Investigation of pore structure and fractal characteristics of organic-rich shale reservoirs: A case study of Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi formation in Malong block of eastern Yunnan Province, South China

In order to study pore structure and fractal characteristics of the organic-rich marine shale, fourteen shale samples from Lower Cambrian Qjongzhusi formation in Malong block of eastern Yunnan province were investigated by organic geochemical analysis (total organic carbon content analysis and thermal maturity analysis), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, porosity and permeability tests, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), low-pressure nitrogen adsorption and methane adsorption experiments. Fractal dimensions D-1 and D-2 (at relative pressure of 0-0.5 and 0.5-1, respectively) were obtained from the nitrogen adsorption data using the fractal Frenkel-Halsey-Hill (FHH) method. Not only have the relationships among pore structure parameters of shale, the relationships between TOC content, mineral compositions, pore structure parameters and fractal dimensions been discussed, but also the significance of two fractal dimensions D-1 and D-2 and the impact of fractal dimensions on adsorption capacity have been investigated. The results showed that fourteen shale samples have TOC content ranging from 1.25% to 7.72%, two fractal dimensions both increase with the increasing TOC content, and gradually come to a standstill the curves present the shape of parabola. The major mineralogical compositions of shales are quartz and clay minerals, the quartz contents are between 25.5% and 42.7%, the clay contents are between 26.6% and 44.2%. Fractal dimension D-1 has a negative correlation with quartz contents and a positive correlation with clay minerals contents, but fractal dimension D2 has no apparent relationship with quartz and clay minerals contents. The specific surface area is in the range of 4.98 m(2)/g-19.66 m(2)/g, the total pore volume is between 0.00479 cm(3)/g and 0.01765 cm(3)/g, and the average pore diameter is between 337 nm and 6.02 nm. Two fractal dimensions increase with the increasing surface area and pore volume, and also increase with the decreasing average pore diameter because of. the complicated pore surface and structure of small pores. Further investigation indicates that D-1 represents fractal characteristics from the irregular pore surface, while D-2 represents fractal characteristics related to the complicated pore structure, and shale samples with larger fractal dimensions have higher methane adsorption capacity. Therefore fractal analysis is helpful to have a better understanding of pore structure and adsorption capacity of marine shale. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.