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Distribution Patterns and Controlling Factors of Giant Carbonate Rock Oil and Gas Fields Worldwide

Zhang Ningning1, He Dengfa2, Sun Yanpeng2, Li Haowu1   

  1. 1 Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina; 2 School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
  • Online:2014-12-15 Published:2014-12-15

Abstract: Giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds are those whose reservoirs are made mainly of carbonate rock. Based on the statistical fi gures, at the end of 2012, a total of 1021 giant oil and gas fi elds were found worldwide, of which 321 ones were giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds. By means of statistical analysis, assessment of resources and sedimentology, this paper theoretically analyzes 226 giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds, focusing on their geographical locations, strata distribution, scale and buried depth of reservoirs, and types of traps. The analysis indicates that carbonate rock reservoirs are distributed mainly in the Persian Gulf Basin, the Gulf of Mexico Basin, Sirte Basin, Pre-Caspian Basin, North Slope of Alaska in the United States, Permian Basin, Sichuan Basin and Tarim Basin. Of those areas, the oil and gas resources of carbonate rock reservoirs are accumulated mainly in the Upper Paleozoic , Jurassic System, Cretaceous System, Paleogene System and Neogene System. Giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds can be classifi ed mainly as biological reef, grain beach, dolomite, unconformity and weathering crust. Usually they are large in scale, with a buried depth of less than 3000 meters. However, the reservoirs with a large buried depth are mostly dolomite and high-pressure limestone. Based on the research on distribution patterns and accumulations of giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds, it is found that the current geophysical locations and vertical distribution of giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds are controlled by the carbonate rock plane and distribution of strata. The palaeoclimate and palaeolatitude controlled formation of hydrocarbon source rock and development of carbonate rock. The palaeostructure and its development controlled the scale of carbonate rock reservoirs and oil and gas abundance. The sedimentary diagenesis controlled reservoir functions of giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds while favorable source-reservoir-cap assemblage holds the key to formation of giant carbonate rock oil and gas fi elds.