Seismic technology and its application to ultra-deep oil and gas in the platform area of the Tarim Basin
- 1BGP Inc., CNPC, Zhuozhou 072751, Hebei, China
Abstract
Objective The platform area of the Tarim Basin has enormous potential for ultra-deep (>6,000 m) carbonate hydrocarbon resources. Efficient exploration and development of these resources require breakthroughs in four key areas: prediction of the thickness of major source rocks, characterization of the distribution of strike-slip faults, prediction of high-quality ultra-deep reservoirs, and detection of ultra-deep hydrocarbon accumulations. However, the great burial depths and strong heterogeneity of the reservoirs, poor seismic source and receiver conditions in extensive desert terrain, severe seismic attenuation, and complex distributions of subsurface igneous intrusions result in low signal-to-noise ratios, poor resolution, and limited imaging accuracy of ultra-deep seismic data, hindering reliable reservoir prediction. This study aims to establish a systematic seismic technology framework for exploring ultra-deep carbonate hydrocarbons in the platform area and overcoming these key technical challenges. Methods Four core seismic technologies were developed to address these challenges. (1) Energy enhancement and noise attenuation technology, comprising source excitation using ghost-reflection focusing, combined reception using small-aperture square arrays, weak-signal enhancement in the curvelet domain, and interbed-multiple suppression using the inverse scattering series method. (2) Fidelity-preserving bandwidth extension technology, comprising high-velocity layer excitation, low-frequency geophone acquisition, and wavelet-based consistency correction using the recorded wavelet; (3) Energy focusing and accurate positioning technology, comprising 3D wide-azimuth, high-density, small-bin, long-offset seismic acquisition, refined migration-velocity modeling incorporating igneous intrusions such as volcanic rocks, detailed Q-field modeling, and Q-compensated reverse-time migration. (4) Seismic decoupling mapping technology, comprising seismic decoupling mapping of strike-slip fault systems, source-rock thickness, ultra-deep reservoir properties, and ultra-deep fluid properties. Results Application of this technology framework in the Tabei Depression yielded significant results. The ultra-deep strike-slip faults transformed from weak and indistinct reflections into clearly identifiable seismic features, substantially improving fault interpretation. The prediction error for the thickness of the major source rock, the Lower Cambrian Yu'ertusi Formation, has been constrained to within ±10 m. The coincidence rate of predicted high-quality ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs exceeds 85%; and the accuracy of ultra-deep hydrocarbon detection exceeds 80%. Conclusions These advances led to the discovery and efficient delineation of the Fuman ultra-deep giant oil and gas field in the Tabei Depression. Proven reserves reach the billion-ton level, and an ultra-deep oil and gas production base with an annual production capacity of approximately five million tons has been established.
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BibTeX
@article{yalin2026seismic,
title = {{Seismic technology and its application to ultra-deep oil and gas in the platform area of the Tarim Basin}},
author = {LI Yalin and CAO Hong and LI Dajun and ZHANG Yintao and DUAN Wensheng and SUN Chong},
journal = {Dizhi lixue xuebao},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026093},
url = {https://doi.org/10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026093},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Seismic technology and its application to ultra-deep oil and gas in the platform area of the Tarim Basin
AU - LI Yalin
AU - CAO Hong
AU - LI Dajun
AU - ZHANG Yintao
AU - DUAN Wensheng
AU - SUN Chong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Dizhi lixue xuebao
DO - 10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026093
UR - https://doi.org/10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2026093
AB - Objective The platform area of the Tarim Basin has enormous potential for ultra-deep (>6,000 m) carbonate hydrocarbon resources. Efficient exploration and development of these resources require breakthroughs in four key areas: prediction of the thickness of major source rocks, characterization of the distribution of strike-slip faults, prediction of high-quality ultra-deep reservoirs, and detection of ultra-deep hydrocarbon accumulations. However, the great burial depths and strong heterogeneity of the reservoirs, poor seismic source and receiver conditions in extensive desert terrain, severe seismic attenuation, and complex distributions of subsurface igneous intrusions result in low signal-to-noise ratios, poor resolution, and limited imaging accuracy of ultra-deep seismic data, hindering reliable reservoir prediction. This study aims to establish a systematic seismic technology framework for exploring ultra-deep carbonate hydrocarbons in the platform area and overcoming these key technical challenges. Methods Four core seismic technologies were developed to address these challenges. (1) Energy enhancement and noise attenuation technology, comprising source excitation using ghost-reflection focusing, combined reception using small-aperture square arrays, weak-signal enhancement in the curvelet domain, and interbed-multiple suppression using the inverse scattering series method. (2) Fidelity-preserving bandwidth extension technology, comprising high-velocity layer excitation, low-frequency geophone acquisition, and wavelet-based consistency correction using the recorded wavelet; (3) Energy focusing and accurate positioning technology, comprising 3D wide-azimuth, high-density, small-bin, long-offset seismic acquisition, refined migration-velocity modeling incorporating igneous intrusions such as volcanic rocks, detailed Q-field modeling, and Q-compensated reverse-time migration. (4) Seismic decoupling mapping technology, comprising seismic decoupling mapping of strike-slip fault systems, source-rock thickness, ultra-deep reservoir properties, and ultra-deep fluid properties. Results Application of this technology framework in the Tabei Depression yielded significant results. The ultra-deep strike-slip faults transformed from weak and indistinct reflections into clearly identifiable seismic features, substantially improving fault interpretation. The prediction error for the thickness of the major source rock, the Lower Cambrian Yu'ertusi Formation, has been constrained to within ±10 m. The coincidence rate of predicted high-quality ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs exceeds 85%; and the accuracy of ultra-deep hydrocarbon detection exceeds 80%. Conclusions These advances led to the discovery and efficient delineation of the Fuman ultra-deep giant oil and gas field in the Tabei Depression. Proven reserves reach the billion-ton level, and an ultra-deep oil and gas production base with an annual production capacity of approximately five million tons has been established.
SN - 1006-6616
ER -