Experimental study on reservoir characteristics and oil-bearing properties of Chang 7 lacustrine oil shale in Yan’an area, China

The Chang 7 Member shale of the Upper Triassic Yanchang formation in the Ordos basin is a hot spot in petroleum geology research. In this study, considering the Chang 7 shale in the Yan’an area as an example, the full-scale pore size characterization of lacustrine shale was realized based on the scanning electron microscopy image gray correction method, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorptions, and high-pressure mercury intrusion tests. In addition, the pore structures and oil-bearing properties of the Chang 7 shale were systematically studied. The results show that the Chang 7 shale is rich in organic matter, with an average total organic carbon value of 4.69% and an average value of 0.9%. It is in the mature-wet gas (crude oil-associated gas) stage. There are certain differences in the development characteristics and pore size distribution of different types of pores in shale. The statistical results showed that the pore diameters of the intergranular pores and intragranular dissolved pores were significantly larger than the intercrystalline pores of clay minerals and the organic pores. The organic pores in solid bitumen are extremely developed, whereas the organic pores in kerogen are relatively underdeveloped. The lower limit of the effective pore size of shale is 20 nm. The network system composed of inorganic pores-microcracks-organic matter-organic pores and siltstone laminae provides important channels and retention spaces for the migration of shale oil and gas within the source. This study found that the proportion of movable oil in sandy layers is relatively high, followed by shale with sandy laminae, whereas pure shale has the lowest proportion of movable oil. Therefore, the degree of sandy laminar development, the abundance of organic matter, and the degree of thermal evolution are the key geological factors that control the porosity and oil-bearing properties of shale oil reservoirs.