The Hydrocarbon Mobility Evaluation of middle Eocene low Maturity
Lacustrine Shale in the Bohai Bay Basin: Implications from NMR Analysis
Abstract
A vital factor influencing shale oil exploration in lacustrine shale
reservoirs is oil mobility, which is closely associated with the shale
pore structure and fluid properties, especially for the low-maturity
lacustrine shale in China. In this study, the oil mobility and shale oil
potential in the Middle Eocene Shahejie Formation lacustrine shale (MES
shale) of the Nanpu Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin were evaluated by using
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. The low-maturity MES shale
has low porosity with various pore types including intergranular and
dissolution pores and microcracks. Its pore space spans nano- to
microscale with dominant mesopores. The portion promoting fluid flow is
complex and has good self-similarity with high high fractal dimensions.
The porosity is related to the thermal maturity, and a higher maturity
facilitates pore space development. The oil saturation in low-maturity
shale is lesser with low free hydrocarbon due to the low the maturity.
Considering the high viscosity and the dead oil, the NMR relaxation
mechanism in smaller pore space of low-maturity shale is proposed to
bulk relaxation. The movable oil with a viscosity lower than 10 cp
accounts consideble pore space in the MES shale. Its viscosity relates
with TOC content and thermal maturity. Comparing with other shale oil
producing areas, MES shale has similar geological conditions and good
brittleness, which hints a suitable and promising shale oil potential at
low tectonic position in the Nanpu Sag under the technologies of in situ
conversion process and hydraulic fracturing.