Abstract:

To determine the exploration potential of the shale gas in the Cambrian Niutitang formation in the Tongren area, northeast Guizhou, on the basis of X-ray diffraction experiments, the maturity of the shale of Niutitang formation-Bianmachong formation from Well QTD-1 was tested by using methods of bitumen reflectance, illite crystallinity and laser Raman spectroscopy. The results show that the shale of Niutitang formation-Bianmachong formation lacks vitrinite, making its maturity difficult to be evaluated using conventional vitrinite reflectance. The shale is not evaluated satisfactorily by using the reflectance of bitumen, due to its complex genesis and the impact of bitumen heterogeneity. The illite crystallinity method can only provide a rough range of maturity, with relatively large error due to the presence of clay minerals. In contrast, the laser Raman spectroscopy method is less affected by heterogeneity and has advantages such as simple sample preparation and non-destructive testing, which proves to be a more ideal testing approach. The equivalent vitrinite reflectance of the black shale of Niutitang formation in the study area ranges from 3.41% to 3.50%, indicating a late overmature stage.

Key words: northeast Guizhou, Tongren area, Cambrian, Niutitang formation, source rock, maturity, high-mature, laser Raman spectroscopy