Advances in Theory and Technology of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2025 | Viewed by 292

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Geoscience and Technology, Southwest Petroleum University (SWPU), Chengdu 610500, China
Interests: geochemistry; shale oil and gas evaluation; hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Interests: petroleum geochemistry; hydrocarbon generation kinetics; hydrocarbon accumulation process
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Unconventional oil and gas resources have garnered increasing attention over the past few years. The differences between unconventional and conventional reservoirs are abundant. For instance, unconventional oil and gas reservoirs serve as both source rocks and storage space, and they possess low porosity and permeability. Therefore, numerous unconventional technologies and methods have been developed to examine unconventional reservoirs, such as SEM, TEM, and gas (CO2 and N2) adsorption. In addition, many novel theories abound that can facilitate the exploration and production unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. These advancements in the theory and technology of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs have stimulated a rapid increase in oil and gas production. This Special Issue, “Advances in Theory and Technology of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs”, aims to cover novel advances in the geological theories and experimental methods used in the exploration and exploitation of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. Relevant themes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The exploration and production of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs;
  • The characterization of unconventional reservoirs;
  • The mechanisms of unconventional oil and gas accumulation;
  • The processes of unconventional oil and gas reservoir formation;
  • The evaluation of unconventional oil and gas resources.

Prof. Dr. Hui Han
Dr. Haifeng Gai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Keywords

  • shale oil and shale gas
  • coalbed methane
  • oil shale
  • tight oil and tight gas
  • gas hydrate

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 2074 KiB  
Article
Influence of Clay Content on the Compaction and Permeability Characteristics of Sandstone Reservoirs
by Jin Pang, Tongtong Wu, Chunxi Zhou, Haotian Chen, Jiaao Gao and Xinan Yu
Processes 2025, 13(6), 1835; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061835 - 10 Jun 2025
Viewed by 155
Abstract
Clay content is a critical geological parameter influencing the pore structure, compaction sensitivity, and flow capacity of sandstone reservoirs. In this study, representative Tertiary sandstones from a major sedimentary basin in western China were selected, covering natural and synthetic core samples with clay [...] Read more.
Clay content is a critical geological parameter influencing the pore structure, compaction sensitivity, and flow capacity of sandstone reservoirs. In this study, representative Tertiary sandstones from a major sedimentary basin in western China were selected, covering natural and synthetic core samples with clay contents ranging from 20% to 70%. Utilizing a self-developed apparatus capable of both static and dynamic compaction experiments, we systematically performed staged static loading and gas–water two-phase displacement tests. This enabled us to obtain comprehensive datasets on porosity, permeability, pressure response, and two-phase flow characteristics under various clay content, confining pressure, and gas drive rate conditions. Results demonstrate that high clay content leads to pronounced pore structure compaction and substantially greater permeability reductions compared to low-clay reservoirs, indicating heightened stress sensitivity. The synergy between gas drive rate and confining pressure regulates intralayer water production efficiency: initially, increased gas drive enhances mobile water production, but efficiency drops sharply at late stages due to pore contraction and increased bound water. As confining pressure increases, the mixed-flow region for two-phase flow shrinks, with water permeability decreasing sharply and gas permeability increasing, revealing the dynamic fluid transport and productivity decline mechanisms controlled by effective stress. The research deepens understanding of compaction–flow mechanisms in clay-rich sandstones, offering bases for evaluating reservoir stress sensitivity and supporting efficient, sustainable gas reservoir development, which increasingly helps offset global energy shortages. Full article
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