Xinjiang Petroleum Geology ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (6): 668-683.doi: 10.7657/XJPG20250603

• OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Source-Reservoir Coupling and Sweet Spot Formation Mechanism of Continental Laminated Shale Oil: A Case Study of the Fengcheng Formation, Junggar Basin

CAO Jian1(), QIN Zhijun2, WEI Chao1, XIANG Baoli2,3, LIU Jin1,2,3   

  1. 1. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
    2. Research Institute of Exploration and Development, Xinjiang Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Karamay, Xinjiang 834000, China
    3. Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Shale Oil Exploration and Development, Karamay, Xinjiang 834000, China
  • Received:2025-11-02 Revised:2025-11-13 Online:2025-12-01 Published:2025-12-05

Abstract:

Significant breakthroughs have been made in the exploration of continental shale oil in China. However, the strong heterogeneity and complex source-reservoir coupling in these shales have hindered the understanding of sweet spot formation mechanism. In this paper, taking the Permian Fengcheng formation in the Junggar Basin as an example, the characteristics of shale laminae and their controls on shale oil sweet spots were systematically investigated using multiple techniques such as large-area thin-section scanning, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and organic geochemical analysis. The results indicate that the lacustrine shales of the Fengcheng formation are well-laminated. The laminae can be classified into six types: silt-grade felsic lamina (SFL), argillaceous-grade felsic lamina (AFL), sparry dolomitic lamina (SDL), sparry calcite lamina (SCL), spherulitic siliceous lamina (SSL), and alkaline mineral lamina (AML). Two predominant laminated shale combinations are identified, i.e., SFL + AFL, and SCL/SDL + AFL. These lamina types exhibit significant variations in source-reservoir characteristics. AFL and SSL, characterized by high organic matter (OM) contents and the presence of high-quality hydrocarbon precursors such as laminated algae and rhodophyta spores, serve as the primary hydrocarbon-generating laminae. In contrast, SFL exhibits well-developed micropores and nanopores, including quartz/feldspar intercrystallline pores and feldspar intragranular dissolved pores, with a high proportion of free oil, rendering it favorable reservoir lamina. The superimposition of multiple lamina types governs organic-inorganic interactions, reservoir space characteristics, and hydrocarbon micro-migration processes, ultimately leading to differential enrichment of shale oil across various intervals. It is noted that the SFL + AFL combination represents the optimal source-reservoir configuration, demonstrating excellent overall oil content and forming an enrichment model characterized by oil generation in argillaceous lamina and accumulation in silty lamina. This combination is identified as a favorable target for shale oil exploration and development.

Key words: Junggar Basin, continental shale oil, Fengcheng formation, lamina structure, source-reservoir coupling, sweet spot formation mechanism

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