The world largest volcanic gas reservoirs were discovered in the Songliao basin and the Junggar basin in China. As a new domain, the exploitation of volcanic gas reservoirs is becoming more and more important in the natural gas industry. Compared with conventional gas reservoirs, the geological background of these reservoirs is much more complicated. The characterization and understanding of these reservoirs are the keys and restrict conditions to their rational development and puzzled the geologists all over the world.

At present, there are fewer examples, experiences, and theoretical and technical bases for the development of volcanic gas reservoirs. Considering the special geological features and development difficulties of these reservoirs, the authors carried out elaborate scientific research with a multidisciplinary group, and presented the special technical thought, method, and technology for volcanic gas reservoir characterization, which establishes a fundamental basis for the research on volcanic reservoir geology and development. The authors described the internal structure characteristics of volcanic rocks, which are quite different from those of clastic rocks; revealed the grade and relationship of volcanic stratigraphic sequence; developed the identification and prediction methods of effective volcanic reservoirs and interpretation technology of reservoir parameters; and built the volcanic rock geological model constrained by multimedia and complicated internal structure. These innovative achievements have been successfully applied in production and have effectively guided the development of volcanic gas reservoirs.

Based on the summary of scientific research and technical development achievements, along with the collection of valuable practical experiences and important understandings, the authors completed this book, Volcanic Gas Reservoir Characterization. This book covers five aspects: the identification and characterization of the internal structure of volcanic rock, the classification and correlation of volcanic rock stratigraphic sequencing, effective volcanic reservoir identification and prediction, the parameter interpretation of multimedia volcanic reservoirs, and volcanic reservoir geological model building.

This book features plentiful contents, extensive methodology, strong practicality, and high innovation. The publication of this book will play an important role in the rational development of volcanic gas reservoirs and will serve as an important reference for the development of similar complicated gas reservoirs.

November 2010