Exploration domains and technological breakthrough directions of natural gas in SINOPEC exploratory areas, Sichuan Basin, China

Natural gas exploration in SINOPEC's exploratory areas in the Sichuan Basin has achieved rapid development. Since discovering the Xinchang gas field, natural gas exploration has expanded gradually, with both reserves and production growing fast. The deepening understanding of geological theory and crucial technology's progress is the main driving force for the natural gas industry's significant development. Considering the rich natural gas resources, various types of promising targets, exploration degree of 16% of conventional natural gas, and the initial stage of shale gas exploration, the HCZ model predicted natural gas exploration. Additionally, it indicated that the shale gas in the SINOPEC exploratory areas in the Sichuan Basin would consistently have rapid development with proven reserves increasing by (160–200) × 109m3/a. In the future, the development strategy is to vigorously develop shale gas, steadily promote marine conventional natural gas, and continually research continental tight sandstone gas. The following tasks need to be strengthened for efficient exploration of the three resource types: prediction of deep and ultra-deep reef-shoal reservoirs, weathered crust reservoirs, and technological breakthrough of efficient drilling and fracturing test of ultra-deep wells; the technological breakthrough of geological-logging-seismic integrated sweets pot prediction of tight sandstones and low-cost multi-layer fracturing of vertical wells; the technological breakthrough of increasing-yield and reducing-cost drilling, completion, and fracturing of deep marine shale gas; resources potential evaluation and adaptive exploration and development technologies preparation of continental and transitional shale gas.