Sedimentary and Diagenetic Features and Their Impacts on Microbial Carbonate Reservoirs in the Fourth Member of the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation, Western Sichuan Basin, China

Abstract

In recent years, the discovery of two gas fields in the fourth member of the Leikoupo Formation in the Western Sichuan Basin of SW China confirmed the exploration potential of microbial carbonates. The aim of the present study is to clarify the formation mechanism of the microbial reservoirs in the Leikoupo Formation. For this purpose, lithofacies, depositional environments, and diagenesis analyses were performed in samples collected from cores of 12 wells. The climate of study area was arid during Anisian time, and the water body was restricted. In such a climate, an evaporitic environment was developed, where ten types of lithofacies, dominated by microbial carbonates and gypsum rocks, were recognized. Thrombolites and stromatolites are the main high-quality reservoirs rock types in the fourth member of the Leikoupo Formation in the Western Sichuan Basin of SW China, which developed as microbial mounds, with reservoir space of microbial inter-clot pores, intra-clot pores, fenestral pores, inter-crystalline pores, and cracks. The microbial inter-clot pores are the main reservoir space, formed by trapping and binding of marls by benthic microbial communities. These pores were partially filled with evaporites because of the arid climate, which were subsequently dissolved (mainly gypsum) in the syn-depositional period, thus greatly improving the quality of reservoirs. Although some pores were occluded by multi-stage cements during the burial stage, major pores were well preserved own to the early dolomitization, rapid burial of the Leikoupo Formation, and early charging of hydrocarbon. The early dolomitization enhanced the anti-compaction ability of microbial carbonates during the burial stage. Rapid burial of the Leikoupo succession slowed down early cementation, and it also accelerated the maturation and expulsion process source rock to promote early charging of hydrocarbon in pores, which created a closed system, inhibiting strong burial cementation.

Sedimentary structures of microbial carbonates in the fourth member of the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation, Western Sichuan Basin, China

“…Nowadays, a typical microbial carbonate reservoir has been found in the fourth member of the Leikoupo Formation in the Western Sichuan Basin 5 . From 2008 to 2012, well CK-1 and XS-1 have produced commercial gas flow at the rate of 86.8 × 10 4 m 3 /day and 68 × 10 4 m 3 /day respectively.…”

“…In next year, well YaS-1 and YS-1 produced commercial gas flow at the rate of 48.5 × 10 4 m 3 /day and 60.32 × 10 4 m 3 /day respectively 6 . Although recent studies reached an agreement that the development of the microbial carbonate reservoir in the Leikoupo Formation was controlled by the sedimentary facies, there is also controversy over the sedimentary facies indentified by them 5,[7][8][9][10][11][12] . Some researches indicated that the microbial carbonate reservoir in the Leikoupo Formation is developed in tidal flat 9,10 , while some preferred microbial reef 7,8,11 , and others were inclined to microbial mound 5 .…”

“…Although recent studies reached an agreement that the development of the microbial carbonate reservoir in the Leikoupo Formation was controlled by the sedimentary facies, there is also controversy over the sedimentary facies indentified by them 5,[7][8][9][10][11][12] . Some researches indicated that the microbial carbonate reservoir in the Leikoupo Formation is developed in tidal flat 9,10 , while some preferred microbial reef 7,8,11 , and others were inclined to microbial mound 5 . Obviously, it is necessary for the exploration of microbial carbonate reservoir in the fourth member of the Leikoupo Formation in the Western Sichuan Basin to accurately restore the sedimentary environment of the microbial carbonates.…”

Middle Triassic tectono‐sedimentary development of Sichuan Basin: Insights into the cratonic differentiation

“…This facies association is interpreted as gypsiferous dolomitic and gypsiferous limy flats based on facies types, architecture, and stratigraphic position (Wang et al, 2020). In these flats, the brine surfaces responded to slow low‐amplitude sea level rise and fall, resulting in the interlacing of bedded evaporites and normal marine platform carbonate rocks.…”

Sedimentary structures of microbial carbonates in the fourth member of the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation, western Sichuan Basin, China

“…Nowadays, a typical microbial carbonate reservoir has been found in the Fourth Member of the Leikoupo Formation in the western Sichuan Basin (Wang et al, 2020). From 2008 to 2012, well CK-1 and XS-1 have produced commercial gas ow at the rate of 86.8×10 4 m 3 /day and 68×10 4 m 3 /day respectively.…”