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Advances in Geo-Energy Research 2017, 1(2): 112-123 https://doi.org/10.26804/ager.2017.02.07
Original Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 25 September 2017

Quantitative characterization of micropore structure for organic-rich Lower Silurian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China: Implications for shale gas adsorption capacity

Show Author's Information Lei Chen1,2,3,  Zhenxue Jiang1,2( ),  Keyu Liu4,5,  Fenglin Gao1,2
State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
Unconventional Oil & Gas Cooperative Innovation Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering, Bentley WA 6102, Australia
School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, P. R. China
Keywords:
Shale gas, micropore structure, lower silurian shale, Upper Yangtze Platform, adsorption capacity.
Cite this article:
Chen L, Jiang Z, Liu K, et al. Quantitative characterization of micropore structure for organic-rich Lower Silurian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China: Implications for shale gas adsorption capacity. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2017, 1(2): 112-123. https://doi.org/10.26804/ager.2017.02.07
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Abstract Full text About this article

The pores in shales are mainly of nanometer-scale, and their pore size distribution is very important for shale gas storage and adsorption capacity, especially micropores having widths less than 2 nm, which contribute to the main occurrence space for gas adsorption. This study is focused on the organic-rich Lower Silurian black shale from four wells in the Upper Yangtze Platform, and their total organic carbon (TOC), mineralogical composition and micropore characterization were investigated. Low pressure CO 2 adsorption measurement was conducted at 273.15 K in the relative pressure range of 0.0001-0.03, and the micropore structure was characterized by Dubinin-Radushkevich equation and density functional theory method and then the relationship between micropore structure and shale gas adsorption capacity was discussed. The results indicated that (1) The Lower Silurian shale have high TOC content in the range of 0.92%-4.96%, high quartz content in the range of 30.6%-69.5%, and high clays content in the range of 24.1%-51.2%. The TOC content shows a strong positive relationship with the quartz content which suggests that the quartz is mainly biogenic in origin. (2) The micropore volume varies from 0.12 to 0.44 cm 3/100g and micropore surface area varies from 4.97 to 17.94 m 2/g. Both of them increase with increasing TOC content, indicating TOC is the key factor to control the micropore structure of the Lower Silurian shale. (3) Low pressure CO 2 adsorption measurement provides the most suitable detection range (0.3-1.5 nm) and has high reliability and accuracy for micropore structure characterization. (4) The TOC content is the key factor to control gas adsorption capacity of the Lower Silurian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform.


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Quantitative characterization of micropore structure for organic-rich Lower Silurian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China: Implications for shale gas adsorption capacity

Show Author's information Lei Chen1,2,3, Zhenxue Jiang1,2( ), Keyu Liu4,5, Fenglin Gao1,2
State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
Unconventional Oil & Gas Cooperative Innovation Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering, Bentley WA 6102, Australia
School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, P. R. China

Abstract

The pores in shales are mainly of nanometer-scale, and their pore size distribution is very important for shale gas storage and adsorption capacity, especially micropores having widths less than 2 nm, which contribute to the main occurrence space for gas adsorption. This study is focused on the organic-rich Lower Silurian black shale from four wells in the Upper Yangtze Platform, and their total organic carbon (TOC), mineralogical composition and micropore characterization were investigated. Low pressure CO 2 adsorption measurement was conducted at 273.15 K in the relative pressure range of 0.0001-0.03, and the micropore structure was characterized by Dubinin-Radushkevich equation and density functional theory method and then the relationship between micropore structure and shale gas adsorption capacity was discussed. The results indicated that (1) The Lower Silurian shale have high TOC content in the range of 0.92%-4.96%, high quartz content in the range of 30.6%-69.5%, and high clays content in the range of 24.1%-51.2%. The TOC content shows a strong positive relationship with the quartz content which suggests that the quartz is mainly biogenic in origin. (2) The micropore volume varies from 0.12 to 0.44 cm 3/100g and micropore surface area varies from 4.97 to 17.94 m 2/g. Both of them increase with increasing TOC content, indicating TOC is the key factor to control the micropore structure of the Lower Silurian shale. (3) Low pressure CO 2 adsorption measurement provides the most suitable detection range (0.3-1.5 nm) and has high reliability and accuracy for micropore structure characterization. (4) The TOC content is the key factor to control gas adsorption capacity of the Lower Silurian shale in the Upper Yangtze Platform.

Keywords: Shale gas, micropore structure, lower silurian shale, Upper Yangtze Platform, adsorption capacity.

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Received: 10 August 2017
Revised: 28 August 2017
Accepted: 29 August 2017
Published: 25 September 2017
Issue date: September 2017

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© The Author(s) 2017

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the National Science and Technology Major Project (No. 2016ZX05034-001) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41472112).

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Published with open access at Ausasia Science and Technology Press on behalf of Division of Porous Flow, Hubei Province Society of Rock Mechanics and Engineering.

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