PetroChina key exploration domains: geological cognition, core technology, exploration effect and exploration direction

On the basis of the third evaluation on hydrocarbon resources and the distribution estimation of remaining oil/gas resources, PetroChina puts forward four key exploration domains, which are litho-stratigraphic reservoirs, foreland thrust belts, middle and lower combinations of the superimposed basins, and hydrocarbon-rich depressions or plays in the mature exploration areas. The litho-stratigraphic reservoir has become the main body of the reserves growth; the foreland thrust belts are the important domains for finding significant discoveries, the middle and lower combinations in the superimposed basins have increasingly important status in increasing geological reserves, and the fine exploration in hydrocarbon-rich depressions or plays also have prodigious exploration potential. The remaining hydrocarbon resources are mainly distributed in seven domains, which are large-scale litho-stratigraphic reservoirs, hydrocarbon-rich depressions (plays) in rift-subsidence basins, foreland thrust belts, middle-lower combinations in the superimposed basins, onshore new exploring areas and new basins, south areas of South China Sea, and unconventional resources. Among them, the former four domains have great exploration potential and are the important areas for reserves and production growth, and the latter three domains are the important fields of realizing resources strategic relay for PetroChina in the future.