Hydrocarbon accumulation and exploration prospect of mound-shoal complexes on the platform margin of the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation in the east of Mianzhu-Changning intracratonic rift, Sichuan Basin, SW China

Drilling, seismic and logging data were used to evaluate the hydrocarbon accumulation conditions of the mound-shoal complexes in the platform margin of the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation in the east side of the Mianzhu-Changning intracratonic rift in the Sichuan Basin. The four understandings are: (1) The platform margin belt of the Deng 4 Member can be divided into three sections, northern, middle and southern; the middle section is at the core of the Gaoshiti-Moxi paleouplift and the structural high now, while the southern and northern sections are at the slope of the paleouplift and the structural lows now; the three sections have similar development characteristics and reservoir features of platform margin mound-shoal complex. (2) In the margin of the east side of the rift, there are several faults nearly perpendicular to the platform margin belt, the faults divide the platform margin belt into rugged paleo-landform, and the high part developed platform margin mound-shoal complexes and the reservoirs are good in physical properties, while the low part developed inter-beach depression and no mound-shoal complexes, where the reservoirs are poor in physical properties. (3) The six groups of faults nearly perpendicular to the platform margin belt divide the platform margin belt into seven large mound-shoal complexes which have similar hydrocarbon accumulation conditions and accumulation evolution process and are rich in petroleum. (4) The inter shoal depressions between the mound-shoal complexes are characterized by tighter lithology, which can block the updip direction of the mounds and shoals at the lower part of the slope of the paleouplift and are favorable for the later preservation of mound-shoal gas reservoirs. This has been proved by Well Jiaotan 1 and Heshen 2 drilled successfully. The mound-shoal complexes on the platform margin of the structural slope area have a good exploration prospect.