• HANMING GU

Articles written in Journal of Earth System Science

• An integrated approach for the identification of lithofacies and clay mineralogy through Neuro-Fuzzy, cross plot, and statistical analyses, from well log data

Today, researchers face multiple challenges identifying clay mineral types and lithofacies from well log data. This research paper hopes to offer new insight into this particular challenge. Formation evaluation characteristics play a significant role in the exploration and production of future and current oil and gas fields. The proposed methodology in this study uses an integrated approach that includes: (1) numerical equations, (2) Neuro-Fuzzy neural networks, (3) cross plots, and (4) statistical analyses. This proposedintegrated approach is capable of dramatically improving the accuracy of the results. Well logging data provide valuable information for identifying lithofacies, clay mineralogy types, as well as other important hydrocarbon reservoir characteristics. Talhar Shale in the Southern Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan, is composed of interbedded shale, sand, and shaly-sand, intervals that have been identified via the lithological interpretation process of well logs. Talhar Shale contains montmorillonite type clay with minor amounts of illite, glauconite, and various micas that can be easily identified by natural gamma rayabsorption profiles, as well as through ratio logs, bulk density log, and photoelectric absorption index log. These interpretations can be further confirmed via cross plots and other statistical analyses. This approach consists of a comprehensive study of well logging data and thus can lend itself to be a helpful component in characterizing the hydrocarbon structures of the Talhar Shale.

• An integrated approach to evaluate the unconventional hydrocarbon generation potential of the Lower Goru Formation (Cretaceous) in Southern Lower Indus basin, Pakistan

Southern Lower Indus basin is an oil and gas prone basin, which is important for producing hydrocarbon in Pakistan. Due to limited Rock-Eval pyrolysis data availability in the prospective shale gas basin, the organic facies geochemical characteristics study is a challenging task for researchers. The primary objective of this study is an evaluation of the Lower Goru Formation organic facies hydrocarbon potential by geochemical data and its subsurface facies distribution study by well tops and seismic data. The study area is situated at the Southern Lower Indus basin of Pakistan that is considering the prospective shale gas basin with immense unconventional hydrocarbon potential. In the present study, Rock-Eval pyrolysis data analysis along with the integration of both seismic and well tops data were conducted for investigation of source rock generation potential of organic facies variability within the Lower Goru Formation. The geochemical approaches used in the current study show that the Lower Goru Formation encountered in, bears fair to excellent total organic carbon (TOC) content values of 0.50–3.60% in Well-A and 0.10–4.69% in Well-B. Additionally, the results of Rock-Eval pyrolysis data show that interbedded shales of the Lower Goru Formation contain different types of kerogen (III, II–III, and II) with variable generation potential of oil and gas.

$\bf{Highlights}$

$\bullet$ The study area is located in the Southern Lower Indus basin of Pakistan which is considering the prospective shale-gas basin with immense unconventional hydrocarbon potential.

$\bullet$ The integration of geophysical and geochemical data is a predictive tool for the source rocks evaluation.

$\bullet$ In this article, we incorporate seismic and geochemical data to evaluate organic facies geochemical characteristics and subsurface geological structure.

$\bullet$ Lower Goru facies have fair to very good potential to produce hydrocarbon.

• # Journal of Earth System Science

Volume 130, 2021
All articles
Continuous Article Publishing mode

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Posted on July 25, 2019

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