Natural Gas Exploration Using Carbon Isotopic Fractionation Effect: A Case Study of Shanxi Formation, Upper Palaeozoic Group in the Center of Ordos Basin, China

Carbon isotopic fractionation would occur during the process of natural gas generation and migration. As for ‘self-generating and self-preserving’ tight sandstone gas reservoir, carbon isotope better keeps the current maturity and migration results. In this paper, three local hydrocarbon generation centers and two relatively lower permeability zones were determined from the study area and it is suggested that natural gas migrated roughly from south to north direction through the analysis of carbon isotope isoline. Thus, we predict three favorable exploration areas using natural gas storage index combined with above isotopic results.