Multisourced CO2 Injection in Fan Delta Conglomerates and Its Influence on Reservoir Quality: Evidence from Carbonate Cements of the Baikouquan Formation of Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, Northwestern China

Sandy-conglomerate reservoir has gradually become a major target of oil and gas exploration. Complex diagenetic process and diagenetic fluid play a significant role in affecting reservoir heterogeneity. Carbonate cements form at various stages of the diagenesis process and record various geological fluid information. Recently, one-billion-ton sandy conglomerate oil field was exposed in Triassic Baikouquan Formation, Mahu sag, Junggar Basin. Therefore, an integrated study applying casting thin sections, cathodeluminescence, fluorescence, carbon and oxygen stable isotopes, electronic probe microanalysis and aqueous fluid inclusions measurements was performed in order to identify the types of carbonate mineral and its representative diagenetic environment and discuss the influences of different CO2 injections on reservoir quality. The main findings are as follows: The reservoir is mainly composed of 70.33% conglomerate and 16.06% coarse-grained sandstone. They are characterized by low compositional maturity and abundant lithic debris. Four types carbonate cements are identified according to the petrological and geochemical characteristics, including two types of Mn-rich calcite, ferroan calcite, siderite and dawsonite. They display an unusual broad spectrum of delta C-13 values (-54.99 parts per thousand to +8.8 parts per thousand), suggesting both organic and inorganic CO2 injections. The delta C-13 values of siderite are close to 0, and its formation is related to meteoric water. The delta C-13 values of ferroan calcite and the occurrence of dawsonite indicate the trace of inorganic mantle-derived magmatic fluids. The delta C-13 values and trace elements of Mn-rich calcite record the information of hydrocarbon-bearing fluids. The fluid inclusions measurement data and reservoir properties and oil-test data show that the oil content of reservoir is not only affected by the formation time of different cements, but also by the relative content of dissolution and cementation. For these reservoirs altered by carbonate cements, it does not cause poor oil-bearing due to blockage of secondary minerals.

Automated summary

Sandy-conglomerate reservoirs have become a major target for oil and gas exploration, with carbonate cements forming at various stages of diagenesis recording geological fluid information. A recent study in the Junggar Basin revealed a billion-ton sandy conglomerate oil field with diverse carbonate cements. Isotope analysis and fluid inclusion measurements showed the impact of different CO2 injections on reservoir quality.