China Petroleum Exploration ›› 2026, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 64-79.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-7703.2026.01.006

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Progress in oil and gas exploration during the 14th Five–Year Plan period and future exploration orientations in Ordos Basin#br#

Zhao Zhe1,2,Fan Liyong1,3,Huang Zhengliang1,3,Cheng Dangxing1,3,Hu Jianling1,3,Chu Meijuan1,3,Yan Wei1,3,Hu Xinyou1,3,Mao Zhiqi1,3,Cao Jingjingi1,3,Tian Lianjie1,3   

  1. 1 National Engineering Laboratory for Exploration and Development of Low Permeability Oil & Gas Fields; 2 PetroChina Changqing Oil Field Company; 3 Research Institute of Exploration and Development, PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company
  • Online:2026-01-15 Published:2026-01-15

Abstract: The conventional oil and gas exploration and development have dominated in Ordos Basin for a long time. With the increasing
exploration level, it has gradually shifted to intra-source exploration. However, in response to the long-term demands for steady oil and gas production, exploration faces significant challenges. The major exploration progress, achievements, and key geological understanding of hydrocarbon accumulation in Ordos Basin since the 14th Five–Year Plan period have systematically been reviewed: (1) Effective source rocks were developed in the Mesozoic, Upper Paleozoic, and deep formations in Ordos Basin. Among them, the Mesozoic and Upper Paleozoic source rocks have highly been proved, which served as the main source rocks for exploration. In addition, two sets of low-abundance source rocks were developed in the Ordovician, and both had large-scale hydrocarbon generation potential, in which Wulalik Formation source rock had a large thickness and continuous distribution, while the Ordovician inter-salt layer had a thin individual layer thickness but huge cumulative thickness. (2) Besides the strong hydrocarbon generation capacity, the innovative understanding has been formed that the three major stratigraphic sequences had favorable reservoir physical properties, marking a concept transformation from a simple source rock to a source rock–reservoir integrated system, and the intra-source or near-source accumulation was more conducive to gas enrichment. (3) Based on the exploration level and source rock proven degree, future exploration will be conducted in two tiers. The first tier focuses on the realistic exploration fields, including the Mesozoic shale oil, Upper Paleozoic coal rock gas, and western marginal Qingshimao tight gas; The second tier includes the replacement exploration fields such as the lower combination in the Mesozoic Yanchang Formation, Upper Paleozoic transitional facies shale gas, Ordovician inter-salt layer, Ordovician in the western basin, and Cambrian–Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic. In the exploration practice, it is essential to deepen fundamental geological study and innovate hydrocarbon accumulation theory in new fields, while strengthening 3D seismic deployment, enhancing exploration supporting technologies, and optimizing reservoir stimulation techniques, so as to promote the large-scale reserve increase in realistic exploration fields and achieve breakthroughs in new formations and fields, providing resource guarantees for long-term steady oil and gas production in Ordos Basin.

Key words: Ordos Basin, shale oil, coal rock gas, Ordovician, exploration orientation

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