Exploration Potential of Marine Source Rocks Oil‐Gas Reservoirs in China

Abstract: So far, more than 150 marine oil‐gas fields have been found onshore and offshore about 350. The marine source rocks are mainly Paleozoic and Mesozoic onshore whereas Tertiary offshore. Three genetic categories of oil‐gas reservoirs have been defined for the marine reservoirs in China: primary reservoirs, secondary reservoirs and hydrocarbon‐regeneration reservoirs. And three exploration prospects have also been suggested: (1) Primary reservoirs prospects, which are chiefly distributed in many Tertiary basins of the South China Sea (SCS), the Tertiary shelf basins of the East China Sea (ECS) and the Paleozoic of Tarim basin, Sichuan basin and Ordos basin. To explore large‐middle‐scale even giant oil‐gas fields should chiefly be considered in this category reservoirs. These basins are the most hopeful areas to explore marine oil‐gas fields in China, among which especially many Tertiary basins of the SCS should be strengthened to explore. (2) Secondary reservoirs prospects, which are mainly distributed in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic of the Tarim basin, Sichuan basin, Qiangtang basin and Chuxiong basin in western China, of which exploration potential is less than that of the primary reservoirs. (3) Hydrocarbon‐regeneration reservoirs prospects, which are chiefly distributed in the Bohai Bay basin, North Jiangsu‐South Yellow Sea basin, southern North China basin, Jianghan basin, South Poyang basin in eastern China and the Tarim basin in western China, of which source rocks are generally the Paleozoic. And the reservoirs formed by late‐stage (always Cenozoic) secondary hydrocarbon generation of the Paleozoic source rocks should mainly be considered to explore, among which middle‐small and small oil‐gas fields are the chief exploration targets. As a result of higher thermal evolution of Paleozoic and Mesozoic source rocks, the marine reservoirs onshore are mainly gas fields, and so far marine oil fields have only been found in the Tarim basin. No other than establishing corresponding marine oil‐gas exploration and development strategy and policy, sufficiently enhancing cognition to the particularity and complexity of China's marine petroleum geology, and applying new thoughts, new theories and new technologies, at the same time tackling some key technologies, it is possible to fast and effectually exploit and utilize the potential huge marine oil‐gas resources of China.