Characteristics of tight oil reservoir and Chinaʼs tight oil resources

Abstract

In recent years, owing to the advances in technological development, research and development of unconventional energy resources have been activated. In particular, development of shale gas and tight oil in the United States will have a great influence on the energy supply in the world in the future. Interest in tight oil is increasing in China because China has fascinating unconventional energy resources, and among them, tight oil has the potential to become a promising energy resource. In China, it is expected that reservoir characteristics and availability of tight oil are clarified with the progress of the geological survey, and that the development of tight oil is advanced. In this paper, we examine the availability and potential capacity of tight oil resources in China. On the basis of the characteristics of tight oil reservoir in the United States, the situation and potential of Chinaʼs tight oil resources are examined through the comparison of the geological availability environment of tight oil reservoirs in China and the United States.