The characteristics and sources of natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin

The Central Gas Field is a famous large-sized gas field in the Ordos Basin of China. However, identification of main gas sources of the Ordovician reservoirs in this gas field remains puzzling. On the basis of a lot of geochemical data and geological research on natural gases, the characteristics and sources of natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin were studied. The results indicated that natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin have similar chemical and isotopic compositions to highly mature and over-mature dry gases. Both coal-derived gases and oil-type gases coexist in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin. The former was derived mainly from Carboniferous-Permian coal measures and the latter from Lower Paleozoic marine carbonates. It is suggested that coal-derived gases occur in the eastern part of the Central Gas Field while oil-type gases may be produced mainly in the northern, western and southern parts of the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin.