Microscopic pore-fracture configuration and gas-filled mechanism of shale reservoirs in the western Chongqing area, Sichuan Basin, China

Abstract Taking the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation to Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale reservoirs in western Chongqing area as the study target, the argon ion polishing scanning electron microscope and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments of different saturated wetting media were carried out. Based on the image processing technology and the results of gas desorption, the pore-fracture configuration of the shale reservoirs and its influence on gas-filled mechanism were analyzed. (1) The reservoir space includes organic pores, inorganic pores and micro-fractures and there are obvious differences between wells in the development characteristics of micro-fractures; the organic pores adjacent to the micro-fractures are poorly developed, while the inorganic pores are well preserved. (2) According to the type, development degree and contact relationship of organic pore and micro-fracture, the pore-fracture configuration of the shale reservoir is divided into four types. (3) Based on the differences in NMR T2 spectra of shale samples saturated with oil and water, an evaluation parameter of pore-fracture configuration was constructed and calculated. The smaller the parameter, the better the pore-fracture configuration is. (4) The shale reservoir with good pore-fracture configuration has well-developed organic pores, high porosity, high permeability and high gas content, while the shale reservoir with poor pore-fracture configuration has micro-fractures developed, which improves the natural gas conductivity and leads to low porosity and gas content of the reservoir. (5) Based on pore-fracture configuration, from the perspective of organic matter generating hydrocarbon, micro-fracture providing migration channel, three types of micro gas-filled models of shale gas were established.