Tectonic evolution and accumulation characteristics of Carboniferous shale gas in Yadu-Ziyun-Luodian aulacogen, Guizhou Province, South China

Abstract

The Yadu-Ziyun-Luodian aulacogen (YZLA) developed into being NW-trending in the Late Paleozoic, and was considered as an important passive continental margin aulacogen in Guizhou Province, South China. This tectonic zone is considered a large intracontinental thrust-slip tectonic unit, which has undergone a long period of development. It was ultimately determined in the Yanshanian, where the typical Upper Paleozoic marine shales were deposited. In 2021, Well QSD-1 was deployed in the Liupanshui area at the northwest margin of the aulacogen, and obtained a daily shale gas flow of 11011 m³ in the Carboniferous Dawuba Formation. It thus achieved a breakthrough in the invesgation of shale gas in the Lower Carboniferous in South China, revealing relatively good gas-bearing properties and broad exploration prospects of the aulacogen. Being different from the Lower Paleozoic strata in the Sichuan Basin and the Yichang area of the Middle Yangtze, the development of the Carboniferous Dawuba Formation in the aulacogen exhibits the following characteristics: (1) The Lower Carboniferous shale is thick and widely distributed, with interbedded shale and marlstone of virous thickness; (2) The total organic carbon (TOC) content of the shale in the Dawuba Formation ranges from 1% to 5%, with an average of 2%, and the thermal maturity of organic matter (R_o) varies from 1% to 4%, with an average of 2.5%, indicating good hydrocarbon generation capacity; (3) The main shale in the aulacogen was formed during the fault subsidence stage from the Middle Devonian to the Early Permian. Although the strong compression and deformation during the late Indosinian-Himalayan played a certain role in destroying the formed shale gas reservoirs, comparative analysis suggests that the area covered by the current Triassic strata has a low degree of destruction. It therefore provides good conditions for shale gas preservation, which can be regarded as a favorable area for the next exploration.

Keywords

Shale gas / Aulacogen / Carboniferous / Shale and marlstone / Organic carbon / Organic matter / Hydrocarbon generation capacity / Tectonic evolution / Accumulation characteristics

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Kun Yuan and Wen-hui Huang conceived the presented idea. Shi-zhen Li and Ting Wang conceived and planned the experiments. Xiang-can Sun carried out the experiments. Kun Yuan, Ting Wang, and Xin-xin Fang wrote the manuscript in consultation. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the China Geological Survey Projects of Shale Gas Survey in the GuizhongNanpanjiang Area (DD20190088), Investigation and evaluation of Paleozoic shale gas in Yunnan-GuizhouGuangxi region (DD20230264), Investigation and Evaluation of Carboniferous Shale Gas in Southern Guizhou-Central Guangxi (ZDDYR2023018), and Reservoir Characteristics and Gas Accumulation of Trough-platform Shale: A Case Study of Early Carboniferous Shale in Yaziluo Rift Trough (YKC2023-YC08).

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