The paper is prepared to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Greater Urengoy field discovery in Western Siberia. It is the largest gas field in Russia and worldwide with hydrocarbon accumulations formed in Cretaceous and Jurassic sandy-argillaceous terrigenous formations. The authors briefly analyse the current state of geological and geophysical exploration maturity, geological architecture, gas and oil potential, settings of hydrocarbon accumulation formation (hydrocarbon ontogeny), the factors underlying the field’s uniqueness, production history, and opportunities for further development of its hydrocarbon potential, including the huge in-place resources of gas contained in tight, gas-saturated Jurassic and Triassic rocks. The Greater Urengoy field includes the following three areas (fields): Urengoy, Yen-Yakhinsky, and Pestsovy. It is unified by a giant Cenomanian accumulation in the PK_1-6 Horizon – exceptional in both area and reserves. There are four gas and oil pay zones (levels) within the sedimentary cover of the field, namely: Cenomanian gas-bearing, gas-and-oil-bearing Neocomian, Achimov and Jurassic lithostratigraphic series. In the Middle Jurassic formations underlying Ю₃ Horizon, numerous non-commercial inflows and gas and oil ingresses from tight low-permeable Jurassic and Triassic reservoirs are reported. An “umbrella-type” distribution of gas reserves is observed – Neocomian and Middle Jurassic accumulations of gas condensate and oil and gas condensate hydrocarbons are situated under the canopy of the giant Cenomanian gas pool; they are considerably smaller in size and reserves. The authors provide detailed thermobaric and catagenetic parameters of the Lower Cretaceous–Cenomanian and Jurassic fluid system, as well as geochemical characteristics of rocks, Organic Matter, and hydrocarbon fluids in the accumulations. The authors expect that active and large-scale development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources in Russia will begin with Bazhenov oil in the Middle Ob region and Jurassic gas in tight reservoirs of northern fields, including the Urengoy field, while development in the South Kara region is scheduled to start in 2041–2060.

Viktor A. Skorobogatov
Doctor of Geologo-Mineralogical Sciences,
Chief Researcher
Gazprom VNIIGAZ,
15, str. 1 Proyektiruyemy proyezd № 5537, Razvilka, Vidnoe,
Moscow region, 142717, Russia
e-mail: V_Skorobogatov@vniigaz.gazprom.ru
SPIN-code: 4329-7395
AuthorID: 437190

Oleg A. Bogdanov  ORCiD
Candidate of Geologo-Mineralogical Sciences,
Deputy Chief
Gazprom VNIIGAZ,
15, str. 1 Proyektiruyemy proyezd № 5537, Razvilka, Vidnoe,
Moscow region, 142717, Russia
e-mail: soloviev@vnigni.ru
ResearcherID: K-1314-2012
SPIN: 6570-8607

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