1.85 (总产量)	二叠系	7.20	0.20~0.22
N₂气田	Harley Dome	Unita-Piceance盆地	未完全开发	侏罗系	3.90	0.11

气田类型	气田名称	所属盆地	天然气储量/(10⁸m³)	层位	平均氦含量/%	R/R_a
CO₂气田	Big Piney-La Barge	Green River盆地	48 988.1	密西西比系	0.50	0.050~0.070
	McElmo Dome	Paradox盆地	8 495.1	密西西比系	0.20	0.057~0.215
	St. Johns	Holbrook盆地	2 520.2	二叠系	0.63	0.394~0.455
	Doe Canyon	Paradox盆地	1 444.2	密西西比系	0.78	0.150
	Sheep Mountain	Raton盆地	877.8	白垩系、侏罗系	0.10	0.963
	McCallum	North Park盆地	792.9	下白垩统	0.28	0.402
	Kevin Dome	Williston盆地	3 964.4	泥盆系	0.29
N₂气田	Pinta Dome	Holbrook盆地	1.85 (总产量)	二叠系	7.20	0.20~0.22
N₂气田	Harley Dome	Unita-Piceance盆地	未完全开发	侏罗系	3.90	0.11

气田参数	各气田参数情况
气田参数	McElmo Dome	Doe Canyon	St. Johns	Big Piney-La Barge
产区面积/km²	824.4	331.8	890.3	2 630.5
天然气储量/(10⁸ m³)	8 495.1	1 444.2	2 520.2	48 988.1
氦气储量/(10⁸ m³)	17.0	11.3	15.9	244.9
储层	密西西比纪Leadville 组白云岩, 三叠纪Shinarump组砾岩	密西西比纪Leadville 组石灰岩	二叠纪Supai组 Arkosic砂岩、断裂的前寒武纪基底	密西西比纪Madison 组石灰岩、白云岩、砂岩
平均深度/m	2 000~2 545	2 730	462	4 750~5 500
产层厚度/m	21~45	18	23	85
孔隙度/%	3.5~25(平均11)	10	10~15	6~12(平均9)
渗透率/(10^-3 μm²)	23		10	10~50
圈闭类型	构造-岩性地层圈闭	构造圈闭	构造圈闭	构造圈闭
盖层	Paradox组盐岩/ 硬石膏	Paradox组盐岩/ 硬石膏	盐岩/硬石膏	Sabkha砂砾岩、喀斯特碎屑岩
气藏压力/psi	2 580(497 m以深)	3 960	508	6 585~7 625
所属盆地	Paradox盆地	Paradox盆地	Holbrook盆地	Green River盆地
采气方式	压力、较少水驱		气顶驱动	气顶驱动
He含量	0.20%	0.78%	0.63%	0.50%
R/R_a	0.057~0.215	0.150	0.394~0.455	0.050~0.070
CO₂含量	98.2%	91.7%	92.6%	79.6%
N₂含量	1.6%	6.1%	6.5%	4.8%
CH₄含量	>0.2%	1.2%	0.05%	12.7%

气田参数	各气田参数情况
气田参数	McElmo Dome	Doe Canyon	St. Johns	Big Piney-La Barge
产区面积/km²	824.4	331.8	890.3	2 630.5
天然气储量/(10⁸ m³)	8 495.1	1 444.2	2 520.2	48 988.1
氦气储量/(10⁸ m³)	17.0	11.3	15.9	244.9
储层	密西西比纪Leadville 组白云岩, 三叠纪Shinarump组砾岩	密西西比纪Leadville 组石灰岩	二叠纪Supai组 Arkosic砂岩、断裂的前寒武纪基底	密西西比纪Madison 组石灰岩、白云岩、砂岩
平均深度/m	2 000~2 545	2 730	462	4 750~5 500
产层厚度/m	21~45	18	23	85
孔隙度/%	3.5~25(平均11)	10	10~15	6~12(平均9)
渗透率/(10^-3 μm²)	23		10	10~50
圈闭类型	构造-岩性地层圈闭	构造圈闭	构造圈闭	构造圈闭
盖层	Paradox组盐岩/ 硬石膏	Paradox组盐岩/ 硬石膏	盐岩/硬石膏	Sabkha砂砾岩、喀斯特碎屑岩
气藏压力/psi	2 580(497 m以深)	3 960	508	6 585~7 625
所属盆地	Paradox盆地	Paradox盆地	Holbrook盆地	Green River盆地
采气方式	压力、较少水驱		气顶驱动	气顶驱动
He含量	0.20%	0.78%	0.63%	0.50%
R/R_a	0.057~0.215	0.150	0.394~0.455	0.050~0.070
CO₂含量	98.2%	91.7%	92.6%	79.6%
N₂含量	1.6%	6.1%	6.5%	4.8%
CH₄含量	>0.2%	1.2%	0.05%	12.7%

气田参数	气田参数情况
气田参数	Pinta Dome	Harley Dome
产区面积/km²	19.9	1.3
储层	二叠纪Coconino砂岩	侏罗纪Entrada砂岩
深度/m	311~334	236
产层厚度/m	21	27
孔隙度/%	14
渗透率/(10^-3 μm²)	110	低
圈闭类型	地层-构造圈闭	构造圈闭
盖层	Moenkopi组页岩	Mancos组页岩
气藏压力/psi	124	154
所属盆地	Holbrook盆地	Unita-Piceance盆地
采气方式	气顶驱动
He含量/%	地区平均7.2 生产井平均8.5	地区平均3.9 生产井平均7
R/R_a	0.20~0.22	0.11
CO₂含量/%	0.46	0.50
N₂含量/%	90.0	62.1
CH₄含量/%	0.22	31.50