Dolomitization history and porosity evolution of a giant, deeply buried Ediacaran gas field (Sichuan Basin, China)

Abstract The deeply buried (>7 km) upper Ediacaran (Sinian) Dengying Formation (ca. 551.1–541 Ma) in the Sichuan Basin, China, is the largest Precambrian dolostone gas reservoir worldwide. Gas exploration from the Dengying Formation, however, is hampered by a limited understanding of its complex dolomitization history and porosity evolution. New petrological, geochemical and petrophysical analyses were performed and are discussed here to develop a better understanding of the formation’s complexities. Microbialite, dolo-grainstone, and crystalline dolostone lithologies from the platform margin have high primary porosities relative to dolo-mudstone and less common microbialite lithologies from the low-energy platform interior. Spatially-variable primary porosity was subsequently overprinted by meteoric dissolution and dolomitization, often inducing secondary porosity. The various forms of dolomitization (sabkha, reflux, and burial dolomitization, and cementation) increased the resistivity of these rocks to chemical and physical compaction and porosity destruction. In the deep burial domain, medium- to coarse-crystalline dolomite cements and saddle dolomite precipitated at fluid temperatures of 120–160 °C and 160–220 °C, respectively. The significance of deep burial dissolution is critically discussed and constrained by: (i) corrosion of late diagenetic minerals, (ii) pores cross-cutting (or forming around) stylolites, and (iii) the occurrence of solid bitumen in the center of secondary pores. Vuggy, inter- and intracrystalline pores developed during a late and deep burial stage, and comprise ca. 20% of the overall Dengying reservoir porosity. Mechanisms which induced corrosion at this burial stage include hydrothermal pulses and thermochemical sulfate reduction. Similar to many carbonate reservoirs in the Phanerozoic, this study documents that the platform margin has better porosities and higher gas production compared to the platform interior due to its specific carbonate rock properties and diagenesis. Data shown here document the complex multiphase dolomitization history and high potential for gas production from deeply buried Precambrian dolostone reservoirs.