Comprehensive evaluation on hydrocarbon-bearing availability of fault traps in a rift basin: A case study of the Qikou sag in the Bohai Bay Basin, China

• Main Authors: Xiaofei FU, Xianqiang SONG, Haixue WANG, Haitao LIU, Shunyu WANG, Lingdong MENG
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2021-08-01
• Series: Petroleum Exploration and Development
• Subjects: fault trap; segment growth; sealing mechanics; revived fault; availability evaluation; rift basin
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876380421600666

An evaluation system of hydrocarbon-bearing availability of fault traps was established based on the comprehensive analysis of fault segment growth history, fine reservoir anatomy and geochemistry tracing, with the Qikou sag in the Bohai Bay Basin as target area. The displacement/separation transform and displacement gradient method were used to prove the interpretation reliability of fault traps. The method of maximum throw subtraction was used to recover the history of fault growth and determine the availability of the forming period of fault traps. Based on the quantitative relationship between shale gouge ratio and cross-fault pressure difference of known reservoirs in southern Qikou sag, the critical shale gouge ratio of fault lateral sealing was calculated at 20%, and the quantitative evaluation chart based on the relationship of “fault throw–sand-formation ratio and hydrocarbon column height” was constructed. Based on the results of reservoir fine anatomy and quantitative fluorescence tracing test shale smear factor method is suitable for evaluating the vertical sealing of faults in the caprock of the middle submember of first member of Paleogene Shahejie Formation, and the shale smear factor critical value is 3.5. The juxtaposition thickness method is suitable for evaluating vertical sealing of faults in the caprock of the second member of Paleogene Dongying Formation, and the critical juxtaposition thickness of fault is 70–80 m. By combining four factors, the availability of fault trap interpretation, the availability of the forming period of fault trap, the availability of fault lateral sealing and the availability of fault vertical sealing, the comprehensive evaluation chart on hydrocarbon-bearing availability of fault traps in Qikou sag has been established, which provides a reasonable basis for risk assessment of fault traps.