Project Title:Research on Key Technologies for Shale Gas Exploration and Development in the Complex Tectonic Belt of South China

Participating Enterprise: Yangtze University

Award Received: Scientific and Technological Progress Award - Bronze Award

Achievement Level: International Advanced Level

Project Number: ECF-2025-SET-1001

Main Participants: Zhu Guangyou, Chen Can, Sheng Guanglong, Wang Lei, Jin Jinen, Xiao Qilin, Tang Jun, Meng Jianghui, Lu Zhiyuan

Expert Review Comments:
International advanced level. This project focuses on geological and engineering challenges in deep shale gas exploration and development within the complex tectonic zones of southern China. It systematically carried out full-process research—from occurrence mechanism analysis, sweet spot evaluation, and compressibility classification to fracturing parameter optimization—forming an integrated technology system combining structural geology, reservoir geology, and engineering.
The achievements have been successfully applied in shale gas fields such as Changning–Weiyuan and Jianghan, significantly enhancing production capacity and development efficiency, with notable economic and social benefits. The project demonstrates important value for shale gas exploration and development in complex structural zones, particularly in innovations related to geological mechanisms, fracturing simulation optimization, and tracer technologies.

Main Innovations:

This project targets the geological and engineering bottlenecks of deep shale gas development in southern complex tectonic areas and achieves multiple breakthroughs based on an integrated geology–engineering framework:
① Revealed the occurrence patterns and controlling mechanisms of shale gas in the Precambrian–Cambrian new stratigraphic sequences.
② Established a quantitative porosity model for deep shale integrating Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and chemical kinetics, and innovatively applied azimuthal AVO gradient difference technology to accurately characterize fracture anisotropy.
③ Developed a compressibility classification standard based on brittleness index–stress difference–fracture development degree.
④ Developed a fracturing parameter optimization system based on full-cycle numerical simulation and AI algorithms.
⑤ Innovatively applied trace chemical tracers to quantitatively monitor gas–water production across fractured sections.

Main Uses and Technical Principles:

The technology integrates multiple indicators and methods to address the challenges of shale gas development in complex tectonic regions:

• Geochemical Restoration and Organic Enrichment Mechanism: Multi-indicator geochemical analyses restore paleo-cold seep events and organic matter enrichment mechanisms.

• Quantitative Porosity Modeling: A quantitative deep shale porosity model is established by coupling TOC and chemical kinetics.

• Fracture Anisotropy Characterization: Azimuthal AVO gradient difference technology is applied to analyze fracture anisotropy and achieve 3D fine reservoir characterization.

• Compressibility Classification: A multi-parameter compressibility classification standard is developed using brittleness index, stress difference, and fracture development degree.

• Fracturing Optimization: Fracturing design parameters are optimized through full-cycle numerical simulation combined with AI algorithms.

• Dynamic Monitoring: Trace chemical tracers are used for real-time monitoring of gas–water production in fractured sections, guiding precise and efficient reservoir development.

These technologies collectively address major challenges such as difficulties in predicting “sweet spots,” poor fracturing performance, and low development efficiency in complex tectonic areas, supporting efficient and commercial-scale deep shale gas exploration and development.

Technical Applications:

Between 2023 and 2024, CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Shale Gas Exploration Project Department and Yangtze University jointly carried out multiple research projects on key technologies related to fracturing and dynamic monitoring in complex tectonic regions.
In the Changning–Weiyuan shale gas field, the team designed fracturing transformation measures and well deployment schemes. Field implementation achieved fracturing curve fitting accuracy above 90%, and production dynamic data fitting accuracy exceeding 90%.
Using tracer data comparison, the inter-well fracture communication identification method achieved an accuracy rate above 90% in detecting inter-well flow channels among letter wells.

Through the implementation of this project, the degree of reservoir utilization was significantly increased. The research and applications effectively reduced time, labor, and management costs for oil and gas fields and provided a new technical solution for deep shale gas reservoir potential enhancement.