Adsorption characteristics and controlling factors of marine deep shale gas in southern Sichuan Basin, China

Deep shale gas (3500–4500 m) is the important replacement field of shale gas production growth in the future China. The research on key parameters of deep shale-gas reservoir is critical to determine its basic geological characteristics and establish a suitable development mode. In order to clarify the adsorption characteristics and controlling factors of deep shale gas in Longmaxi Formation, the main tests such as high-pressure methane adsorption, low-temperature nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption coupled with the adsorption fitting model and comparative analysis were conducted. The results show that the adsorption isotherms of deep shale gas also have a downward trend in spite of the higher pressure, and there is no obvious difference in adsorption characteristics, which is mainly due to the similar characteristics of microscopic pore-structure between deep shale and shallower shale. It is found that different adsorption models can well fit the experimental adsorption curve of deep shale gas, but the absolute adsorption capacity converted from excess adsorption capacity shows the same fitting result, i.e., DA-LF model > DR model > Langmuir model. Furthermore, DR model based on micropore filling theory is more suitable for characterizing the adsorption law of deep shale gas combined with the correlation analysis between pore structure and adsorbed-gas capacity. In addition, TOC is the key material factor controlling the adsorption capacity, and specific surface area of micropore is the key spatial factor. Compared to shallower shale, the deep shale shows higher siliceous content, lower calcite content, lower TOC content and lower adsorbed-gas content (the proportion of adsorbed-gas is about 30%).