Prospects for the oil and gas potential of the zone of abnormally high reservoir pressures in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug assuming deep fluid dynamics

Abstract

In Western Siberia, the zone of abnormally high reservoir pressures (AHRP) covers an area of more than 500 thousand km2 in the north of the basin. It begins with a clay layer above the Achimov formation of Neocomian sandy-silty formation, covers the Achimov formation, Upper–Lower Jurassic, Triassic and partially Paleozoic and is subject to tectonic control, which indicates the deep origin of this phenomenon. Gas-pressure, or gas-dynamic, theory of AHRP, proposed by K.A. Anikiev in the 70s of the 20th century, allows us to assess the prospects for oil and gas content of the AHRP zone higher than it is commonly-accepted. Analysis of the results of previously completed geological exploration work on the deep horizons of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug indicates that their relatively low efficiency (50–60%) is associated with the insufficiently high quality of well operations, primarily cementing, which is also due to the influence of AHRP. In all wells drilled to deep horizons, direct signs of oil and gas potential were obtained and cementing defects were identified. It is concluded that deep fluid-dynamic processes (active, pressure degassing of the Earth’s interior) are responsible both for the saturation of reservoir rocks with hydrocarbons and for the dynamics of their filling (ultra-high pressures and velocities), which determine the main characteristics of reservoir rocks. Recognition of a deep source of hydrocarbons will not only make it possible to fundamentally increase the resource base of the AHRP zone, but will also require a revision of ideas about the formation and structure of hydrocarbon deposits in this zone and the petrophysical substantiation of their models. However, to realize the unique hydrocarbon potential of the AHRP zone, it is necessary, first of all, to improve the quality of deep wells construction and appropriate information content.