Work

Multi-field coupling controls the formation and evolution of deep reservoirs

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Following the maturation of shallow and medium-depth exploration, the petroleum industry is transitioning its focus to deep and ultra-deep formations. Field evidence shows that, even under extreme conditions of high temperature, high pore pressure, and high stress, some reservoirs retain anomalously high porosity and permeability, contradicting traditional compaction models. This paradox can be better explained through multi-field coupling, where temperature, pore pressure, and stress interact competitively and cooperatively to reshape compaction, fracture behavior, and fluid-rock interactions. Such interactions may induce brittle–ductile transitions that form semi-ductile permeability corridors, or cause localized enrichment when stress contrasts restrict fracture propagation and fluid accumulation promotes episodic reactivation. These insights shift the interpretation of deep reservoirs from single-factor models to a coupling-based framework, offering new directions for evaluation and exploration. Document Type: Perspective Cited as: Xu, S., Yang, D., Liu, B., Jia, C., Zhang, Y. Multi-field coupling controls the formation and evolution of deep reservoirs. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2025, 17(2): 176-178. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2025.08.08

Source: ADVANCES IN GEO-ENERGY RESEARCH

DOI: 10.46690/ager.2025.08.08

Authors: Shang Xu, Dong Yang, Bingchang Liu, Cunqi Jia, Yuanyin Zhang

Institutions: China University of Petroleum, East China, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Peking University

Language: English

Topic: Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis

Subfield: Mechanics of Materials

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China

Award: G5555184572