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Sustainability
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Sustainable Exploitation and Utilization of Hydrocarbon Resources
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Sustainable Exploitation and Utilization of Hydrocarbon Resources

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Resources and Sustainable Utilization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 1019

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qingyong Luo

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Guest Editor
College of Geoscience, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: petroleum geology; petroleum geochemistry; organic petrology; organic matter enrichment; paleoclimate; unconventional oil/gas; pore structure characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zezhang Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Geoscience, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: hydrocarbon accumulation mechanisms in the ultra-deeply-buried strata; pore structure characterization; CCUS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mianmo Meng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Marine Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: pore structure characterization; fluid occurrence; water–rock interaction; nuclear magnetic resonance; unconventional oil/gas
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jinqi Qiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Geoscience, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: organic matter enrichment mechanism; paleoclimate evolution; unconventional oil/gas

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With an increase of energy consumption in the word, unconventional oil and gas are playing a more important role in offsetting this shortage. Unconventional energies include shale oil/gas, tight oil/gas, coalbed methane, and gas hydrate. Many countries have invested large capital in exploiting these unconventional resources.

Due to the low-porosity and ultra-low permeability features of unconventional reservoirs, hydraulic fracturing became an effective method for developing and increasing production of these types of resources. After hydraulic fracturing, some wells achieve a high production rate, while most wells nearly have no production, which greatly increases the development risk. To comprehensively improve the success rate, optimal production layers should be screened by combining geological and engineering aspects. Geological factors are the fundamental property of the hydrocarbon reservoirs, while the engineering factors are closely related to the geological factors and cutting-edge techniques.

This Special Issue will attempt to cover the new pressing challenges for screening the optimal production layers from geological and engineering aspects. We sincerely invite relevant experts to submit their original articles or reviews related to unconventional oil and gas layer optimization, especially by integrating geological and engineering theories and methodologies. We look forward to your submissions.

Prof. Dr. Qingyong Luo
Prof. Dr. Zezhang Song
Prof. Dr. Mianmo Meng
Dr. Jinqi Qiao
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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sedimentary environment and genesis mechanism of fine-grained rocks
  • shale oil/gas
  • petroleum geology
  • petroleum geochemistry
  • reservoir geochemistry
  • seismic data analysis
  • organic matter accumulation
  • hydrocarbon generation and enrichment
  • pore evolution in formation conditions
  • reservoir characterization of oil/gas
  • the occurrence and mobility of oil/gas
  • new advances in drilling techniques
  • hydraulic fracturing
  • characterization of fracture networks
  • the interaction between fracturing fluids and rocks
  • enhanced oil/gas recovery

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 8643 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of Cambrian Paleo-Fluid Profiles and Their Implications for Shale Gas Preservation: A Case Study from Well Yidi2 in the Central Yangtze Yichang Area
by An Liu, Shuo Qin, Kai Wei, Qilin Xiao, Quansheng Cai, Huilan Huang, Xiongwei Zeng and Peijun Li
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4875; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114875 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 281
Abstract
Exploration practice has proved that preservation conditions are one of the critical factors contributing to shale gas enrichment in the Middle Yangtze area. Well Yidi2 is the discovery well of Cambrian shale gas in this area. The paleo-fluid evolution and its implication for [...] Read more.
Exploration practice has proved that preservation conditions are one of the critical factors contributing to shale gas enrichment in the Middle Yangtze area. Well Yidi2 is the discovery well of Cambrian shale gas in this area. The paleo-fluid evolution and its implication for preservation conditions of shale gas remains unclear, posing challenges for shale gas exploration and development. In this study, through systematic analysis of fluid inclusions in fractrue-filling vein of the entire core section of this well, combined with carbon and oxygen isotope tests of veins and host rocks, a paleo-fluid profile was established to explore the formation environment of Cambrian paleo-fluids and their implications for the preservation conditions of the Shuijingtuo Formation (SJT Fm.) shale gas. The results suggest that fractures in the SJT Fm. shale at the base of Cambrian Series 2 mainly formed during the deep burial hydrocarbon generation stage, trapping a large number of liquid hydrocarbon inclusions. Subsequently, numerous high-density methane inclusions and a few of gas-liquid two-phase inclusions were trapped. The SO42−, Ca2+ and Mg2+ content of fluid inclusion groups in the veins decreased from the Qinjiamiao Formation (QJM Fm.) at the bottom of Cambrian Series 3 upward and downward respectively, and the rNa+/rCl− ratio was the lowest in the SJT Fm. and increased overall upward. The δ13C values of calcite veins in Tianheban Formation (THB Fm.)-Shipai Formation (SP Fm.) of the middle Cambrian Series 2 and the Loushanguan Formation (LSG Fm.) of the Cambrian Series 3 were lighter compared to the host rocks. Results indicate the later tectonic activities in this area were relatively weak, and the shale interval remained in a state of high gas saturation for a long time. The QJM Fm. was the main source of high-salinity brine, and the SJT Fm. had strong self-sealing properties and was relatively less affected by external fluids. However, the pressure evolution of high-density methane inclusions in the SJT Fm. indicated that the pressure coefficient of the shale section significantly decreased during the Indosinian uplift and erosion stage. The veins in the THB-SP and LSG Fms. were closely related to the oxidation of hydrocarbon gases by TSR (thermochemical sulfate reduction) and the infiltration of atmospheric water, respectively. Therefore, the paleo-fluid in the fractures of Well Yidi2 have integrally recorded the whole geological process including the evolution from oil to gas, the backflow of high-salinity formation water, the upward escape of shale gas, and the process of shale gas reservoirs evolving from overpressure to normal pressure. Considering that Well Yidi2 area is located in a relatively stable tectonic setting, widely distributed fracture veins probably enhance the self-sealing ability, inhibiting the rapid escape of SJT Fm. shale gas. And the rapid deposition of Cretaceous also delayed the loss of shale gas to some extent. The combination of these two factors creates favorable preservation conditions of shale gas, establishing the SJT Fm. as the primary exploration target in this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Exploitation and Utilization of Hydrocarbon Resources)
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23 pages, 3535 KiB  
Article
Geological–Engineering Synergistic Optimization of CO2 Flooding Well Patterns for Sweet Spot Development in Tight Oil Reservoirs
by Enhui Pei, Chao Xu and Chunsheng Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4751; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114751 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 355
Abstract
CO2 flooding technology has been established as a key technique that is both economically viable and environmentally sustainable, achieving enhanced oil recovery (EOR) while advancing CCUS objectives. This study addresses the challenge of optimizing CO2 flooding well patterns in tight oil [...] Read more.
CO2 flooding technology has been established as a key technique that is both economically viable and environmentally sustainable, achieving enhanced oil recovery (EOR) while advancing CCUS objectives. This study addresses the challenge of optimizing CO2 flooding well patterns in tight oil reservoirs through a geological–engineering integrated approach. A semi-analytical model incorporating startup pressure gradients and miscible/immiscible two-phase flow was developed to dynamically adjust injection intensity. An effective driving coefficient model considering reservoir heterogeneity and fracture orientation was proposed to determine well pattern boundaries. Field data from Blocks A and B were used to validate the models, with the results indicating optimal injection intensities of 0.39 t/d/m and 0.63 t/d/m, respectively. Numerical simulations confirmed that inverted five-spot patterns with well spacings of 240 m (Block A) and 260 m (Block B) achieved the highest incremental oil production (3621.6 t/well and 4213.1 t/well) while reducing the gas channeling risk by 35–47%. The proposed methodology provides a robust framework for enhancing recovery efficiency in low-permeability reservoirs under varying geological conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Exploitation and Utilization of Hydrocarbon Resources)
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