Exploration
Breakthrough in China since the
Millennium: New Petroleum Systems, New Plays, and New Hopes
Xu, Tianguang1 (1) IHS Energy,
Houston, TX
Since the new millennium, 224 new
discoveries have been made in China, adding 2P recoverable
reserves of 5,102 MMbo and 59.13 Tcfg. These new discoveries were made not only
in frontier but also in mature basins.
The most significant discoveries were
found in the Tarim, Ordos, Sichuan, Junggar, Songliao, and
Pearl River Mouth basins. Each significant discovery represents a major
conceptual breakthrough in petroleum systems analysis and new play development.
With recognition of the basin centered gas system in the Ordos basin, the giant Sulige
gas field, with total 2P recoverable reserves of 16.44 Tcfg, was discovered in
2000. In the mature Sichuan and Songliao basins,
new stratigraphic and deep gas plays were developed that led to the discovery
of the giant Puguangsi and Qingshen gas fields, respectively. In the frontier
Tarim basin, the Kuqa gas trend and Tazhong oil trend were delineated based on
newly refined petroleum systems and improved seismic acquisition and
processing, especially in desert and mountain front areas. The first deepwater
gas discovery, Liwan 3-1, was made in 2006 in the Pearl River Mouth basin by
Husky, with 2P recoverable reserves estimated at 2.5 Tcfg.
China is still teeming with
good prospects and giant discoveries. Application of sequence stratigraphy in
lacustrine settings has begun to play an important role in exploring
stratigraphic plays. The onshore subtle plays, tight gas, and CBM will lead to
continual reserve growth and the offshore new petroleum systems and plays are
yet to be defined.