Analysis of accumulation models of Middle Permian in Northwest Sichuan Basin

How to cite item Li, B., Li, Q., Mei, W., Zhuo, Q., & Lu, X. (2020). Analysis of accumulation models of Middle Permian in Northwest Sichuan Basin. Earth Sciences Research Journal, 24(4), 418-427. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15446/esrj. v24n4.91149 Great progress has been made in middle Permian exploration in Northwest Sichuan in recent years, but there are still many questions in understanding the hydrocarbon accumulation conditions. Due to the abundance of source rocks and the multi-term tectonic movements in this area, the hydrocarbon accumulation model is relatively complex, which has become the main problem to be solved urgently in oil and gas exploration. Based on the different tectonic backgrounds of the middle Permian in northwest Sichuan Basin, the thrust nappe belt, the hidden front belt, and the depression belt are taken as the research units to comb and compare the geologic conditions of the middle Permian reservoir. The evaluation of source rocks and the comparison of hydrocarbon sources suggest that the middle Permian hydrocarbon mainly comes from the bottom of the lower Cambrian and middle Permian, and the foreland orogeny promoted the thermal evolution of Paleozoic source rocks in northwest Sichuan to high maturity and over maturity stage. Based on a large number of reservoir physical properties data, the middle Permian reservoir has the characteristics of low porosity and low permeability, among which the thrust nappe belt and the hidden front belt have relatively high porosity and relatively developed fractures. The thick mudstone of Longtan formation constitutes the regional caprock in the study area and the preservation condition is good as a whole. However, the thrusting faults destroyed the sealing ability of the caprock in the nappe thrust belt. Typical reservoir profiles revealed that the trap types were different in the study area. The thrust fault traps are mainly developed in the thrust nappe belt, while the fault anticline traps are developed in the hidden front belt, and the structural lithological traps are developed in the depression belt. The different structural belts in northwest Sichuan have different oil and gas accumulation models. This paper built three hydrocarbon accumulation models by the analysis of reservoir formation conditions. The comprehensive analysis supposed the hidden front belt is close to the lower Cambrian source rock, and the reservoir heterogeneity is weak, faults connected source rock is developed, so it is a favorable oil and gas accumulation area in the middle Permian. ABSTRACT Analysis of accumulation models of middle Permian in Northwest Sichuan Basin