Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation
The heterogeneity of shale pore systems, which is controlled by thermal maturation, fundamentally governs hydrocarbon storage and migration. Artificial sequence maturity samples of Xiamaling shale were obtained through a temperature–pressure simulation experiment (350–680 °C, 15–41 MPa). In combinat...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Yang Wang Baoyuan Zhong Liu Yang Yanming Zhu Jie Xiang Tong Zhang Hanyu Zhang |
| author_facet | Yang Wang Baoyuan Zhong Liu Yang Yanming Zhu Jie Xiang Tong Zhang Hanyu Zhang |
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| description | The heterogeneity of shale pore systems, which is controlled by thermal maturation, fundamentally governs hydrocarbon storage and migration. Artificial sequence maturity samples of Xiamaling shale were obtained through a temperature–pressure simulation experiment (350–680 °C, 15–41 MPa). In combination with low-pressure CO<sub>2</sub>/N<sub>2</sub> adsorption experiments, mercury intrusion porosimetry experiments and fractal theory, the heterogeneity of the pore size distribution of micropores, mesopores and macropores in shale of different maturities was quantitatively characterized. The results reveal that the total porosity follows a four-stage evolution with thermal maturity (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> = 0.62–3.62%), peaking at 600 °C (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> = 3.12%). Multifractal parameters indicate that areas with a low probability density are dominant in terms of pore size heterogeneity, while monofractal parameters reflect enhanced uniform development in ultra-over maturity (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> > 3.2%). A novel Fractal Quality Index (<i>FQI</i>) was proposed to integrate porosity, heterogeneity, and connectivity, effectively classifying reservoirs into low-quality, medium-quality, and high-quality sweet-spot types. The findings contribute to the mechanistic understanding of pore evolution and offer a fractal-based framework for shale gas reservoir evaluation, with significant implications for hydrocarbon exploration in unconventional resources. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c3bffda9ff2e4fb992e88e34daf15d302025-06-25T13:51:55ZengMDPI AGFractal and Fractional2504-31102025-05-019635110.3390/fractalfract9060351Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling FormationYang Wang0Baoyuan Zhong1Liu Yang2Yanming Zhu3Jie Xiang4Tong Zhang5Hanyu Zhang6Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Construction Management, Jiangsu Vocational Institute of Architectural Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaSchool of Geology and Mining Engineering, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830047, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resources and Reservoir Formation Process of the Ministry of Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, ChinaThe heterogeneity of shale pore systems, which is controlled by thermal maturation, fundamentally governs hydrocarbon storage and migration. Artificial sequence maturity samples of Xiamaling shale were obtained through a temperature–pressure simulation experiment (350–680 °C, 15–41 MPa). In combination with low-pressure CO<sub>2</sub>/N<sub>2</sub> adsorption experiments, mercury intrusion porosimetry experiments and fractal theory, the heterogeneity of the pore size distribution of micropores, mesopores and macropores in shale of different maturities was quantitatively characterized. The results reveal that the total porosity follows a four-stage evolution with thermal maturity (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> = 0.62–3.62%), peaking at 600 °C (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> = 3.12%). Multifractal parameters indicate that areas with a low probability density are dominant in terms of pore size heterogeneity, while monofractal parameters reflect enhanced uniform development in ultra-over maturity (<i>R</i><sub>o</sub> > 3.2%). A novel Fractal Quality Index (<i>FQI</i>) was proposed to integrate porosity, heterogeneity, and connectivity, effectively classifying reservoirs into low-quality, medium-quality, and high-quality sweet-spot types. The findings contribute to the mechanistic understanding of pore evolution and offer a fractal-based framework for shale gas reservoir evaluation, with significant implications for hydrocarbon exploration in unconventional resources.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/9/6/351fractalmultifractalthermal simulationmultiscale porematurityXiamaling shale |
| spellingShingle | Yang Wang Baoyuan Zhong Liu Yang Yanming Zhu Jie Xiang Tong Zhang Hanyu Zhang Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation Fractal and Fractional fractal multifractal thermal simulation multiscale pore maturity Xiamaling shale |
| title | Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation |
| title_full | Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation |
| title_fullStr | Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation |
| title_short | Multiscale Fractal Evolution Mechanism of Pore Heterogeneity in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks: A Thermal Simulation Experiment in the Xiamaling Formation |
| title_sort | multiscale fractal evolution mechanism of pore heterogeneity in hydrocarbon source rocks a thermal simulation experiment in the xiamaling formation |
| topic | fractal multifractal thermal simulation multiscale pore maturity Xiamaling shale |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3110/9/6/351 |
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