China's shale gas exploration and development: Understanding and practice

Through detailed analyses of the distribution characteristics of organic-rich shale, appearance features of high-quality shale, microscopic characteristics of shale reservoir rocks, fracability, and the relationship between preservation conditions and shale gas enrichment in Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation−Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin, theoretical understandings and specific suggestions with respect to the exploration and development of shale gas in China are summarized and proposed respectively. Important geological understandings in the exploration and development of shale gas of the Wufeng Formation–Longmaxi Formation in the Sichuan Basin can be summarized into the following aspects: depositional environment and depositional process control the distribution of organic-rich shale; high quality shale in “sweet spot segments” are commonly characterized by high content of organic carbon, high brittleness, high porosity and gas content; organic pores are important storage space for the enrichment of shale gas; preservation conditions are the key factor for the geological evaluation of shale gas in structurally complex regions; shale gas can be considered as “artificial gas reservoirs” and the fracability assessment is essential for high-production; nanoscale storage space and the mode of occurrence control the special seepage characteristics of shale gas. The following suggestions are proposed for the development of China's shale gas industry: (1) focus more on fundamental research to achieve new breakthrough in the geological theory of shale gas; (2) emphasize exploration practices to have all-round discoveries in multiple strata; (3) study the regularities of development and production to establish new models of shale gas development; (4) think creatively to invent new technologies to tackle key problems; (5) explore the management innovation to create new mechanisms in shale gas development.