Petroleum generation and expulsion in middle Permian Lucaogou Formation, Jimusar Sag, Junggar Basin, northwest China: assessment of shale oil resource potential

Shale oil exploration of the Permian Lucaogou Formation (P2l) has greatly advanced in the Jimusar Sag in the Junggar Basin. However, despite the strong exploration prospects of shale oil resources, the potential of shale oil resources in the Junggar Basin has been insufficiently assessed. This study performs systematical evaluation of P2l source rocks in the Jimusar Sag and proposes an improved hydrocarbon generation potential method to assess the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion characteristics and evaluates the shale oil resource potential of the P2l source rocks in the Jimusar Sag. The results show that the P2l source rocks are thick (up to 200 m) and are distributed over a wide area (up to 1200 km2) in the study region. It contains high TOC (2%–5%), characterized by dominantly type I and type II kerogen. The source rocks are in the low mature–mature stage, and possess good conditions for generation of hydrocarbons. The P2l source rocks reached the hydrocarbon expulsion threshold at a thermal maturity of 0.8% vitrinite reflectance. The efficiency of hydrocarbon expulsion of the source rock is 34%. The amounts of hydrocarbons generated and expelled were 65 × 108 t. Based on the above information, the shale oil resources potential is calculated to be 43 × 108 t, indicating very good shale oil resource prospect in the P2l source rocks of the Jimusar Sag. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.