Breakthrough of shallow shale gas exploration in Taiyang anticline area and its significance for resource development in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, China

Abstract Based on exploration and development results and evaluation of marine shale gas in South China in the past ten years, in view of the features of “high maturity, strong tectonic reformation and high shear stress” of the shale in Zhaotong exploration zone in the Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau, as well as the key issues of long time diffusion and leakage of shallow shale gas, and the preservation conditions, the factors controlling shallow shale gas sweet spot and key zone selection evaluation technology of shale gas are investigated. From 2017 to 2018, the first significant exploration breakthrough was made in the Taiyang anticline at a buried depth of 700 to 2 000 m, discovering large-scale proved geological reserves of shallow shale gas. By examining the accumulation conditions and sweet spot control factors of the shallow shale gas in this area, it is found that the accumulation and productivity potential of shale gas in the mountainous area with complex structure outside basin are controlled by five factors: (1) The gas-rich area has weak tectonic reformation and good preservation conditions on the whole, taking on typical anticline trap occurrence mode. (2) The gas-rich area is in over-pressure state and high in shale gas content. (3) The gas-rich area has high quality shale and thus superior source rock condition. (4) The gas-rich area has high quality reservoirs dominated by class I. (5) The shale gas reservoir in the gas-rich area has high content of brittle minerals and small difference between maximum and minimum horizontal stresses which are conducive to hydraulic fracturing. The innovative practice and core technologies formed during the exploration and production capacity construction of shallow shale gas in the Zhaotong demonstration zone have great reference significance for shallow shale gas exploration and development in other areas.