Microscopic Heterogeneity Characteristics and Movable Oil Characterization of Ultra-Deep Shale Oil in the Mahu Sag

The shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag has become an extremely critical target for large-scale reserve growth in the Junggar Basin. Characterized by great burial depth, complex geology, and pronounced heterogeneity, the effective and economical development of shale oil “sweet spots” remains a key challenge. To clarify the characteristics and controlling factors of this heterogeneity, an integrated analysis combining geological context, well-log responses, and laboratory data was conducted, focusing on three aspects: litho-mineralogical composition, pore structure, and hydrocarbon content. This approach enabled a detailed characterization of the micro-scale heterogeneity of the Fengcheng Formation shale oil and identification of its primary controls. On this basis, a four-parameter coupled mobility index evaluation model was developed, and—by integrating formation test data and fracture intensity—a classification scheme for mobility ranges was established. The study reveals that the strong heterogeneity is intrinsically driven by the complex coupling among lithofacies assemblages, clay mineral distribution, pore structure, and oil saturation, while depositional environment and diagenesis act as the dominant macro-scale controlling factors. Field production data confirm that the proposed mobility evaluation method correlates well with actual performance: the mobility index exhibits a clear exponential relationship with average daily oil production (R 2 =0.90), and the mobility-based classification shows excellent agreement with well productivity, thereby providing a quantitative foundation for the effective development of ultra-deep shale oil sweet spots.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Petroleum
Published
2026-05-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petlm.2026.05.002
Primary Topic
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Microscopic Heterogeneity Characteristics and Movable Oil Characterization of Ultra-Deep Shale Oil in the Mahu Sag

Xinjun Mao, hao Zhang, Shanhe Chen, Wei Wang et al.
Petroleum
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
article

Microscopic Heterogeneity Characteristics and Movable Oil Characterization of Ultra-Deep Shale Oil in the Mahu Sag

Xinjun Mao, hao Zhang, Shanhe Chen, Wei Wang, Wangwang Yang
article en

Abstract

The shale oil in the Fengcheng Formation of the Mahu Sag has become an extremely critical target for large-scale reserve growth in the Junggar Basin. Characterized by great burial depth, complex geology, and pronounced heterogeneity, the effective and economical development of shale oil “sweet spots” remains a key challenge. To clarify the characteristics and controlling factors of this heterogeneity, an integrated analysis combining geological context, well-log responses, and laboratory data was conducted, focusing on three aspects: litho-mineralogical composition, pore structure, and hydrocarbon content. This approach enabled a detailed characterization of the micro-scale heterogeneity of the Fengcheng Formation shale oil and identification of its primary controls. On this basis, a four-parameter coupled mobility index evaluation model was developed, and—by integrating formation test data and fracture intensity—a classification scheme for mobility ranges was established. The study reveals that the strong heterogeneity is intrinsically driven by the complex coupling among lithofacies assemblages, clay mineral distribution, pore structure, and oil saturation, while depositional environment and diagenesis act as the dominant macro-scale controlling factors. Field production data confirm that the proposed mobility evaluation method correlates well with actual performance: the mobility index exhibits a clear exponential relationship with average daily oil production (R 2 =0.90), and the mobility-based classification shows excellent agreement with well productivity, thereby providing a quantitative foundation for the effective development of ultra-deep shale oil sweet spots.

Petroleum
China National Petroleum Corporation (China) (CN)
National Major Science and Technology Projects of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.