A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application

Gas-bearing shales have become a major source of future natural gas production worldwide. It has become increasingly urgent to develop a reliable prediction model and corresponding workflow for identifying shale gas sweet spots. The formation of gas-bearing shales is closely linked to relative sea-l...

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Main Authors: Hongyan Wang, Zhensheng Shi, Xi Yang, Qun Zhao, Changmin Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-06-01
Series:Energy Geoscience
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000137
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author Hongyan Wang
Zhensheng Shi
Xi Yang
Qun Zhao
Changmin Guo
author_facet Hongyan Wang
Zhensheng Shi
Xi Yang
Qun Zhao
Changmin Guo
author_sort Hongyan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Gas-bearing shales have become a major source of future natural gas production worldwide. It has become increasingly urgent to develop a reliable prediction model and corresponding workflow for identifying shale gas sweet spots. The formation of gas-bearing shales is closely linked to relative sea-level changes, providing an important approach to predicting sweet spots in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in the southern Sichuan Basin, China. Three types of marine shale gas sweet spots are identified in the shale based on their formation stages combined with relative sea-level changes: early, middle, and late transgression types. This study develops a prediction model and workflow for identifying shale gas sweet spots by analyzing relative sea-level changes and facies sequences. Predicting shale gas sweet spots in an explored block using this model and workflow can provide a valuable guide for well design and hydraulic fracturing, significantly enhancing the efficiency of shale gas exploration and development. Notably, the new prediction model and workflow can be utilized for the rapid evaluation of the potential for shale gas development in new shale gas blocks or those with low exploratory maturity.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Energy Geoscience
spelling doaj-art-64a6fa69787c4d5ea9fbf486a817d6ff2025-08-20T02:23:11ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Energy Geoscience2666-75922025-06-016210039210.1016/j.engeos.2025.100392A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its applicationHongyan Wang0Zhensheng Shi1Xi Yang2Qun Zhao3Changmin Guo4National Elite Institute of Engineering, CNPC, Beijing, 100096, China; National Energy Shale Gas R&D Center, Langfang, Hebei, 065007, ChinaNational Energy Shale Gas R&D Center, Langfang, Hebei, 065007, China; Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China; Corresponding author.National Energy Shale Gas R&D Center, Langfang, Hebei, 065007, China; Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China; Key Laboratory of Groundwater Conservation of Ministry of Water Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, ChinaNational Energy Shale Gas R&D Center, Langfang, Hebei, 065007, China; Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, ChinaResearch Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, ChinaGas-bearing shales have become a major source of future natural gas production worldwide. It has become increasingly urgent to develop a reliable prediction model and corresponding workflow for identifying shale gas sweet spots. The formation of gas-bearing shales is closely linked to relative sea-level changes, providing an important approach to predicting sweet spots in the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale in the southern Sichuan Basin, China. Three types of marine shale gas sweet spots are identified in the shale based on their formation stages combined with relative sea-level changes: early, middle, and late transgression types. This study develops a prediction model and workflow for identifying shale gas sweet spots by analyzing relative sea-level changes and facies sequences. Predicting shale gas sweet spots in an explored block using this model and workflow can provide a valuable guide for well design and hydraulic fracturing, significantly enhancing the efficiency of shale gas exploration and development. Notably, the new prediction model and workflow can be utilized for the rapid evaluation of the potential for shale gas development in new shale gas blocks or those with low exploratory maturity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000137Shale gasSweet spotRelative sea-level changeWufeng-longmaxi shaleSouthern sichuan basin
spellingShingle Hongyan Wang
Zhensheng Shi
Xi Yang
Qun Zhao
Changmin Guo
A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
Energy Geoscience
Shale gas
Sweet spot
Relative sea-level change
Wufeng-longmaxi shale
Southern sichuan basin
title A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
title_full A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
title_fullStr A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
title_full_unstemmed A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
title_short A model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea-level changes and its application
title_sort model for predicting marine shale gas sweet spots based on relative sea level changes and its application
topic Shale gas
Sweet spot
Relative sea-level change
Wufeng-longmaxi shale
Southern sichuan basin
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666759225000137
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