New progresses in basic geological theories and future exploration domains of natural gas in China

As natural gas exploration expands to deep, ultra-deep and unconventional areas, more and more complex exploration targets are encountered. In this circumstance, it is necessary to improve the existing basic natural gas geological theories for guiding the exploration and discovery of more giant gas fields. In this paper, the researches on basic natural gas geological theories since the beginning of the 12th Five-Year Plan were engaged, and then the key exploration target zones were analyzed. Some results were obtained. (1) The theory of whole-process hydrocarbon generation of organic matters was improved and the geologic theories of organic matter hydrocarbon generation (e.g. the thermal evolution model of kerogen degradation and the successive gas generation of organic matters) were developed. (2) Multi-element natural gas genesis identification method, quantitative evaluation method for different types of seals/caprocks, tight sandstone gas accumulation theory for low hydrocarbon generation intensity region, and hydrocarbon accumulation theory for giant ancient carbonate gas field were established, and the geological theories of gas generation, genesis identification and hydrocarbon accumulation were developed to provide the effective guidance for the exploration breakthrough and discovery of giant gas fields in the key basins of China recently. Four conclusions were reached: (1) ancient carbonate rock, tight sandstone, foreland region, shale and volcanic rock are primary exploration targets for discovering giant gas fields; (2) craton and foreland basins are still the key exploration areas, and ancient uplift, gentle slope and thrust belt are the main enrichment zones; (3) ancient strata and deep formations are critical gas exploration targets in the future; (4) oil cracking gas in marine basins, tight sandstone gas and shale gas are the important replacement resources for future gas reserves and production growth.