Petroleum exploration and development practices of sedimentary basins in China and research progress of sedimentology

Based on the characteristics of recent discoveries in China, continental clastic reservoirs are the most important area for reserves and production growth. Significant progress has been made in exploration of carbonates reservoirs, for example, platform-margin reef complexes and platform interior reefs and banks. Volcanic reservoir exploration in sedimentary basins is feasible now. Mature oilfields with high water cut are predominant in the oil production in China. Some technological problems facing the stable production of mature oilfields have been solved by fine characterization of reservoirs, improving water flooding conditions, and EOR techniques. CNPC makes progress on studies of the sedimentary pattern of continental lacustrine basin shallow water delta, the origin and distribution of sandy debris flow, the mechanism and distribution prediction of deep favorable reservoirs, the sedimentary facies evaluation and reservoir prediction of low-porosity and low-permeability conglomerates, the lithofacies palaeogeography reconstruction of marine carbonates, the fine characterization of carbonates platform margins, the mechanism of carbonate reservoir superposition and rework, the origin classification of karst reservoirs, unconventional reservoir evaluation, reservoir improvement techniques, etc. These provide important theoretical and technical support for the exploration and development of oil and gas.