The process and mechanisms of secondary hydrocarbon migration in the Tazhong uplift, Tarim Basin, were investigated based on the analysis of the regional structure and by integrating geologic, hydrodynamic, and geochemical parameters. Parameters successfully analyzed included the fluid potential, fluid properties, production outputs, and diamantane index. The results indicated that hydrocarbons migrated into the Tazhong uplift from the northern part of the Manjiaer depression through a series of injection points (IPs) during four orogenies, that is, the early Caledonian (510 Ma), the late Caledonian (439 Ma), the late Hercynian–Indosinian (290 Ma), and the Yanshanian–Himalayan (208 Ma). A total of six IPs were identified at the intersections of the northeast-trending faults and the northwest-trending flower strike faults. The hydrocarbons migrated from the IPs into traps along regional trends from northwest to southeast and from northeast to southwest. The hydrocarbon migration process and patterns determined the distribution of hydrocarbon properties and production rates in the Tazhong uplift. With increasing distance from the IPs, daily hydrocarbon production decreases, and the hydrocarbons become progressively heavier and display lower gas:oil ratios.

Hydrocarbon expulsion occurs only when pore fluid pressure due to hydrocarbon generation in source rock exceeds the force against migration in the adjacent carrier beds. Taking the Middle–Upper Ordovician carbonate source rock of Tarim Basin in China as an example, this paper proposes a method that identifies effective carbonate source rock based on the principles of mass balance. Data from the Well YW2 indicate that the Middle Ordovician Yijianfang Formation contains effective carbonate source rocks with low present-day TOC. Geological and geochemical analysis suggests that the hydrocarbons in the carbonate interval are likely self-generated and retained. Regular steranes from GC–MS analysis of oil extracts in this interval display similar features to those of the crude oil samples in Tabei area, indicating that the crude oil probably was migrated from the effective source rocks. By applying to other wells in the basin, the identified effective carbonate source rocks and non-source rock carbonates can be effectively identified and consistent with the actual exploration results, validating the method. Considering the contribution from the identified effective source rocks with low present-day TOC (TOC_pd) is considered, the long-standing puzzle between the proved 3P oil reserves and estimated resources in the basin can be reasonably explained.

Plenty of marine crude oil generated by the Middle–Upper Ordovician source rocks has been discovered in the Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin. Previous studies on the extensively distributed low organic matter source rock total organic carbon ≤ 0.5%) imply that this contributes to oil accumulation. Thus, the identification of present-day low-total organic carbon source rocks that experience hydrocarbon expulsion and evaluation of their contribution is of considerable significance to analyze marine oil accumulation and to assess the resources in the Tarim Basin. Using the mass balance approach, we identify and verify present-day low-total organic carbon carbonate source rocks and present a quantitative model using well-logging data to predict the present-day low-total organic carbon carbonate source rocks in order to evaluate their contribution in the Tarim Basin. Hydrocarbon expulsion has occurred in the Yijianfang formation, which has present-day low-total organic carbon, between 6452 and 6487 m in the Yangwu 2 well. In the horizons depicting carbonates with hydrocarbon expulsion, the porosity is relatively high and the daily oil production is 0.19 m³ according to the perforation tests. The extracts have similar biomarker signatures to that of the crude oils in the Tabei Uplift. In this study, a quick and cost-effective quantitative model is developed using double lateral resistivity and uranium/thorium well-logging data. By applying the prediction model, the contribution of present-day low-total organic carbon carbonate source rocks in the Middle–Upper Ordovician formation of the Tarim Basin is primarily evaluated to be 363.38 × 10⁹ bbl oil equivalent.