The effects of clay minerals and organic matter on nanoscale pores in Lower Paleozoic shale gas reservoirs, Guizhou, China

In organic-rich gas shales, clay minerals and organic matter(OM) have significant influences on the origin, preservation, and production of shale gas. Because of the substantial role of nanoscale pores in the generation,storage, and seepage of shale gas, we examined the effects of clay minerals and OM on nanoscale pore distribution characteristics in Lower Paleozoic shale gas reservoirs.Using the Niutitang and Longmaxi shales as examples, we determined the effects of clay minerals and OM on pores through sedimentation experiments. Field emission–scanning electron microscopy combined with low-pressure N2 adsorption of the samples before and after sedimentation showed significant differences in pore location and pore size distribution between the Niutitang and Longmaxi shales. Nanoscale pores mostly existed in OM in the Longmaxi shale and in clay minerals or OM–clay composites in the Niutitang shale. The distribution differences were attributed largely to variability in thermal evolution and tectonic development and might account for the difference in gas-bearing capacity between the Niutitang and Longmaxi reservoirs. In the nanoscale range, mesopores accounted for 61–76% of total nanoscale pore volume.Considerably developed nanoscale pores in OM were distributed in a broad size range in the Longmaxi shale, which led to good pore connectivity and gas production.Numerous narrow pores(i.e., pores \ 20 nm) in OM–clay composites were found in the Niutitang shale, and might account for this shale's poor pore connectivity and low gas production efficiency. Enhancing the connectivity of the mesopores(especially pores \ 20 nm and those developed in OM–clay composites) might be the key to improving development of the Niutitang shale. The findings provide new insight into the formation and evolutionary mechanism of nanoscale pores developed in OM and clay minerals.