"squeezing" oil out of stone cracks China's rock oil exploitation scale and production capacity continue to expand

CCTV News: Shale oil is oil attached to shale rocks or cracks. It is called "squeezed" oil in stone cracks because of its difficulty in mining. PetroChina announced on May 4 that my country's first national-level continental shale oil demonstration zone-Jiqing Oilfield Operation Zone, shale oil production reached 215000 tons in the first quarter of 2024, a record high.

Since the beginning of 2024, 53 new wells have been drilled in the Jiqing Oilfield operation area of Xinjiang Oilfield, with an average completion cycle of 34 days, an increase of 5% over the same period in 2023. At present, the daily production level of shale oil is 2800 tons, an increase of 46% over the same period in 2023, a record high. 27 wells are operating at the same time, which is the largest capacity construction since the construction of the operation area.

Jiqing Oilfield operation area is the first national continental shale oil demonstration area in China, covering an area of 1278 square kilometers, with estimated resource reserves of more than 1 billion tons.

Shale Oil-Oil Hidden in Rock Crevices

shale oil is an oil resource stored in shale, which is generally speaking, oil stored in stone cracks. Mining requires pressurizing the oil-bearing shale, and using water and additives to expand the cracks in the oil-bearing shale to release oil. Due to the deep buried layer and low permeability, shale oil extraction is very difficult, like "squeezing" oil from a whetstone.

However, due to the growth of global oil demand and the reduction of traditional oil resources, the market demand for shale oil is increasing. At present, shale oil has been found in 75 basins in 21 countries. The United States is the largest producer of shale oil, accounting for 35% of the world's total output. China is rich in shale oil resources, with recoverable reserves ranking third in the world.

continuous technical research China's shale oil production capacity continues to increase

In recent years, through continuous technological research and iterative upgrading, the scale and production capacity of rock oil exploitation in China are constantly expanding.

Xinjiang Oilfield Jiqing Oilfield Operation Area relies on scientific and technological innovation to establish a comprehensive identification standard for shale oil "golden target body", which improves the efficiency of shale oil extraction.

how to "squeeze" shale oil, which is as viscous as honey, out of the cracks in the stones is a recognized problem in mining shale oil. At present, the Jiqing oil field operation area uses carbon dioxide pre-fracturing process to inject carbon dioxide into the oil layer, similar to adding water to honey, reducing the viscosity of crude oil in the oil layer, increasing its fluidity, and squeezing crude oil out of the formation.

At present, my country has established 3 national shale oil demonstration zones, Xinjiang Oilfield Jimusar National Shale Oil Demonstration Zone, Daqing Oilfield Gulong Continental Shale Oil National Demonstration Zone, and Shengli Jiyang Shale Oil National Demonstration Zone.

source: CCTV network