Characteristics of heterogeneous diagenesis and modification to physical properties of Upper Paleozoic tight gas reservoir in eastern Ordos Basin

Abstract To correctly evaluate reservoir quality and determine promising tight gas zones, the characteristics of heterogeneous diagenesis and modifications to physical properties in the Upper Paleozoic tight gas reservoir in the eastern Ordos Basin (UPTGREOB) were assessed by comprehensively analyzing lithology, petrophysics, and organic geochemistry data. It was found that the types of sandstones in UPTGREOB mainly include (feldspathic) detritus sandstones and detritus feldspathic sandstone in low–ultralow porosity and permeability, with complex pore structure. Sandstone pores can be divided into two types: primary (primary intergranular and residual primary intergranular pores), secondary (intercrystalline, dissolved intragranular, dissolved intergranular, and dissolved cementing pores and microfractures). The main types of diagenesis are compaction, cementation, dissolution, and metasomatic alteration. Shiqianfeng Formation and Upper Shihezi Formation belong to period B of the syndiagenesis stage and period A1 and A2 of the mesodiagenesis stage; Lower Shihezi Formation and Shanxi Formation are entirely in the mesodiagenesis stage; Taiyuan Formation can be regarded to be in periods A2 and B of the mesodiagenesis stage and period A of the telodiagenesis stage. The original porosity of UPTGREOB was approximately 34%. Compaction was the primary destructive diagenesis rather than cementation, while dissolution was found to be the primary constructive diagenesis. The heterogeneous diagenesis played different roles in the UPTGREOB: in syndiagenesis B, the UPTGREOB began to densify under the compaction and early cementation; in mesodiagenesis A, dissolution and metasomatic alteration produced massive secondary dissolved pores and intercrystalline pores, improving the porosity and permeability; in mesodiagenesis B, dissolved pores were filled by new cements, resulting in decreased porosity and permeability; in telodiagenesis A, intensified compaction and cementation made the UPTGREOB retain extra low porosity and permeability. In general, the reservoirs of Shiqianfeng Formation and Upper/Lower Shihezi Formation in the mesodiagenesis stage A have preferable physical properties for tight gas accumulation.