PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Volume 36, Issue 2, April 2009

Online English edition of the Chinese language journal

Cite this article as: PETROL. EXPLOR. DEVELOP., 2009, 36(2): 200-207. RESEARCH PAPER

Pyrolysis experiment and reservoir-forming potential of

epimetamorphic rock
Yang Chun1,*, Dai Jinxing1,2, Chen Hanlin1, Luo Xia3, Zheng Junwei2,4
1. Department of Earth Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
2. PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing 100083, China
3. Langfang Branch of Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Langfang 065007, China
4. Scientific Information Center for Resources and Environment, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, China

Abstract: By taking pyrolysis experiments and analyzing composition and carbon isotopes of pyrolysis products, the hydrocarbon
generation potential and products geochemistry of very low-grade epimetamorphic rocks were studied. The carbon isotopes of alkane
gases are relatively heavier when the reactant was in an abundant gas generation stage (450–550 ć), e.g., the į13C1 were -31.4‰ to
-22.3‰, carbon isotope series showed į13C1<į13C2<į13C3 or į13C1<į13C2, į13C3<į13C2, and the common feature being į13C1<į13C2 and
į13CCO2<-10.0‰, indicating the biogenic features. These less negative carbon isotope compositions inherit from heavy carbon isotope of
organic matters in these rocks. High temperature might result in heavy alkane gases partly reversed and the mechanism has been
discussed in this article, but it is still not understood clearly. The reservoir-forming potential of very low-grade epimetamorphic rocks is
discussed from the aspect of hydrocarbon generation. Gas generation potential of muddy slate at a depth of 4 115.47 m in Well Zhaoshen
6 reached 86.4 m3/t. It is predicted that the hydrocarbon generation intensity can be 20×108 m3/km2 in areas of eastern Daqing
placanticline, where very low grade-epimetamorphic rocks are distributed, capable of forming gas pools of certain scales.

Key words: low-grade epimetamorphic rock; pyrolysis experiment; hydrocarbon generation potential; carbon isotopes; reservoir-forming
potential

Introduction metamorphism can also serve as correlation and reference for

evaluation of high-over maturity source rocks. In addition to
The epimetamorphism of rocks is a frontier in metamorphic
the studies on the diagenism, very low-grade metamorphism
geology research nowadays. The transforming process from
in sedimentary basins also have very important theoretical and
digenesis to low-grade metamorphism is called the very
practical significance to clarify the diagenesis-metamorphic
low-grade metamorphism or anchi-metamorphism[1].
boundary, illuminate the structural and thermal evolutionary
According to the understanding on the concept proposed by
history of the basin, and understand the formation, migration,
predecessors, the lower metamorphism temperature limit of
and accumulation of the fluids in the basins[8].
the very low-grade metamorphism is at 150-200 ć and the
Progresses on rock epimetamorphism have been made by
upper at 300-350 ć, which includes the highest section of
domestic researchers in recent years. According to the
digenesis and the lowest section of metamorphism as
anchi-metamorphism[2-8]. The energy minerals, such as oil, gas, information of rock-forming and evolution process recorded
and coal are closely related to very low-grade metamorphic by mineral contents, structures, and geochemical properties of
process. For the rocks (muddy slate and slate) at very rocks (such as mineral combination, crystallinity factor of
low-grade metamorphic stage (equivalent to the dry-gas illite, vitrinite reflectance of organic matters, and parameters
generating stage during hydrocarbon generation), the product of fluids inclusion), multiple indexes for clarifying rock
is dominated by natural gas. Therefore, it will be of more epimetamorphism have been put forwarded and
theoretical and practical significance to natural gas exploration. determined[6-8].
At the same time, because of very low-grade metamorphism Pyrolysis experiment is a popular and effective method
equivalence to the thermal evolution level of high-over used in petroleum geochemistry research in domestic and
maturity source rocks, the study on very low-grade abroad in recent 30 years. With time and temperature as the

Received date: 08 May 2008; Revised date: 18 December 2008.

* Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Foundation item: Supported by the PetroChina Science and Technology Project (07-01C-01-07).
Copyright © 2009, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina. Published by Elsevier BV. All rights reserved.
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

two main parameters and by raising the heat perception maximum thickness of 6km in Zhaodong; and the maximum
temperature to compensate endless geological effect, artificial thickness in the northeastern uplift area is 5 km. Strata in the
simulation is performed for the hydrocarbon generation southeastern uplift area are preserved relatively complete, and
process of source rocks and organic matters. These pyrolysis in the Heiyupao-Daqing belt it is thick and widely
experiment researches for hydrocarbon generation and distributed[15-17].
evolution provide important information for evaluating In previous studies, organic natural gases have been found
hydrocarbon generation potential and process of source rocks, from weathered crust of basin basement, basement fracture
and deriving hydrocarbon generation mode and dynamic and upper reservoirs, and they might originate from basement
mechanisms. However, such information can hardly be CarboniferousʊPermian strata[16]. YU Hezhong et al. had
acquired in field geological research. During the pyrolysis studied the source rocks of CarboniferousʊPermian and
experiment, we can choose different samples on the basis of basement structure of the basin by recovering the burial
the study purposes, such as unadulterated natural materials, history; they thought that part areas have certain hydrocarbon
modern natural materials, and ancient sediments etc., also can generation potential during the later period of deep burial
choose many different types of source rocks, kerogens, process[17,18]. FENG Zihui et al. studied the organic
extracting materials from sediments, and so on. It is the first geochemistry characteristics of basement epimetamorphic
time to perform pyrolysis experiment on the very low-grade rocks, and the biomarkers compound of extractives. They
epimetamorphic rock . found that the rock in Well Zhaoshen 6 is the epimetamorphic
Taking Songliao Basin as an example and through pyrolysis rocks with the lowest maturity, analyzing from organic
experiment, this article studies and explores the hydrocarbon element composition, and there is certain hydrocarbon
generation potential and product of the epimetamorphic rock generation potential[13].
formed during the very low-grade epimetamorphism stage.
2 Sample selection
1 Geological settings of studied area
It is very difficult to choose samples to do the pyrolysis
In recent years, important breakthroughs have been made experiment of epimetamorphic rock for hydrocarbon
on natural gas exploration in the deep strata of Songliao Basin. generation. Commonly, for pyrolysis experiment, it prefers to
By the end of 2005, the accumulative proved reserves of choose samples with lower maturity in general for reflecting
Qingshen Gasfield in Xujiaweizi fault depression had the whole process of hydrocarbon generation. To reflect the
exceeded 1 000 × 108 m3, and the natural gas exploration is in hydrocarbon generation process of epimetamorphic rocks, it
the ascendant. On the basis of the last measurement on should choose samples still with certain hydrocarbon
isotopic ages of Zircon U-Pb for the basement rocks [9-12], the generation potential that just enter the epimetamorphism stage,
basement of Songliao Basin is divided into northern and and the degree of metamorphism should not too higher. And
southern zones with the boundary of Changchun-Tongyu line the experiment has reflected better the whole process and
(Fig. 1). The northern zone is dominated by igneous rock and features of hydrocarbon generation. Therefore, the core issue
Carboniferous-Permian (C-P) metamorphic rocks, and most of to be concerned for sample selection is the classification
the isotopic ages of Zircon U-Pb for basement rocks is scheme of the very low-grade metamorphism. The most clear
distributed in 165ʊ360 Ma, and therefore, the basement is and important indexes at present for this classification are
Hercynian fold. And the southern zone is dominated by crystallinity of illite, thickness of illite crystal layer, and
metamorphic rocks, and the isotopic age of Zircon U-Pb is vitrinite reflectance. Besides the above main classification
determined as (1 839±7) Ma[11]; therefore, there are direct indexes, BI Xianmei and MO Xuanxue also took the
evidences for precambrian crystalline basement. Over all, the disappearance of illite-smectite mixed layer as a very
basement of Songliao Basin was the compound basement important index for the boundary between high-level
matching paleozoic and precambrian construction[12]. diagenesis zone and very low-grade metamorphic zone (that is
The basement of Songliao Basin is mainly composed of the upper boundary of very low-grade metamorphism), and
granite, gneiss, andesite, and unmetamorphic-epimetamorphic took the transition line of illite-sericite as the lower boundary
paleozoic strata. Carboniferous-Permian epimetamorphic of very low-grade metamorphic zone[1] (Table 1).
rocks are widely distributed in and around the basin, and the The CarboniferousPermian strata in Songliao Basin are
lithology is mainly composed of clay slate, slate, phyllitic generally composed of grayish green, grey, or carbon black
slate, and carbonate rock, etc[13]. According to the indication clay slate, slate, and phyllite, showing flake or block structure
of rock minerals, their structural composition, and Ro for rock and containing quarts vein or pyrite. FENG Zihui et al. did
diagenesis-metamorphosis stages[8,13,14], the basement some study about these very low-grade epimetamorphic rocks
CarboniferousʊPermian strata in part region of the Songliao in the Songliao Basin[13]. The observation at their rock slice
Basin are at epimetamorphism stage and are epimetamorphic showed that slate sample of Well Zhuangshen 1 (3 152.22 m)
rocks[13]. These basement CarboniferousʊPermian strata are had balstopelitic structure and the protolith partly
mainly distributed in the eastern and northwestern areas of the recrystallized; the rock is mainly composed of sericite,
basin, and its thickness is 1-7 km, generally 3-5 km. Lindian carbonate, quarts, and feldspar associated with carbon and
area is the thickest, up to 7 km; then Sanzhao area, with iron substrate, and the carbon materials are in branded
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

distribution and minerals have fine grain size and good eyeball-shaped feldspar and calcite metasomatic rock
directional structure. Phyllite sample of Well Chang 102 (3 distribute scatterly. Previous researchers did some tests of clay
462.71-3 466.00 m) had fine scaly crystal texture and phyllitic minerals for part samples[13] (Table 2), the Ro value of the
structure, mainly composed of sericite and quarts, with epimetamorphic slate in Well Zhaoshen 6 (4 114.72 m) is
chlorite found to be relatively enriched; second, 2.98%, greater than 2.50%, and the illite crystallinity is 0.40

Fig. 1 Prediction of basement lithology distribution in Songliao Basin (modified after references [9-12,16-18])
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

Table 1 Classification scheme of high level diagenesis zone, very low-grade metamorphic zone and low-grade metamorphic zone
Organic matters
Clay mineral features Lithology characteristics
indexes
illite Metamor-
Crystal FWHM of
Average phic
Zone Thickness linity Raman
Crystallin thickness Mineral Chlorite- Litholo- tempera-
of of Ro/% spectrum Luster Porosity Micro structure
ity/ of crystal features mica stow -1 gy ture/ć
crystallite/ chlorit /cm
ǻ°2ș layer/
nm e (1 600 peak)
nm
Illite-smectit Minute minerals
>0.42 >0.5 84.4 Mud- >85
High e mixed Undevelop arranged no direction,
low stone, No Big
diagenesis layer, illite, ed occurring bedding
siltstone
0.40-0.42 22.0 23.0 chlorite 2.0-2.5 62.5 (S0) 170-200
More Minute minerals
Very
illite arranged slightly in
low-grade Illite and Develope Clay Relative
more certain direction,
metamorph chlorite d slate ly small
lustrous- occurring bedding
ic zone A mainly, (occurren 250
0.30 38.0 38.8 Mediu 3.5 55.6 ness (S0)
illite-smectit ce of
m Minute minerals
Very e mixed blastopeli
arranged in certain
low-grade layer tic Silky
Slate Small direction, occurring
metamorph disappeared structure) luster
bedding (S0) and
ic zone B
cleavage (S1)
350
0.25 52.0 51.4 4.0-5.0 53.0 Minute minerals
Sericite,
Low grade Strong arranged well in
muscovite Undevelop Slate-
metamorphi High silky Minute certain direction,
and chlorite ed phyllite
c zone luster occurring legible
<0.25 increase >5.0 27.0 >350
cleavage (S1)

index (HI) is 2.3 mg/g. In addition, the H/C value of the

Table 2 Clay minerals analysis results of epimetamorphic rocks samples from Well Zhaoshen 6(4 115.23 m) is the maximum
in Carboniferous-Permian strata
(0.52) among the 9 samples of epimetamorphic rocks
Contents of clay minerals/% Crystallinity according to the analysis by FENG Zihui et al.[13], higher than
Well Depth/m Illite smectite of illite/
Illite Kaolinite Clorite the value tested in this time. Carbon isotope value of kerogens
mixed layer ǻ°2ș
Shengshen 201 3 580.50 2.57 2.76 0.24
of the 4 samples tested this time ranging in 23.1‰ to
Zhaoshen 6 4 114.72 9.61 3.07 2.33 0.55 0.40 22.4‰ (Table 3), which are similar to the carbon isotope
Yushen 1 3 079.11 3.85 0.92 2.22 0.21 value of kerogens of -24.49‰ to 22.11‰ tested on
Sishen 1 3 616.10 5.97 4.33 0.29
epimetamorphic rock by FENG Zihui et al. Thus, it can be
Sishen 1 4 031.16 6.87 2.44 0.27
Sishen 1 4 590.99 2.43 1.74 0.26 determined that the type of kerogen is mainly of ċ type[19].

Table 3 Carbon isotope of kerogens in the epimetamorphic

3 Experiments and analysis
rocks from Carboniferous-Permian strata in Songliao Basin Experiment procedure: The rocks were crushed to the size
Well Depth/m Lithology Sample type Strata į13C/‰ of 20 mesh (0.9 mm) and dried at low temperature for 12 h.
Zhaoshen 6 4 115.47 Clay slate kerogen CP 22.5 Sample weight is 200 g. Experiment temperature is 300ć to
Sishen 1 3 837.50 Phyllite kerogen CP 23.1
550ć, with interval of 50ć. Then, the reaction cauldron was
Shangshen 2 3 250.08 Phyllitic slate kerogen CP 22.6
Yushen 1 3 078.60 Slate kerogen CP 22.4 filled with the prepared samples, screwed tightly, aerated with
N2, and evacuated 2̣3 times, and then, heated it to the set
(ǻ°2ș) just a little less than the boundary limit 0.42 (ǻ°2ș),
experiment temperature quickly at each experimental point
which indicates this sample is the epimetamorphic rock that
lasted for 24 hours at constant temperature. When constant
just enter the stage of very low-grade metamorphism. FENG
temperature time ended, gaseous products were collected
Zihui et al.[13] named the sample as slate, but it should be
without temperature decline. At this time, residual products
named “clay slate” more accurately according to the
were expulsed by charging N2, and the cauldron was
classification scheme of BI Xianmei et al[1].
On the basis of all these previous works, we collected the evacuated again to get rid of residual heavy hydrocarbons and
clay slate core at 4 115.47 m from Well Zhaoshen 6 as the gases as much as possible. Volume of this part of gases will be
samples of pyrolysis experiment, and at the same time, we calculated and recorded into the products. When products are
also collected the samples from other three epimetamorphic too minor to collect because of the high maturity of some
rocks as reference. Organic geochemical information of clay samples, N2 were charged in on normal atmosphere pressure
slate from Well Zhaoshen 6 are listed as below: TOC (%) is before temperature increasing. All these products were
1.28%, Ro is 2.97%, H/C value is 0.32, O/C is 0.06, and S1 is collected by water discharging method (the saturated distilled
0.01 mg/g, S2 is 0.03 mg/g, Tmax is 568 ć, and hydrocarbon saltwater) after volume calculation.
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

were wet gases, with their dryness (C1/C1ü5) ranging from

0.67 to 0.83 (Fig. 2 and Table 4), and they might originate
from the desorption of the absorbed gases or decomposition of
residual dissoluble organic matters, indicating no hydrocarbon
generation for organic matters (kerogens) yet. When the
setting temperature reaches 450ć or still higher levels,
organic matter begins to generate abundant hydrocarbons,
predominated by methane as the gas product, with the dryness
(C1/C1ü5) higher than 0.95, and such product belong to typical
dry gases (Fig.2 and Table 4). When the temperature reached
550ć, methane production in the gas components held
absolute superiority, and CO2 turned even to be zero, which is
Fig. 2 Dryness of pyrolysis gaseous hydrocarbon at different
consistent with its evolution stage.
temperatures
There are fractionation characteristics for the carbon isotopes
Test analysis: the components of natural gas are detected by of methane and ethane at different temperatures (Table 4 and
HP5890 gas chromatograph in the Research Institute of Fig. 3), the heaviest carbon isotope of methane is –22.3‰ at
Petroleum Exploration and Development-Langfang 500ć and the lightest is–31.4‰ at 400ć, with the maximum
(RIPED-Langfang). Carbon isotopes were detected on Delta S difference between each fractionation being 9.1‰. From the
GC/C/IRMS isotope mass spectrometer. The chromatographic data of carbon isotopes for methane and carbon isotopic series
column is Plot Q 30m, the sample inlet temperature is 150ć, for alkane gases, it can be concluded that under thermogenic
the inlet pressure is 0.1 MPa (15 psi), and the split ratio is 1:20. effect, alkane gases produced from the epimetamorphic rocks
The procedure to increase temperature in the chromatographic have the characteristics of biogenic origin. The stage before
column: it is initially heated from 30ć to 50ć at 8ć/min, 400ć is the main discharge stage for absorbed gases, resulting
then is heated from 50ć to 170ć at 5ć/ min, and finally is in į13C1>į13C2; this would be caused by the diffusional rate of
heated from 170ć to 270ć at 6ć/ min. 12
CH4 faster than that of 13CH4. The carbon isotopic series of
4 Experiment results and discussions gas alkanes occurring are į13C1<į13C2<į13C3 or į13C1<į13C2,
į13C3<į13C2 at 400 ć and above; the common feature is
4.1 Geochemical feature and origin of pyrolysis products
į13C1<į13C2. CO2 content is no more than 30.28%, and į13CCO2
The products of the sample from Well Zhaoshen 6 were value has small range, with a range of -17.3‰ to -12.4‰ (Table
mainly absorbed gases at temperatures less than 400ć, they 4), belonging to biogenic origin[20].
Table 4 Main chemical components and carbon isotope of gas products at different temperature stages
Pyrolysis Main component of gas products/% Carbon isotope/‰, PDB
Residue Dryness
Sample Temperature
Ro/% CH4 C2H6 C3H8 CO2 N2 (C1/C1ü5) CH4 C2H6 C3H8 CO2
/ć
300 5.62 0.90 0.21 8.62 84.62 0.83  25.7  29.9  25.6 16.4
Clay slate 350 2.27 0.80 0.30 0.71 95.58 0.67 24.9  25.9  24.9 15.5
from Well 400 0.80 31.4  26.3  25.2 16.4
Zhaoshen 450 59.29 1.36 0.21 30.28 8.77 0.97  30.1  23.2  24.6 12.4
6 500 92.65 1.72 0.06 3.27 2.25 0.98  22.3  18.1  25.3 17.3
550 3.47 98.17 1.83 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.98  24.4  15.2

Note: Chemical composition at 400ć was not tested because the gas quantity is so small, and the dryness (C1/C1ü5) is the average of the value at one and
the next temperature points.

The carbon isotopes of heavy hydrocarbon gases undergo

reversion when experimental temperatures get higher than
450ć, and according to principles of chemical dynamics and
principles of stable isotopic fractionation and previous
studies[21], the main reasons which can cause this phenomena
are preliminarily considered as follows: kerogens are
composed of organic particles with different carbon isotopes
characteristics, generally the carbon isotopes of aliphatic side
chain enriching 12C except the heteroatom group and aromatic
cyclic hydrocarbons enriching 13C. With the progress of
thermal evolutionary stage, the carbon atoms at different
positions of kerogen break-off as per certain rules to produce
Fig. 3 Carbon isotopes components of pyrolysis gas products at alkane gases. At the beginning of higher thermal evolutionary
different temperatures stage, kerogens mainly presented as that heteroatom group and
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

aliphatic side chain break-off and shorten the alkyl side chain,
while alkanes partly changed into aromatic compounds.
Because these newly produced aromatic compounds inherited
the carbon isotopic features of alkane radical precursors, the
carbon isotopes of the aromatic compounds get lighter in the
kerogen correspondingly. When it entered high-over high
evolution stage, these aromatic compounds in the kerogens
experienced rearrangement or condensation and even had ring
cleavage, with the production of natural gas. Certain amount
of heavy hydrocarbon gases with lighter carbon isotopes
components were produced by ring cleavages of aromatic
compounds, and then mixed with pyrolysis gases formed
previously together to get heavy hydrocarbon gas. Fig. 5 Hydrocarbon productivity at different temperatures in
Consequently, carbon isotope components of heavy pyrolysis experiment for the sample of clay slate in Well
hydrocarbon gases get partly reversed. Zhaoshen 6

4.2 Reservoir forming potential dominantly. Gas (hydrocarbon) generation potential is the
main index for evaluation of source rocks and is also the most
CHEN Jianping et al. discussed the upper maturity limit for
important index for evaluating gas productivity of
natural gas generation of different types of kerogens[22]. The
epimetamorphic rocks. There are great differences for limit of
experimental data yielded by source rock pyrolysis, kerogen
gas productivity for different organic matters[13]. During the
component analysis, high temperature pyrolysis gas
production rate of gaseous hydrocarbon for various types of
chromatogram, and gold-tube sealing pyrolysis experiment
source rocks by Pyrolysis experiment, when the mudstone Ro
revealed that (Fig. 4) the dead line of gas generation (upper
value of type Ċ and ċ kerogens ranges from 2.0% to
limit of maturity) was Ro=3.0% for marine types ĉand Ċ
4.0%,gas production rate of organic carbon is 70 to 160
kerogens; and was up to Ro=10.0% for type ċ organic matters
m3/t[23, 24]. On the basis of Fig. 5 “hydrocarbon productivity vs.
represented by coals. The other abundant experiments of
temperatures” obtained from this pyrolysis experiment, the
hydrocarbon generation pyrolysis showed that when Ro
clay slate samples of Well Zhaoshen 6 (with low maturity)
reached about 4.0%, the gas generation process of source rock
began to generate hydrocarbons slowly at 400ć; and the
would be finished approximately[23, 24]. For muddy source
hydrocarbons collected at two temperature points below
rocks, gas generation rate slowed down when Ro got to
400ć are mainly adsorbed gases because there is almost no
approximately 3.0% and produced few gases when it got to
gas produced at 350ć. The final organic carbon hydrocarbon
4.0%. For coals, gas generation rate would slow down when
production rate of the samples is 86.4 m3/t, as well, and the
Ro got to 3.5%. Because the kerogen of the epimetamorphic
maturity of the samples themselves is already higher
rocks in Songliao Basin is mainly of the III type, and thus, the
(Ro=2.97%), and thus, if the evolution began at Ro of 2.0% for
maturity upper limit Ro of gas generation should be higher
organic matters, the hydrocarbon generation potential would
than 3.0%, and less than 10.0%, and the Ro value for deadline
be higher.
gas generation potential ought to be approximatley 4.0%. The
DAI Jinxing et al.[25-29] and Zhao Wenzhi et al.[28,29]
Ro value of samples from Well Zhaoshen 6 is 2.97%, and thus,
concluded the main controlling factors for giant and medium
it is considered to have certain gas productivity on the basis of
gas reservoir formation, and pointed out that the most
this.
important quantitative index that guide the exploration of
For the epimetamorphic rocks on the thermal evolution of
giant-medium gasfield is the gas generation intensity, which is
dry gas stage (Ro>2.0%), it produces gaseous hydrocarbons
higher than 20×108 m3/km2. In order to calculate the intensity
of hydrocarbon generation from Carboniferous-Permian rocks,
we chose the gas production rate of the samples from Well
Zhaoshen 6 to calculate hydrocarbon generation intensity
because its TOC (1.28%) is similar with the average TOC
(1.21%) of Carboniferous-Permian source rocks.
Epimetamorphic rocks are much tighter, and the density of the
sample rock from Well Zhaoshen 6 is 2.7 × 103 kg/m3. And
the predicted thickness of source rocks is 100-800 m[24].
According to above parameters, the calculated intensity of
hydrocarbon generation for the Carboniferous-Permian strata
in the north of Songliao Basin was 3.0-23.8×108m3/km2 (Fig.
6), and thus, it can form gas reservoirs with certain scales
Fig. 4 Variation in kerogen H/C of humic coal and marine
source rock with various maturities according to the standard of gas generation intensity for giant
 Yang Chun et al. / Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2009, 36(2): 200-207

has heavier carbon isotopes component. High temperature

might be the main reason for the partly reversion of carbon
isotopic sequences of alkanes, and the mechanism is to be
discussed further. On the basis of the previous research results,
it is predicted that the gas generation intensity of basement
epimetamorphic rocks in local area of Songliao Basin is up to
20×108 m3/km2. It contributes to the deep-layer gas reservoir
formation in Songliao Basin, which has favorable conditions
for the forming of certain scale reservoirs. The potential gas
resources in carboniferous-permian strata of northern Songliao
Basin is mainly distributed in the east of the placanticline
(Heiyupao Sag, Xujiaweizi fault depression and
Shuangchengxi fault depression) and southeastern uplift area
(Wangfu fault depression), which is the most profitable area
for exploration.

Acknowledgement:

Fig. 6 Natural gas generation intensity of Carboniferous - The authors thank Professor FENG Zi-hui, the general
Permian strata in Songliao Basin geologist of Research Institution of Daqing Oilfield, for his
direction on sampling and experiment designing. Thanks for
and medium gas fields. However, this calculation result is less Professor ZHANG Wen-zheng from Research Institution of
than the result from YU Hezhong et al.[24]. The potential Changqing Oilfield and Dr. LIU Quan-you from PEPRIS of
sources for natural gas are distributed in the east of Daqing Sinopec, for their advices on data interpretation. And also
placanticline (Heiyupao Sag, Xujiaweizi fault depression and thanks for Senior Engineer HU Guo-yi, LI Zhi-sheng and MA
Shuangchengxi fault depression) and southeast uplift (Wangfu Cheng-hua from RIPED-Langfang of Petrochina, for their
fault depression). support in laboratory apparatus and sample analysis.
Moreover, according to the numerical simulation
calculation by FENG Zi-hui et al[30], it is estimated that the References
contribution of Carboniferous-Permian strata on deep natural
gas is less in Xujiaweizi fault depression, with average [1] Bi Xianmei, Mo Xuanxue. Transition from diagenesis to
contribution percentage of 13.27%. The calculation result by low-grade metamorphism and related minerals and energy
ZHANG Ju-he et al.[31] showed that the average contribution resources. Earth Science Frontiers, 2004, 11(1): 287-294.
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5 Conclusions
[4] Kisch H J. Correlation between indicators of very low-grade
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