Tectonic Constraints on the Transformation of Paleozoic Framework of Uplift and Depression in the Ordos Area

During the Paleozoic, the Ordos area in the western North China Plate was located at the intersecting position of microplates and controlled by their interaction. The structural framework in the Ordos area, which underwent transformations in the Ordovician, the Carboniferous and the Permian respectively, was dominated by the alternation of uplift and depression. The transformations of structural framework are utilized as the clues to investigate the microplates＇ interacting type and its response in the Ordos area. According to the regional structural evolution, the Ordos area is simplified into an isopachous, isotropic and elastic shell model, and under proposed various boundary conditions, three series of numerical simulations corresponding to the three structural transformations are carried out to determine the detailed tectonic constraints. Numerical simulations reveal that the structure of the uplift and depression, which is similar to the actual pattern, develops only under one special boundary condition in each of the three series, indicating that the structural framework responds to the unique tectonic background. The simulation results show that in the Early Paleozoic, the L-shaped paleouplift formed nearby the southwestern corner of the Ordos area because the intensity of the compressions in the southern and western boundaries resulting from the ocean-continent collisions was similar. In the Late Paleozoic, it evolved into continent-continent （or arc-continent） interaction in the southern and northern boundaries; in the preliminary stage of the interaction, since the interface between the North China Plate and the plates on the south and north was narrow, the relative acting force was little and the regional western boundary immobile, and the structural framework in the basin was characterized by the N-S trending slender-waist-shaped uplift; as the interface between the plates expanded gradually, the extrusive force in the southern and northern boundaries of the North China Plate increased, resulting in the paleogeographic divisions showing E-W trending, and, the western boundary of the basin was extruded westward due to the intense compression inducing the local NE trending of paleogeographic division in the central area. The simulation results further reflect that the symmetry of the uplift-depression pattern is restricted by that of the boundary conditions, suggesting that the Paleozoic structural transformations of the Ordos area under boundary constraints accord with the universal physical symmetrical principle.     

Indication of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes on the characteristics and circulation patterns of medium-low temperature geothermal resources in the Guanzhong Basin,China

Guanzhong Basin is a typical medium-low temperature geothermal field mainly controlled by geo-pressure in the west of China.The characteristics of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes were used to analyze the flow and storage modes of geothermal resources in the basin.In this paper,the basin was divided into six geotectonic units,where a total of 121 samples were collected from geothermal wells and surface water bodies for the analysis of hydrogen-oxygen isotopes.Analytical results show that the isotopic signatures of hydrogen and oxygen throughout Guanzhong Basin reveal a trend of gradual increase from the basin edge areas to the basin center.In terms of recharge systems,the area in the south edge belongs to the geothermal system of Qinling Mountain piedmont,while to the north of Weihe fault is the geothermal system of North mountain piedmont,where the atmospheric temperature is about 0.2℃-1.8℃in the recharge areas.The main factors that affect the geothermal waterδ18O drifting include the depth of geothermal reservoir and temperature of geothermal reservoir,lithological characteristics,water-rock interaction,geothermal reservoir environment and residence time.Theδ18O-δD relation shows that the main source is the meteoric water,together with some sedimentary water,but there are no deep magmatic water and mantle water which recharge the geothermal water in the basin.Through examining the distribution pattern of hydrogen-oxygen isotopic signatures,the groundwater circulation model of this basin can be divided into open circulation type,semi-open type,closed type and sedimentary type.This provides some important information for rational exploitation of the geothermal resources.     

Basin Fluid Mineralization during Multistage Evolution of the Lanping Sedimentary Basin, Southwestern China

The Lanping sedimentary basin has experienced a five-stage evolution since the late Paleozoic: ocean-continent transformation (late Paleozoic to early mid-Triassic); intracontinental rift basin (late mid-Triassic to early Jurassic); down-warped basin (middle to late Jurassic); foreland basin (Cretaceous); and strike-slip basin (Cenozoic). Three major genetic types of Ag-Cu polymetallic ore deposits, including the reworked hydrothermal sedimentary, sedimentary-hydrothermally reworked and hydrothermal vein types, are considered to be the products of basin fluid activity at specific sedimentary-tectonic evolutionary stages. Tectonic differences of the different evolutionary stages resulted in considerable discrepancy in the mechanisms of formation-transportation, migration direction and emplacement processes of the basin fluids, thus causing differences in mineralization styles as well as in genetic types of ore deposit.     

Structural Characteristics and Formation Dynamics: A Review of the Main Sedimentary Basins in the Continent of China

The formation and evolution of basins in the China continent are closely related to the collages of many blocks and orogenic belts. Based on a large amount of the geological, geophysical, petroleum exploration data and a large number of published research results, the basement constitutions and evolutions of tectonic–sedimentary of sedimentary basins, the main border fault belts and the orogenesis of their peripheries of the basins are analyzed. Especially, the main typical basins in the eight divisions in the continent of China are analyzed in detail, including the Tarim, Ordos, Sichuan, Songliao, Bohai Bay, Junggar, Qiadam and Qiangtang basins. The main five stages of superimposed evolutions processes of basins revealed, which accompanied with the tectonic processes of the Paleo–Asian Ocean, Tethyan and Western Pacific domains. They contained the formations of main Cratons(1850–800 Ma), developments of marine basins(800–386 Ma), developments of Marine–continental transition basins and super mantle plumes(386–252 Ma), amalgamation of China Continent and developments of continental basins(252–205 Ma) and development of the foreland basins in the western and extensional faulted basin in the eastern of China(205–0 Ma). Therefore, large scale marine sedimentary basins existed in the relatively stable continental blocks of the Proterozoic, developed during the Neoproterozoic to Paleozoic, with the property of the intracontinental cratons and peripheral foreland basins, the multistage superimposing and late reformations of basins. The continental basins developed on the weak or preexisting divisional basements, or the remnant and reformed marine basins in the Meso–Cenozoic, are mainly the continental margins, back–arc basins, retroarc foreland basins, intracontinental rifts and pull–apart basins. The styles and intensity deformation containing the faults, folds and the structural architecture of regional unconformities of the basins, responded to the openings, subductions, closures of oceans, the continent–continent collisions and reactivation of orogenies near the basins in different periods. The evolutions of the Tianshan–Mongol–Hinggan, Kunlun–Qilian–Qinling–Dabie–Sulu, Jiangshao–Shiwandashan, Helanshan–Longmengshan, Taihang–Wuling orogenic belts, the Tibet Plateau and the Altun and Tan–Lu Fault belts have importantly influenced on the tectonic–sedimentary developments, mineralization and hydrocarbon reservoir conditions of their adjacent basins in different times. The evolutions of basins also rely on the deep structures of lithosphere and the rheological properties of the mantle. The mosaic and mirroring geological structures of the deep lithosphere reflect the pre–existed divisions and hot mantle upwelling, constrain to the origins and transforms dynamics of the basins. The leading edges of the basin tectonic dynamics will focus on the basin and mountain coupling, reconstruction of the paleotectonic–paleogeography, establishing relationship between the structural deformations of shallow surface to the deep lithosphere or asthenosphere, as well as the restoring proto–basin and depicting residual basin of the Paleozoic basin, the effects of multiple stages of volcanism and paleo–earthquake events in China.     

Paleoproterozoic,High-Metamorphic,Metasedimentary Units of Siberian Craton

Abstract: Sensitive, high-resolution ion microprobe zircon U–Pb ages of Paleoproterozoic, high-grade, metasedimentary rocks from the south-western part of the Siberian Craton are reported. Early Precambrian, high-grade complexes, including garnet–biotite, hypersthene–biotite, and cordierite-bearing gneisses compose the Irkut terrane of the Sharyzhalgay Uplift. Protoliths of studied gneisses correspond to terrigenous sediments, ranging from greywacke to shale. The paragneiss model Nd ages of 2.4–3.1 Ga indicate Archean-to-Paleoproterozoic source provinces. Zircons from gneisses show core-rim textures in cathodoluminescence (CL) image. Round or irregular shaped cores indicate detrital origin. Structureless rims with low Th/U are metamorphic in origin. The three age groups of detrital cores are: ≥2.7, ~2.3, and 1.95–2 Ga. The ages of metamorphic rims range from 1.86 to 1.85 Ga; therefore, the sediments were deposited between 1.95 and 1.86 Ga and derived from Archean and Paleoproterozoic source rocks. It should be noted that Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks of the Irkut Block are not unique. High-grade metaterrigenous sediments, with model Nd ages ranging from 2.3 to 2.5 Ga, are widely distributed within the Aldan and Anabar Shields of the Siberian Craton. The same situation is observed in the North China Craton, where metasedimentary rocks contain detrital igneous zircon grains with ages ranging from 3 to 2.1 Ga (Wan et al., 2006). All of these sedimentary units were subjected to Late Paleoproterozoic metamorphism. In the Siberian Craton, the Paleoproterozoic sedimentary deposits are possibly marked passive margins of the Early Precambrian crustal blocks, and their high-grade metamorphism was related to the consolidation of the Siberian Craton.     

Characteristics, Formation Periods, and Controlling Factors of Tectonic Fractures in Carbonate Geothermal Reservoirs: A Case Study of the Jixianian System in the Xiong’an New Area, China

As typical carbonate geothermal reservoirs with low porosity in northern China, the Jixianian System in the Xiong’an New Area is the main target for geothermal fluid exploration. The Jixianian System comprises the Gaoyuzhuang, Yangzhuang, Wumishan, Hongshuizhuang, and Tieling formations. The characteristics, formation periods, and controlling factors of reservoir tectonic fractures have been determined based on analyses of outcrops, cores, thin sections, and image logs. The results show that unfilled fractures account for over 87% and most tectonic fractures are high-angle shear fractures with angles concentrated at 40° to 70° and the fracture porosity increases linearly with an increased fracture aperture. Within the same tectonic setting and stress field, the lithology and layer thickness are the dominant factors governing the development of tectonic fractures, which are the most developed in dolomites and thin layers. Tectonic fractures were most likely formed in regions near faults or areas with larger stress gradients. The tectonic fractures in the carbonate geothermal reservoirs are roughly divided into four sets: NNW–SSE and NNE–SSW oriented ‘X’-conjugated shear fractures formed from the Paleozoic to the pre-Yanshanian Movement; NE–SW-oriented shear fractures, formed in episode B of the Yanshanian Movement, occurred at the Early Cretaceous; nearly E–W-oriented tensional fractures formed in the late Yanshanian Movement at the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene, and NEE–SW-oriented shear fractures formed during the Himalayan movement.     

Segmental closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean: Insight from detrital geochronology in the East Transbaikalia Basin

The Late Paleozoic–Early Mesozoic Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean extended between the Siberian and Amur–North China continents.The timing and modalities of the oceanic closure are widely discussed.It is largely accepted that the ocean closed in a scissor-like manner from southwest to northeast(in modern coordinates),though the timing of this process remains uncertain.Recent studies have shown that both western(West Transbaikalia)and eastern(Dzhagda)parts of the ocean closed almost simultaneously at the Early–Middle Jurassic boundary.However,little information on the key central part of the oceanic suture zone is available.We performed U-Pb(LA-ICP-MS)dating of detrital zircon from wellcharacterized stratigraphic sections of the central part of the Mongol-Okhotsk suture zone.These include the initial marine and final continental sequences of the East Transbaikalia Basin,deposited on the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane basement.We provide new stratigraphic ages for the marine and continental deposits.This revised chronostratigraphy allows assigning an age of~165–155 Ma,to the collisionrelated flexure of the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane and the development of a peripheral foreland basin.This collisional process took place 5 to10 million years later than in the western and eastern parts of the ocean.We demonstrate that the northern Argun-Idemeg terrane was the last block to collide with the Siberian continent,challenging the widely supported scissor-like model of closure of the MongolOkhotsk Ocean.Different segments of the ocean closed independently,depending on the initial shape of the paleo continental margins.     

Differential Thermal Regimes of the Tarim and Sichuan Basins in China: Implications for Hydrocarbon Generation and Conservation

The uncertainty surrounding the thermal regimes of the ultra-deep strata in the Tarim and Sichuan basins, China, is unfavorable for further hydrocarbon exploration. This study summarizes and contrasts the present-day and paleo heat flow, geothermal gradient and deep formation temperatures of the Tarim and Sichuan basins. The average heat flow of the Tarim and Sichuan basins are 42.5 ± 7.6 mW/m2 and 53.8 ± 7.6 mW/m2, respectively, reflecting the characteristics of ‘cold’ and ‘warm’ basins. The geothermal gradient with unified depths of 0–5,000 m, 0–6,000 m and 0–7,000 m in the Tarim Basin are 21.6 ± 2.9 °C/km, 20.5 ± 2.8 °C/km and 19.6 ± 2.8 °C/km, respectively, while the geothermal gradient with unified depths of 0–5,000 m, 0–6,000m and 0–7,000 m in the Sichuan Basin are 21.9 ± 2.3 °C/km, 22.1 ± 2.5 °C/km and 23.3 ± 2.4 °C/km, respectively. The differential change of the geothermal gradient between the Tarim and Sichuan basins with depth probably results from the rock thermal conductivity and heat production rate. The formation temperatures at depths of 6,000 m, 7,000 m, 8,000 m, 9,000 m and 10,000 m in the Tarim Basin are 80°C–190°C, 90°C–220°C, 100°C–230°C, 110°C–240°C and 120°C–250°C, respectively, while the formation temperatures at depths of 6,000 m, 7,000 m, 8,000 m and 9,000 m in the Sichuan Basin are 120°C–200°C, 140°C–210°C, 160°C–260°C and 180°C–280°C, respectively. The horizontal distribution pattern of the ultra-deep formation temperatures in the Tarim and Sichuan basins is mainly affected by the basement relief, fault activity and hydrothermal upwelling. The thermal modeling revealed that the paleo-heat flow in the interior of the Tarim Basin decreased since the early Cambrian with an early Permian abrupt peak, while that in the Sichuan Basin experienced three stages of steady state from Cambrian to early Permian, rapidly rising at the end of the early Permian and declining since the late Permian. The thermal regime of the Sichuan Basin was always higher than that of the Tarim Basin, which results in differential oil and gas generation and conservation in the ultra-deep ancient strata. This study not only promotes theoretical development in the exploration of ultra-deep geothermal fields, but also plays an important role in determining the maturation phase of the ultra-deep source rocks and the occurrence state of hydrocarbons in the Tarim and Sichuan basins.     

Tectonic Evolution and Petroleum Systems in the Junggar Basin

The Junggar basin is located in the northern part of Xinjiang of China. It is part of the Kazakstan plate, surrounded by the Paleozoic folded mountains: the Halaart, Zayier and Chepaizi Mountains in the northwest, the Qingelidi and Karamaili Mountains in the northeast, and the Tianshan Mountains in the south. In different evolution stages, the basin's types are different, and the stratigraphy and deposition are also different. From the Carboniferous to Tertiary the basin has in turn gone through rift basin, collision foreland basin, intraplate depression basin and regenerated foreland basin. Based on an analysis of thermal evolution history and buried history of the source rocks, three major periods of oil generation are found in the basin. According to the characteristics of source rock distribution, evolution, oil-source correlation, structure and multi-phase and mixed pools, the Junggar basin could be divided into 4 composite petroleum systems. Due to the variation in sedimentary facies, difference in     

Tectonic Evolution of the Junggar Foreland Basin in the Late Carboniferous-Permian

A comprehensive study has been carried out to subdivide and correlate the Upper Carboniferous and Permian sedimentary successions in the Junggar basin based on outcrops and drilling and geophysical data. The study results, combined with geological analyses of the basin's periphery and the basement, as well as studies of the sedimentary rocks within the basin, the unconformities, tectonic geometry, kinematics and geodynamics, lead to the conclusion that the Junggar basin was characterized by the development of foreland basin systems during the Late Carboniferous and Permian. During that period, three foreland basin systems were developed: (1) the northwest foreland basin system, which trended nearly north-south from Mahu to the Chepaizi Palaeo-mountain during its early stage of development and thus it was also referred to as the west foreland basin system; (2) the Karamaili foreland basin system in the east and (3) the Northern Tianshan foreland basin system in the south. These systems are different in s     

Characteristics of geothermal reservoirs and utilization of geothermal resources in the southeastern coastal areas of China

Based on regional geological setting, stratigraphic distribution and other geological conditions, this paper summarized three types of geothermal reservoirs in the southeast coastal areas of China: Cenozoic sandstone or sandy conglomerate reservoir, Mesozoic granite fissure reservoir and Paleozoic karst reservoir. Cenozoic sandstone or sandy conglomerate reservoirs are mainly located in Cenozoic basins, such as Zhangzhou, Fuzhou, Sanshui and Leiqiong basins. The Tertiary sedimentary basins such as Leiqiong Basin and Sanshui Basin, are controlled by NE-trending faults, while the Quaternary sedimentary such as Zhangzhou and Fuzhou basins are controlled by NW-trending faults. Mesozoic granite fissure reservoirs are mainly distributed in the southeast coastal areas, such as Zhangzhou, Fuzhou, Fengshun, Yangjiang and southern part of Hainan Province. The distribution of good Mesozoic granite fissure reservoir in these areas is mainly controlled by NE-trending faults. Paleozoic carbonate reservoirs are widely distributed in these areas. Most carbonate rocks are from the upper Paleozoic strata, such as those in the area of Huizhou in Guangdong Province. The major types of geothermal systems in the southeast coastal areas of China belong to medium and low-temperature convection. The geothermal resources developed from the ground to-3 000 m underground could be utilized directly for space heating, greenhouse heating, aquaculture pond heating and industrial uses, as well as other purposes. The geothermal resources with a depth of 3 000～6 000 m underground is mainly featured by Hot Dry Rock(HDR) with a temperature ranges from 150 ℃ to 200 ℃, which is conductive to the development of Enhanced Geothermal System(EGS) and can be utilized for power generation.     

Exploration Potential of Marine Source Rocks Oil-Gas Reservoirs in China

So far,more than 150 marine oil-gas fields have been found onshore and offshore about 350. The marine source rocks are mainly Paleozoic and Mesozoic onshore whereas Tertiary offshore.Three genetic categories of oil-gas reservoirs have been defined for the marine reservoirs in China:primary reservoirs,secondary reservoirs and hydrocarbon-regeneration reservoirs.And three exploration prospects have also been suggested:(1)Primary reservoirs prospects,which are chiefly distributed in many Tertiary basins of the South China Sea(SCS),the Tertiary shelf basins of the East China Sea (ECS)and the Paleozoic of Tarim basin,Sichuan basin and Ordos basin.To explore large-middle-scale even giant oil-gas fields should chiefly be considered in this category reservoirs.These basins are the most hopeful areas to explore marine oil-gas fields in China,among which especially many Tertiary basins of the SCS should be strengthened to explore.(2)Secondary reservoirs prospects,which are mainly distributed in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic of the Tarim basin,Sichuan basin,Qiangtang basin and Chuxiong basin in western China,of which exploration potential is less than that of the primary reservoirs.(3)Hydrocarbon-regeneration reservoirs prospects,which are chiefly distributed in the Bohai Bay basin,North Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea basin,southern North China basin,Jianghan basin, South Poyang basin in eastern China and the Tarim basin in western China,of which source rocks are generally the Paleozoic.And the reservoirs formed by late-stage(always Cenozoic)secondary hydrocarbon generation of the Paleozoic source rocks should mainly be considered to explore,among which middle-small and small oil-gas fields are the chief exploration targets.As a result of higher thermal evolution of Paleozoic and Mesozoic source rocks,the marine reservoirs onshore are mainly gas fields,and so far marine oil fields have only been found in the Tarim basin.No other than establishing corresponding marine oil-gas exploration and development strategy and policy, sufficiently enhancing cognition to the particularity and complexity of China's marine petroleum geology,and applying new thoughts,new theories and new technologies,at the same time tackling some key technologies,it is possible to fast and effectually exploit and utilize the potential huge marine oil-gas resources of China.     

Sedimentary Processes and Depositional Characteristics of Coarse-grained Subaqueous Fans along Steep Slopes in a Lacustrine Rift Basin: A Case Study from the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

Coarse-grained subaqueous fans are vital oil and gas exploration targets in the Bohai Bay basin, China. The insufficient understanding of their sedimentary processes, depositional patterns, and controlling factors restricts efficient exploration and development. Coarse-grained subaqueous fans in the Yong′an area, Dongying Depression, are investigated in this study. These fans include nearshore subaqueous fans, and sublacustrine fans, and their sedimentary processes, depositional patterns and distribution characteristics are mainly controlled by tectonic activity and paleogeomorphology. Nearshore subaqueous fans developed near the boundary fault during the early–middle deposition stage due to strong tectonic activity and large topographic subsidence. Early sublacustrine fans developed at the front of the nearshore subaqueous fans in the area where the topography changed from gentle to steep along the source direction. While the topography was gentle, sublacustrine fans did not develop. During the late weak tectonic activity stage, late sublacustrine fans developed with multiple stages superimposed. Frequent fault activity and related earthquakes steepened the basin margin, and the boundary fault slopes were 25.9°–34°. During the early–middle deposition stage, hyperpycnal flows triggered by outburst floods developed. During the late deposition stage, with weak tectonic activity, seasonal floods triggered hyperpycnal flows, and hybrid event beds developed distally.     

Paleozoic and Mesozoic Basement Magmatisms of Eastern Qaidam Basin,Northern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau: LA‐ICP‐MS Zircon U‐Pb Geochronology and its Geological Significance

The eastern margin of the Qaidam Basin lies in the key tectonic location connecting the Qinling, Qilian and East Kunlun orogens. The paper presents an investigation and analysis of the geologic structures of the area and LA-ICP MS zircon U-Pb dating of Paleozoic and Mesozoic magmatisms of granitoids in the basement of the eastern Qaidam Basin on the basis of 16 granitoid samples collected from the South Qilian Mountains, the Qaidam Basin basement and the East Kunlun Mountains. According to the results in this paper, the basement of the basin, from the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin to the East Kunlun Mountains, has experienced at least three periods of intrusive activities of granitoids since the Early Paleozoic, i.e. the magmatisms occurring in the Late Cambrian (493.1±4.9 Ma), the Silurian (422.9±8.0 Ma-420.4±4.6 Ma) and the Late Permian-Middle Triassic (257.8±4.0 Ma-228.8±1.5 Ma), respectively. Among them, the Late Permian - Middle Triassic granitoids form the main components of the basement of the basin. The statistics of dated zircons in this paper shows the intrusive magmatic activities in the basement of the basin have three peak ages of 244 Ma (main), 418 Ma, and 493 Ma respectively. The dating results reveal that the Early Paleozoic magmatism of granitoids mainly occurred on the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin and the southern margin of the Qilian Mountains, with only weak indications in the East Kunlun Mountains. However, the distribution of Permo-Triassic (P-T) granitoids occupied across the whole basement of the eastern Qaidam Basin from the southern margin of the Qilian Mountains to the East Kunlun Mountains. An integrated analysis of the age distribution of P-T granitoids in the Qaidam Basin and its surrounding mountains shows that the earliest P-T magmatism (293.6-270 Ma) occurred in the northwestern part of the basin and expanded eastwards and southwards, resulting in the P-T intrusive magmatism that ran through the whole basin basement. As the Cenozoic basement thrust system developed in the eastern Qaidam Basin, the nearly N-S-trending shortening and deformation in the basement of the basin tended to intensify from west to east, which went contrary to the distribution trend of N-S-trending shortening and deformation in the Cenozoic cover of the basin, reflecting that there was a transformation of shortening and thickening of Cenozoic crust between the eastern and western parts of the Qaidam Basin, i.e., the crustal shortening of eastern Qaidam was dominated by the basement deformation (triggered at the middle and lower crust), whereas that of western Qaidam was mainly by folding and thrusting of the sedimentary cover (the upper crust).     

Anchimetamorphism of the Neoproterozoic and the Lower Paleozoic along the Profile of Yuanguping in Western Hunan Province, China

The Neoproterozoic and Lower Paleozoic along the profile of Yuanguping in western Hunan Province, China underwent anchimetamorphism. The illite crystallinity (IC) of the <2 μm fractions ranges from 0.23-0.34°△2θfor the Neoproterozoic to 0.23-0.35°△A2θ for the Lower Paleozoic (calibrated with the Kisch IC set, Kisch, 1991). This indicates that the metamorphic grade of the Neoproterozoic and Lower Paleozoic is the anchizone. The peak metamorphic temperature is estimated to be 290-210℃. This result does not agree with the greenschist or subgreenschist facies of the Banxi Group, nor with the lower-greenschist facies or sedimentary cover of the Sinian to Lower Paleozoic, as most previous researchers thought. The illite (K-mica) b0 values range from 0.9074 to 0.8963 (nm) for the Neoproterozoic and the Lower Paleozoic. Based on cumulative frequency curves of the illite (K-mica) b0, the peak metamorphic pressure of the Banxi Group was derived to be of a type that is slightly higher than that of the N. Ne     

Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Ages and Geochemistry of the Silurian to Permian Sedimentary Rocks in Central Inner Mongolia,China: Implications for Closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean

The Solonker suture zone has long been considered to mark the location of the final disappearance of the PaleoAsian Ocean in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB). However, the time of final suturing is still controversial with two main different proposals of late Permian to early Triassic, and late Devonian. This study reports integrated wholerock geochemistry and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb ages of sedimentary rocks from the Silurian Xuniwusu Formation, the Devonian Xilingol Complex and the Permian Zhesi Formation in the Hegenshan-Xilinhot-Linxi area in central Inner Mongolia, China. The depositional environment, provenance and tectonic setting of the Silurian-Devonian and the Permian sediments are compared to constrain the tectonic evolution of the Solonker suture zone and its neighboring zones. The protoliths of the silty slates from the Xuniwusu Formation in the Baolidao zone belong to wacke and were derived from felsic igneous rocks with steady-state weathering, poor sorting and compositional immaturity. The protoliths of metasedimentary rocks from the Xilingol Complex were wackes and litharenites and were sourced from predominantly felsic igneous rocks with variable weathering conditions and moderate sorting. The Xuniwusu Formation and Xilingol Complex samples both have two groups of detrital zircon that peak at ca. 0.9–1.0 Ga and ca. 420–440 Ma, with maximum deposition ages of late Silurian and middle Devonian age, respectively. Considering the ca. 484–383 Ma volcanic arc in the Baolidao zone, the Xuxiniwu Formation represents an oceanic trench sediment and is covered by the sedimentary rocks in the Xilingol Complex that represents a continental slope sediment in front of the arc. The middle Permian Zhesi Formation metasandstones were derived from predominantly felsic igneous rocks and are texturally immature with very low degrees of rounding and sorting, indicating short transport and rapid burial. The Zhesi Formation in the Hegenshan zone has a main zircon age peak of 302 Ma and a subordinate peak of 423 Ma and was deposited in a back-arc basin with an early marine transgression during extension and a late marine regression during contraction. The formation also crops out locally in the Baolidao zone with a main zircon age peak of 467 Ma and a minor peak of 359 Ma, and suggests it formed as a marine transgression sedimentary sequence in a restricted extensional basin and followed by a marine regressive event. Two obvious zircon age peaks of 444 Ma and 280 Ma in the Solonker zone and 435 Ma and 274 Ma in Ondor Sum are retrieved from the Zhesi Formation. This suggests as a result of the gradual closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean a narrow ocean sedimentary environment with marine regressive sedimentary sequences occupied the Solonker and Ondor Sum zones during the middle Permian. A restricted ocean is suggested by the Permian strata in the Bainaimiao zone. Early Paleozoic subduction until ca. 381 Ma and renewed subduction during ca. 310–254 Ma accompanied by the opening and closure of a back-arc basin during ca. 298–269 Ma occurred in the northern accretionary zone. In contrast, the southern accretionary zone documented early Paleozoic subduction until ca. 400 Ma and a renewed subduction during ca. 298–246 Ma. The final closure of the Paleo-Asian ocean therefore lasted at least until the early Triassic and ended with the formation of the Solonker suture zone.     

Thermal Lithospheric Thickness of the Sichuan Basin and its Geological Implications

Thermal lithospheric thickness is an important parameter in studying the tectonic-thermal evolution of basins and plate dynamics. Based on the measured geothermal data and thermophysical properties of the rocks, the thermal lithospheric thickness of the Sichuan Basin was calculated according to the principles of heat conduction in the crust and lithospheric mantle. The calculation results revealed that the thickness of the thermal lithosphere in the Sichuan Basin is 140–190 km and is unevenly distributed. The thickness of the thermal lithosphere in central Sichuan and southwestern Sichuan is less than 160 km, while that in the western Sichuan depression and eastern Sichuan is larger (~180 km). The distribution of the thermal lithospheric thickness in the basin has a good correlation with the geological units and the thickness of the sedimentary layers. The thickness of the thermal lithosphere in the depression area, which has thick sedimentary layers and the fault-fold zone with shallow crustal deformation and thickening, are larger than that in the basement uplifted area, which has thin sedimentary layers. The calculated thermal lithospheric thickness is in good agreement with the geophysical data and reflects the stable conduction temperature field in the Sichuan Basin. The present thermal regime and thermal lithospheric thickness of the Sichuan Basin indicate that flexural thickening of the lithosphere occurred in the eastern Sichuan fault-fold belt and the Longmen Mountain–Western Sichuan depression foreland basin system, while asthenospheric uplift occurred in the central Sichuan region, which were the result of the expansion of the Xuefeng orogeny from the east and the compression of the Tibetan Plateau from the west.     

Environmental Effects on Differential Organic Matter Enrichment of the Lower Cambrian Shale, Tarim Basin, NW China

Early Cambrian shale is an important petroleum source rock around the world. Because of little drilling data and poor seismic data, until recently, organic matter enrichment of the Lower Cambrian Yuertusi and Xishanbulake formations shale is still an enigma in the Tarim Basin, northwestern China. Total organic carbon (TOC), major and trace element data of Cambrian shale samples from five boreholes have been analyzed to decipher the mechanism of the organic matter enrichment. The results show that the shales deposited in the western restricted intraplatform have much higher TOC contents (3.2%–19.8%, on average 11.0%) than those from the eastern basin (2.2%–10.2%, on average 4.5%). The paleoproductivity proxies (Ba, Ba/Al, P/Al) in the western restricted platform are much higher than those in the eastern basin. The trace element indicators such as V/Cr, Ni/Co, Mo–TOC and MoEF–UEF suggest an anoxic environment across the basin, but a more restricted environment in the western intraplatform. The paleoproductivity rather than anoxic condition and hydrothermal activity are concluded to have resulted in the differentiation of the organic matter enrichment from the western intraplatform to eastern basin in the early Cambrian shales; the restricted environment was favorable for paleoproductivity and preservation of organic matter.     

Three-Dimensional Structural Modelling and Source Rock Evaluation of the Quseir Formation in the Komombo Basin, Egypt

The Quseir Formation consists mainly of dark gray mudstones with a high organic matter content and excellent hydrocarbon-generating potential. The main objectives of this study are to highlight the dominant structural elements in the Komombo Basin, Egypt, and evaluate the geochemical characteristics of the Quseir Formation. Depth maps and a 3D structural model indicate two normal fault trends NW–SE and ENE–WSW. The NW–SE trend is the dominant one that created the primary half-graben system. The depth to the top of the Quseir Formation gradually decreases from the eastern and central parts towards the corners of the basin. The thickness of the Quseir Formation ranges from about 300 to 1000 ft. The 3D facies model shows that the shale has a large probability distribution in the study area, compared with the sandstone and siltstone. The source rock potential varies between good in the western part to very good in the eastern part of the basin. The organic-rich interval is dominated by gas-prone kerogen type III based on TOC and Rock-Eval. The pyrolysis data vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) (0.5–0.74%) and Tmax values (406–454C°) suggest a maturity level that ranges from immature to early maturity stage for hydrocarbon generation.     

The Erupting-Flow Model and Erupting-Flow Types in Yangbajain Geothermal Field in China

Erupting-flow types of geothermal wells in the Yangbajain geothermal field, China, are proposed based on internal energy of geothermal fluids and hydrogeologic-dynamic conditions of wellbore. An erupting-flow model, which is adaptable to the steaming and erupting of flow from wells in the field, has been verified by actual cases.