Abstract
Due to the existence of water content in shale reservoir, it is quite meaningful to clarify the effect of water content on the methane adsorption capacity (MAC) of shale. However, the role of spatial configuration relationship between organic matter (OM) and clay minerals in the MAC reduction process is still unclear. The Silurian Longmaxi Formation shale samples from the Southern Sichuan Basin in China were prepared at five relative humidity (RH) conditions (0%, 16%, 41%, 76%, 99%) and the methane adsorption experiments were conducted on these water-bearing shale samples to clarify the MAC reduction process considering the spatial configuration relationship between clay minerals and OM and establish the empirical model to fit the stages. Total organic carbon (TOC) content and mineral compositions were analyzed and the pore structures of these shale samples were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), N2 adsorption and high-pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry (HPMIP). The results showed that the MAC reduction of clay minerals in OM occurred at different RH conditions from that of clay minerals outside OM. Furthermore, the amount of MAC reduction of shale samples prepared at the same RH condition was negatively related with clay content, which indicated the protection role of clay minerals for the MAC of water-bearing shale samples. The MAC reduction process was generally divided into three stages for siliceous and clayey shale samples. And the MAC of OM started to decline during stage (1) for calcareous shale sample mainly because water could enter OM pores more smoothly through hydrophobic pathway provided by carbonate minerals than through hydrophilic clay mineral pores. Overall, this study will contribute to improving the evaluation method of shale gas reserve.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References Cited
Alansari, A., Salim, A. M. A., Janjuhah, H. T., et al., 2019. Quantification of Clay Mineral Microporosity and Its Application to Water Saturation and Effective Porosity Estimation: A Case Study from Upper Ordovician Reservoir, Libya. Journal of Natural Gas Geoscience, 4(3): 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/jjnggs.2019.04.005
Barrett, E. P., Joyner, L. G., Halenda, P. P., 1951. The Determination of Pore Volume and Area Distributions in Porous Substances. I. Computations from Nitrogen Isotherms. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 73(1): 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01145a126
Brunauer, S., Emmett, P. H., Teller, E., 1938. Adsorption of Gases in Multi-molecular Layers. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 60(2): 309–319. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01269a023
Bustin, R. M., Clarkson, C. R., 1998. Geological Controls on Coalbed Methane Reservoir Capacity and Gas Content. International Journal of Coal Geology, 38(1/2): 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0166-5162(98)00030-5
Chalmers, G. R., Bustin, R. M., Power, I. M., 2012. Characterization of Gas Shale Pore Systems by Porosimetry, Pycnometry, Surface Area, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy/Transmission Electron Microscopy Image Analyses: Examples from the Barnett, Woodford, Haynesville, Marcellus, and Doig Units. AAPG Bulletin, 96(6): 1099–1119. https://doi.org/10.1306/10171111052
Chen, L., Jiang, Z. X., Liu, Q. X., et al., 2019. Mechanism of Shale Gas Occurrence: Insights from Comparative Study on Pore Structures of Marine and Lacustrine Shales. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 104: 200–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.03.027
Curtis, J. B., 2002. Fractured Shale-Gas Systems. AAPG Bulletin, 86(11): 1921–1938. https://doi.org/10.1306/61eeddbe-173e-11d7-8645000102c1865d
Drummond, C., Israelachvili, J., 2002. Surface Forces and Wettability. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 33(1/2/3): 123–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0920-4105(01)00180-2
Fan, K. K., Li, Y. J., Elsworth, D., et al., 2018. Three Stages of Methane Adsorption Capacity Affected by Moisture Content. Fuel, 231: 352–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2018.05.120
Gao, F. L., Song, Y., Li, Z., et al., 2018. Quantitative Characterization of Pore Connectivity Using NMR and MIP: A Case Study of the Wangyinpu and Guanyintang Shales in the Xiuwu Basin, Southern China. International Journal of Coal Geology, 197: 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.07.007
Gao, Z. Y., Fan, Y. P., Hu, Q. H., et al., 2020. The Effects of Pore Structure on Wettability and Methane Adsorption Capability of Longmaxi Formation Shale from the Southern Sichuan Basin in China. AAPG Bulletin, 104(6): 1375–1399. https://doi.org/10.1306/01222019079
Gasparik, M., Bertier, P., Gensterblum, Y., et al., 2014. Geological Controls on the Methane Storage Capacity in Organic-Rich Shales. International Journal of Coal Geology, 123: 34–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2013.06.010
Greenspan, L., 1977. Humidity Fixed Points of Binary Saturated Aqueous Solutions. Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards Section A: Physics and Chemistry, 81(1): 89. https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.081a.011
Guo, S. B., 2013. Experimental Study on Isothermal Adsorption of Methane Gas on Three Shale Samples from Upper Paleozoic Strata of the Ordos Basin. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 110: 132–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2013.08.048
Ji, L. M., Zhang, T. W., Milliken, K. L., et al., 2012. Experimental Investigation of Main Controls to Methane Adsorption in Clay-Rich Rocks. Applied Geochemistry, 27(12): 2533–2545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2012.08.027
Jiang, Z., Tang, X., Li, Z., et al., 2016. The Whole-Aperture Pore Structure Characteristics and Its Effect on Gas Content of the Longmaxi Formation Shale in the Southeastern Sichuan Basin. Earth Science Frontiers, 23(2): 126–134 (in Chinese with English Abstract)
Johnston, C. T., 2010. Probing the Nanoscale Architecture of Clay Minerals. Clay Minerals, 45(3): 245–279. https://doi.org/10.1180/claymin.2010.045.3.245
Klaver, J., Desbois, G., Littke, R., et al., 2015. BIB-SEM Characterization of Pore Space Morphology and Distribution in Postmature to Overmature Samples from the Haynesville and Bossier Shales. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 59: 451–466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2014.09.020
Krooss, B. M., van Bergen, F., Gensterblum, Y., et al., 2002. High-Pressure Methane and Carbon Dioxide Adsorption on Dry and Moisture-Equilibrated Pennsylvanian Coals. International Journal of Coal Geology, 51(2): 69–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0166-5162(02)00078-2
Legens, C., Palermo, T., Toulhoat, H., et al., 1998. Carbonate Rock Wettability Changes Induced by Organic Compound Adsorption. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 20(3/4): 277–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0920-4105(98)00031-x
Li, J., Li, X. F., Wang, X. Z., et al., 2016. Water Distribution Characteristic and Effect on Methane Adsorption Capacity in Shale Clay. International Journal of Coal Geology, 159: 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2016.03.012
Li, J., Li, X. F., Wu, K. L., et al., 2017. Thickness and Stability of Water Film Confined Inside Nanoslits and Nanocapillaries of Shale and Clay. International Journal of Coal Geology, 179: 253–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2017.06.008
Li, Y. Z., Wang, X. Z., Wu, B., et al., 2016. Sedimentary Facies of Marine Shale Gas Formations in Southern China: The Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Southern Sichuan Basin. Journal of Earth Science, 27(5): 807–822. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-015-0592-1
Liu, D., Yuan, P., Liu, H. M., et al., 2013. High-Pressure Adsorption of Methane on Montmorillonite, Kaolinite and Illite. Applied Clay Science, 85: 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2013.09.009
Liu, K. Q., Ostadhassan, M., Sun, L. W., et al., 2019. A Comprehensive Pore Structure Study of the Bakken Shale with SANS, N2 Adsorption and Mercury Intrusion. Fuel, 245: 274–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.01.174
Liu, S., Deng, B., Zhong, Y., et al., 2016. Unique Geological Features of Burial and Superimposition of the Lower Paleozoic Shale Gas across the Sichuan Basin and Its Periphery. Earth Science Frontiers, 23: 11–28 (in Chinese with English Abstract)
Liu, X. J., Zeng, W., Liang, L. X., et al., 2016. Experimental Study on Hydration Damage Mechanism of Shale from the Longmaxi Formation in Southern Sichuan Basin, China. Petroleum, 2(1): 54–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petlm.2016.01.002
Loucks, R. G., Reed, R. M., Ruppel, S. C., et al., 2009. Morphology, Genesis, and Distribution of Nanometer-Scale Pores in Siliceous Mudstones of the Mississippian Barnett Shale. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 79(12): 848–861. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2009.092
Lu, X., 1995. Adsorption Measurements in Devonian Shales. Fuel, 74(4): 599–603. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-2361(95)98364-k
Luo, P., Zhong, N. N., Khan, I., et al., 2019. Effects of Pore Structure and Wettability on Methane Adsorption Capacity of Mud Rock: Insights from Mixture of Organic Matter and Clay Minerals. Fuel, 251: 551–561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.04.072
Makhanov, K., Habibi, A., Dehghanpour, H., et al., 2014. Liquid Uptake of Gas Shales: A Workflow to Estimate Water Loss during Shut-In Periods after Fracturing Operations. Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources, 7: 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.juogr.2014.04.001
Merkel, A., Fink, R., Littke, R., 2016. High Pressure Methane Sorption Characteristics of Lacustrine Shales from the Midland Valley Basin, Scotland. Fuel, 182: 361–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2016.05.118
Pan, S. Q., Zou, C. N., Yang, Z., et al., 2015. Methods for Shale Gas Play Assessment: A Comparison between Silurian Longmaxi Shale and Mississippian Barnett Shale. Journal of Earth Science, 26(2): 285–294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-015-0524-0
Ross, D. J. K., Bustin, R. M., 2007. Shale Gas Potential of the Lower Jurassic Gordondale Member, Northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology, 55(1): 51–75. https://doi.org/10.2113/gscpgbull.55.1.51
Setzmann, U., Wagner, W., 1991. A New Equation of State and Tables of Thermodynamic Properties for Methane Covering the Range from the Melting Line to 625 K at Pressures up to 100 MPa. Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data, 20(6): 1061–1155. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.555898
Sing, K. S. W., 1985. Reporting Physisorption Data for Gas/Solid Systems with Special Reference to the Determination of Surface Area and Porosity (Recommendations 1984). Pure and Applied Chemistry, 57(4): 603–619. https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198557040603
Tan, J. Q., Weniger, P., Krooss, B., et al., 2014. Shale Gas Potential of the Major Marine Shale Formations in the Upper Yangtze Platform, South China, Part II: Methane Sorption Capacity. Fuel, 129: 204–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2014.03.064
Tang, X. L., Jiang, Z. X., Huang, H. X., et al., 2016. Lithofacies Characteristics and Its Effect on Gas Storage of the Silurian Longmaxi Marine Shale in the Southeast Sichuan Basin, China. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 28: 338–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2015.12.026
Tian, H., Li, T. F., Zhang, T. W., et al., 2016. Characterization of Methane Adsorption on Overmature Lower Silurian-Upper Ordovician Shales in Sichuan Basin, Southwest China: Experimental Results and Geological Implications. International Journal of Coal Geology, 156: 36–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2016.01.013
Wang, L., Fu, Y. H., Li, J., et al., 2016. Mineral and Pore Structure Characteristics of Gas Shale in Longmaxi Formation: A Case Study of Jiaoshiba Gas Field in the Southern Sichuan Basin, China. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 9: 733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2763-5
Wang, L., Wan, J. M., Tokunaga, T. K., et al., 2018. Experimental and Modeling Study of Methane Adsorption onto Partially Saturated Shales. Water Resources Research, 54(7): 5017–5029. https://doi.org/10.1029/2017wr020826
Wang, L., Yu, Q. C., 2016. The Effect of Moisture on the Methane Adsorption Capacity of Shales: A Study Case in the Eastern Qaidam Basin in China. Journal of Hydrology, 542: 487–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.09.018
Wang, T. Y., Tian, S. C., Li, G. S., et al., 2019. Experimental Study of Water Vapor Adsorption Behaviors on Shale. Fuel, 248: 168–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2019.03.029
Washburn, E. W., 1921. Note on a Method of Determining the Distribution of Pore Sizes in a Porous Material. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 7(4): 115–116. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.7.4.115
Wood, D. A., 2019. Establishing Credible Reaction-Kinetics Distributions to Fit and Explain Multi-Heating Rate S2 Pyrolysis Peaks of Kerogens and Shales. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 3(1): 1–28. https://doi.org/10.26804/ager.2019.01.01
Yang, R., Jia, A. Q., He, S., et al., 2020. Water Adsorption Characteristics of Organic-Rich Wufeng and Longmaxi Shales, Sichuan Basin (China). Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 193: 107387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107387
Zhang, H., Zhu, Y., Xia, X., et al., 2013. Comparison and Explanation of the Absorptivity of Organic Matters and Clay Minerals in Shales. Journal of China Coal Society, 38: 812–816 (in Chinese with English Abstract)
Zhang, T. W., Ellis, G. S., Ruppel, S. C., et al., 2012. Effect of Organic-Matter Type and Thermal Maturity on Methane Adsorption in Shale-Gas Systems. Organic Geochemistry, 47: 120–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2012.03.012
Zhang, X., Li, Y., Lü, H., et al., 2013. Relationship between Organic Matter Characteristics and Depositional Environment in the Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin. Journal of China Coal Society, 38(5): 851–856 (in Chinese with English Abstract)
Zhou, W. D., Xie, S. Y., Bao, Z. Y., et al., 2019. Chemical Compositions and Distribution Characteristics of Cements in Longmaxi Formation Shales, Southwest China. Journal of Earth Science, 30(5): 879–892. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-019-1013-7
Zhou, W., Xu, H., Yu, Q., et al., 2016. Shale Gas-Bearing Property Differences and Their Genesis between Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation and Qiongzhusi Formation in Sichuan Basin and Surrounding Areas. Lithologic Reservoirs, 28(5): 18–25 (in Chinese with English Abstract)
Zhu, H. J., Ju, Y. W., Huang, C., et al., 2020. Microcosmic Gas Adsorption Mechanism on Clay-Organic Nanocomposites in a Marine Shale. Energy, 197: 117256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.117256
Zou, J., Rezaee, R., Xie, Q., et al., 2019. Characterization of the Combined Effect of High Temperature and Moisture on Methane Adsorption in Shale Gas Reservoirs. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 182: 106353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.106353
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (No. 2017ZX05035-002), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41972145), and the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting from China University of Petroleum in Beijing (Nos. PRP/indep-3-1707, PRP/indep-3-1615). Yu Cheng and Yupeng Fan are appreciated for their help in data acquisition of methane adsorption experiment and pore structure analysis. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1120-5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gao, Z., Xiong, S. Methane Adsorption Capacity Reduction Process of Water-Bearing Shale Samples and Its Influencing Factors: One Example of Silurian Longmaxi Formation Shale from the Southern Sichuan Basin in China. J. Earth Sci. 32, 946–959 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1120-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-020-1120-5