Determining the gas accumulation period using fluid inclusion observations: Xiang Zhong Basin, China

Abstract There are a large number of natural gas shows in the Upper Paleozoic of the central Hunan Basin. However, the hydrocarbon accumulation process was complicated due to the strong tectonic reformation in this area. A study of the natural gas accumulation period is of significance for determining gas accumulation models. In this research, the fluid inclusion samples were tested, the fluid inclusion occurrence characteristics, uniform temperature data, and reservoir evolution were analyzed, and four diagenetic periods and four diagenetic periods and three hydrocarbon accumulation periods were identified. (i) For the syntaxial stage, the filling is dark and nonluminous, and the fluid captured by the overgrowing cement around the particles is mainly seawater; (ii) for the (Early) Mesogenetic burial stage, the calcite cement grows around the particles or micritic calcite matrix, and the fluid captured is mainly brine; (iii) for (Late) Mesogenetic burial stage, two sets of decomposed fissures developed in massive calcite colloids with non-luminous gas-rich hydrocarbon inclusions within the crystals; and (iv) for Telogenetic burial stage, weakly fluorescent pure gaseous hydrocarbon inclusions are developed in luminescent calcite veins. The result indicates that the organic inclusions in the Lower Carboniferous of the central Hunan Basin are dominated by weakly fluorescent and nonfluorescent rich gas inclusions and pure gas-phase inclusions, with three stages of hydrocarbon filling. By integrating the average homogenization temperatures on burial curves, the three charging orders correspond to 260–250 Ma during the Late Permian, 249–245 Ma during the Early Triassic, and 208–170 Ma during the Late Triassic. Dense reservoir characteristics reveal deep basin gas reservoir in deep basin.