Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2024, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (5): 209-226.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2024.6.18

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Characteristics and main controlling factors of fracture development in the Ordovician carbonate reservoir, Tahe oilfield

HAN Pengyuan1,2(), DING Wenlong1,2,*(), YANG Debin1,3, DENG Guangxiao3,4, WANG Zhen3, MA Hailong3, LÜ Jing3, GENG Tian3   

  1. 1. School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    2. MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Reservoir Evolution and Hydrocarbon Enrichment Mechanism, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    3. Northwest Oilfield Company, Sinopec, ürümqi 830011, China
    4. School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
  • Received:2023-11-15 Revised:2024-06-18 Online:2024-09-25 Published:2024-10-11

Abstract:

The characteristics of natural fractures in Ordovician carbonate reservoirs, Tahe oilfield are systematically studied and the main controlling factors of fracture development are analysed using different experimental methods. Natural fractures can be divided into four types and seven subtypes: structural (tensile, shear), superficial (weathering), diagenetic (stylolites, bedding), and composite genetic (structural-weathering, structural-diagenetic), with structural being the dominating type. Fractures are mainly oriented NE-SW, NW-SE and NNE-SSW and dip toward NNW, NE and SEE, with dip angles mostly greater than 70° and fracture density ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 m-1. According to filling characteristics and fracture cross-cutting relationships fracture filling can be divided into three stages. Fractures with stage I filling show strong fluorescence reaction under the microscope, demonstrating filled fractures can still be effective due to internal microfractures. The formation and development of fractures in carbonate reservoirs are controlled by four factors: tectonic stress field, fault, lithology and karstification. The magnitude and direction of the tectonic stress field during the fracture formation period determine the fracture size and distribution mode. Under the significant influence of strike-slip faults a large number of fault-associated fractures are developed, and their fracturing pattern is consistent with that of strike-slip faults. The radius of influence of a single strike-slip fault zone is 2048.56 m, and the development of fault controlled fractures is strong within 0-308.25 m from the fault zone and significantly reduced beyond this range. The tension-shear section of the strike-slip fault and the end of the fault zone show good fracture development, and the active plate has high fracture density with more abundant oil/gas filled fractures. The level of fracture development is positively correlated with the content of brittle minerals and significantly influenced by Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. The highest level of fracture development is found in dolomite, and the most effective fractures are in sandy limestone. Large-scale fracture development are seen on mounds under karst platform in shallow areas and along the vertical direction, with an average fracture density of 2.67 m-1, strongly enhancing reservoir performance.

Key words: development characteristics, controlling factors, carbonate reservoirs, Ordovician, Tahe oilfield

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