Pore Structure Characterization of Clay Minerals in the Lower Karamay Formation Conglomerate Reservoir in the Junggar Basin and its Impact on Hydrocarbon Storage and Seepage

The micro-nano pore structure of conglomerate in the Lower Karamay Formation of the Xinjiang Oilfield, Junggar Basin, northern China is characterized to predict its impact on fluid reserves and seepage. Authigenic clay minerals are mainly kaolinite (67%), followed by an illite/smectite mixed layer (18%), illite (10%), and chlorite (5%). For kaolinite, pore throats between 0-200 nm are dominant, accounting for 90% of the total pore throats. For illite/smectite mixed layer, pore throats also between 0-200 nm account for nearly 80%, while pore throats between 200-500 nm only account for 15%. For illite, pore throats below 100 nm account for about 80%, while pore throats in the range of 100-500 nm only account for 20%. For chlorite, most throats are below 200 nm. The pore roundness of illite is the highest, while the pore roundness of chlorite is relatively lower. The lower limits of the dynamic and static pore throat radii are 42.128 nm and 72.42 nm, respectively. The theoretical contribution rates of the illite/smectite mixed layer, kaolinite, illite and chlorite to storage/seepage are 60%/45.86%, 52.72%/38.18%, 37.07%/28.78% and 32.97%/26.3%, respectively. Therefore, the contribution rates of clay minerals in the study area are as follows: illite/smectite mixed layer, kaolinite, illite and chlorite.

Automated summary

The micro-nano pore structure of conglomerates in the Lower Karamay Formation of the Xinjiang Oilfield in the Junggar Basin is characterized by the distribution of pore throats in different clay minerals, with kaolinite and illite/smectite mixed layer contributing the most.