Abstract:
Since the Carboniferous reservoirs are characterized by low porosity and permeability in the Qaidam Basin, the later diagenetic transformation is particularly important for oil and gas exploration. Karstification of different scales, such as pores, fractures, and dissolution residual mounds, have been found in the Carboniferous of many wells in the eastern Qaidam Basin. In addition, some well data shows obvious gas logging abnormalities in this section. Therefore, the characteristics and the logging response of fractures and caves are the necessary study issues for Carboniferous reservoirs in this area. Basing on petrology and the logging data, and the logging response of paleokarst fractures, the study shows that the Carboniferous karst fractures and caves can be divided into two types: structural faults related-type and weathering crust-type. The later one commonly develops in the first and second sections of the Keluke Formation, the Zhabusagaxiu Formation, and the boundary between the Huaitoutala Formation and the overlying formation. The horizontal comparison of the characteristics of the two types of karst fractures and caves shows that the value of natural potential is negative, the natural gamma is medium and low (20.5~35.0 API), the acoustic jet difference is abnormally increased, and the neutron (13.9%) and density (2.50 g/cm3) have mirror image feature, resistivity (215.2 Ω·m~1100.0 Ω·m) is lower than that of surrounding rock (>1100.0 Ω·m). The mature weathering crust-type karst reservoir could be classified into five structural units according to the logging curves, the overlying layer, paleosol layer, cave layer, fractured-vuggy layer, and tight layer. In general, the weathering crust-type karst reservoir was more dominant in the study area, with larger alteration intensity. However, these two types of reservoirs were also associated with each other in many cases. Except for their different alternation mechanisms, they shared similar timing in terms of their responses to tectonism, which was speculated to be from the Indosinian period to the Early Middle Jurassic and even the Early Cretaceous.