New progress and future exploration targets in petroleum geological research of ultra-deep clastic rocks in Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, NW China

Significant exploration progress has been made in ultra-deep clastic rocks in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, over recent years. A new round of comprehensive geological research has formed four new understandings: (1) Establish structural model consisting of multi-detachment composite, multi-stage structural superposition and multi-layer deformation. Multi-stage structural traps are overlapped vertically, and a series of structural traps are discovered in underlying ultra-deep layers. (2) Five sets of high-quality large-scale source rocks of three types of organic phases are developed in the Triassic and Jurassic systems, and forming a good combination of source-reservoir-cap rocks in ultra-deep layers with three sets of large-scale regional reservoir and cap rocks. (3) The formation of large oil and gas fields is controlled by four factors which are source, reservoir, cap rocks and fault. Based on the spatial configuration relationship of these four factors, a new three-dimensional reservoir formation model for ultra-deep clastic rocks in the Kuqa Depression has been established. (4) The next key exploration fields for ultra-deep clastic rocks in the Kuqa Depression include conventional and unconventional oil and gas. The conventional oil and gas fields include the deep multi-layer oil-gas accumulation zone in Kelasu, tight sandstone gas of Jurassic Ahe Formation in the northern structural zone, multi-target layer lithological oil and gas reservoirs in Zhongqiu–Dina structural zone, lithologic-stratigraphic and buried hill composite reservoirs in south slope and other favorable areas. Unconventional oil and gas fields include deep coal rock gas of Jurassic Kezilenuer and Yangxia formations, Triassic Tariqike Formation and Middle-Lower Jurassic and Upper Triassic continental shale gas. The achievements have important reference significance for enriching the theory of ultra-deep clastic rock oil and gas exploration and guiding the future oil and gas exploration deployment.