Thermal History since the Paleozoic in the Eastern Qaidam Basin,Northwest China

The Qaidam Basin is the one of the three major petroliferous basins in northeastern Tibetan Plateau, which has experienced multiphase superimposition and transformation. The study of thermal history not only plays an important role on revealing the tectonic origin of the Qaidam Basin and the forming mechanism and uplift history of the Tibetan Plateau,but also can provide scientific evidence for the assessment of oil and gas resources. This work used balanced cross-section technique and apatite fission track ages with modeling of fission track length distribution to infer that the eastern Qaidam Basin has experienced significant tectonic movement in the Early Jurassic movement(～200 Ma), which caused the carboniferous uplift and denudation, the geological movement in the Late Cretaceous, characterized by early stretching and late northeast-southwest extrusion; the Himalayan movement in multi-stage development in eastern Qaidam Basin, which can be divided into the early Himalayan movement(41.1–33.6 Ma) and the late Himalayan movement(9.6–7.1 Ma, 2.9–1.8 Ma), and large-scale orogeny caused pre-existing faults reactivated in late Himalayan movement. On the basis of burial history reconstruction, the thermal history of eastern Qaidam Basin was restored. The result shows that the thermal history in eastern Qaidam Basin shows slow cooling characteristics; the paleo-geothermal gradient of eastern Qaidam Basin was 38–41.5℃/km, with an average value of 39.0℃/km in the Late Paleozoic, 29–35.2℃/km, with an average value of 33.0℃/km in the Early Paleogene; the geothermal gradient of the Qaidam Basin increased in the Late Paleogene, which was similar to the present geothermal gradient in the Late Neogene. The characteristics of the tectono-thermal evolution since Paleozoic in the eastern Qaidam Basin are mainly controlled by magmatic thermal events in the study area.     

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.     

Present Terrestrial Heat Flow Measurements of the Geothermal Fields in the Chagan Sag of the YingenEjinaqi Basin,Inner Mongolia,China

Owing to the lack o f terrestrial heat flow data, studying lithospheric thermal structure and geodynamics of the Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin in Inner Mongolia is limited. In this paper, the terrestrial heat flow o f the Chagan sag in the YingenEjinaqi Basin were calculated by 193 system steady-state temperature measurements of 4 wells, and newly measuring 62 rock thermal conductivity and 20 heat production rate data on basis o f the original 107 rock thermal conductivity and 70 heat production data. The results show that the average thermal conductivity and heat production rate are 2.11 ±0.28 W/(m.K) and2.42±0.25 nW/m~3 in the Lower Cretaceous o f the Chagan sag. The average geothermal gradient from the Lower Suhongtu 2 Formation to the Suhongtu 1 Fonnation is 37.6 °C/km, and that o f the Bayingebi 2 Formation is 27.4 °C/km. Meanwhile, the average terrestrial heat flow in the Chagan sag is 70.6 mW/m~2. On the above results, it is clear that there is an obvious negative correlation between the thermal conductivity o f the stratum and its geothermal gradient. Moreover, it reveals that there is a geothermal state between tectonically stable and active areas. This work may provide geothermal parameters for further research o f lithospheric thermal structure and geodynamics in the Chagan sag.     

Geothermal structure of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt： Implications oceanic lithosphere Black Sea basin and the eastern for subduction polarity of Tethys

The numerical results of thermal modeling studies indicate that the lithosphere is cold and strong beneath the Black Sea basin.The thermal lithospheric thickness increases southward from the eastern Pontides orogenic belt（49.4 km） to Black Sea basin（152.2 km）.The Moho temperature increases from 367℃in the trench to 978℃in the arc region.The heat flow values for the Moho surface change between 16.4 mW m^-2 in the Black Sea basin and 56.9 mW m^-2 in the eastern Pontides orogenic belt. Along the southern Black Sea coast,the trench region has a relatively low geothermal potential with respect to the arc and back-arc region.The numerical studies support the existence of southward subduction beneath the Pontides during the late Mesozoic-Cenozoic.     

Recycling of crustal materials and implications for lithospheric thinning:Evidence from Mesozoic volcanic rocks in the Hailar–Tamtsag Basin,NE China

Late Mesozoic Nb-rich basaltic andesites and high-Mg adakitic volcanic rocks from the Hailar-Tamtsag Basin,northeast China,provide important insights into the recycling processes of crustal materials and their role in late Mesozoic lithospheric thinning.The Late Jurassic Nb-rich basaltic andesites(154 ± 4 Ma) are enriched in large-ion lithophile and light rare earth elements,slightly depleted in high-field-strength elements,and have high TiO_2,P_2 O_5,and Nb contents,and(Nb/Th)PM and Nb/U ratios,which together with the relatively depleted Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions indicate a derivation from a mantle wedge metasomatized by hydrous melts from subducted oceanic crust.The Early Cretaceous high-Mg adakitic volcanic rocks(129-117 Ma) are characterized by low Y and heavy rare earth element contents,and high Sr contents and Sr/Y ratios,similar to those of rocks derived from partial melting of an eclogitic source.They also have high Rb/Sr, K_2 O/Na_2 O,and Mg#values,and high MgO, Cr, and Ni contents.These geochemical features sugge st that the adakitic lavas were derived from partial melting of delaminated lower continental crust,followed by interaction of the resulting melts with mantle material during their ascent Our data,along with available geological,paleomagnetic,and geophysical evidence,lead us to propose that recycling of Paleo-Pacific oceanic crustal materials into the upper mantle due to flat-slab subduction and rollback of the Paleo-Pacific Plate during the late Mesozoic likely provided the precondition for lithospheric thinning in northeast China,with consequent lithospheric delamination causing recycling of continental crustal materials and further lithospheric thinning.     

Changes of Late Mesozoic Tectonic Regimes around the Ordos Basin (North China) and their Geodynamic Implications

A synthesis is given in this paper on late Mesozoic deformation pattern in the zones around the Ordos Basin based on lithostratigraphic and structural analyses. A relative chronology of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress evolution was established from the field analyses of fault kinematics and constrained by stratigraphic contact relationships. The results show alternation of tectonic compressional and extensional regimes. The Ordos Basin and its surroundings were in weak N-S to NNE-SSW extension during the Early to Middle Jurassic, which reactivated E-W-trending basement fractures. The tectonic regime changed to a multi-directional compressional one during the Late Jurassic, which resulted in crustal shortening deformation along the marginal zones of the Ordos Basin. Then it changed to an extensional one during the Early Cretaceous, which rifted the western, northwestern and southeastern margins of the Ordos Basin. A NW-SE compression occurred during the Late Cretaceous and caused the termination of sedimentation and uplift of the Ordos Basin. This phased evolution of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress regimes and associated deformation pattern around the Ordos Basin best records the changes in regional geodynamic settings in East Asia, from the Early to Middle Jurassic post-orogenic extension following the Triassic collision between the North and South China Blocks, to the Late Jurassic multi-directional compressions produced by synchronous convergence of the three plates (the Siberian Plate to the north, Paleo-Pacific Plate to the east and Lhasa Block to the west) towards the East Asian continent. Early Cretaceous extension might be the response to collapse and lithospheric thinning of the North China Craton.     

3D Velocity Structure and Its Tectonic Implications in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea

3D structure of the crust and upper mantle in the studied area has been analyzed from surface wave tomography. The velocity distribution in the uppermost crust is symmetrical on two sides of the central line of the sea, and coincides with the structure of crystalline basement. The essential difference in tectonics between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea mainly lies in that the velocity structures of their lower crust and upper mantle are identical to those of South China and North China respectively. In the upper mantle there exists a high-velocity zone with a nearly EW strike from the Hangzhou Bay, China, to the Tokara Channel, Japan, along about the latitude of 30°N. It is found that between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea there are systematical differences in geomorphology, geology, seismicity, heat flow, quality factor and gravity and aeromagnetic anomalies, which is related to both left-lateral shear dislocation and right-lateral tear of the Benioff zone from the Hangzhou Bay to the Tokara Channel.It is inferred that the East China Sea was formed by Cenozoic back-arc extension. The boundary between the North China and South China crustal blocks stretches along the southern piedmont of Mts. Daba-Dabie-Hangzhou Bay-Tokara Channel, and the subduction zone at the Okinawa trench is the eastern boundary of the South China crustal block. The movements of the Pacific plate, Indian plate and upper mantle rather than the Philippine plate subduction have played a dominant role for the modern tectonic movements in East Asia.     

Differential Hydrocarbon Enrichment and its Main Controlling Factors in Depressions of the Bohai Bay Basin

Significant differential hydrocarbon enrichment occurs in depressions in a petroliferous basin. There are multiple depressions in the Bohai Bay Basin, and each depression as a relatively independent unit of hydrocarbon generation, migration and accumulation, contains significantly different hydrocarbon generation conditions and enrichment degree. On the basis of previous documents and a large number of statistical data, this work comparatively analyzed the differential hydrocarbon enrichment and its major controlling factors in depressions of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results show that depressions in the Bohai Bay Basin have various hydrocarbon enrichment degrees, and can be categorized into four types, namely enormously oil-rich, oil-rich, oily and oil-poor depressions. In general, the enormously oil-rich and oil-rich depressions are distributed in the eastern part of the basin along the Tan–Lu and Lan–Liao faults, whereas depressions in the western part of the basin are poor in hydrocarbons. Moreover, the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons is also highly heterogeneous, with Pre-Paleogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the northern and western depressions, Paleogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the entire basin, and Neogene strata rich in hydrocarbons in the off-shore areas of the Bohai Bay Basin. From early depressions in onshore areas to the late depressions in offshore areas of the Bohai Bay Basin, the source rocks and source-reservoir-cap rock assemblages gradually become younger and shallower, and the hydrocarbon resource abundance gradually increases. Hydrocarbon supplying condition is the key factor constraining the hydrocarbon enrichment for different depressions, while the main source-reservoir-cap rock assemblage, sufficient hydrocarbons and the transportation capacity of faults control the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons. The main factors controlling hydrocarbon enrichment are different for different layers. The hydrocarbon supplying condition of source rocks is the key controlling factor, whereas the source-reservoir configuration, the main source-reservoir-cap rock assemblages, and the fault transportation are the main factors of hydrocarbon enrichment in the Paleogene, Paleogene and Neogene, respectively.     

Reassessment of the Distribution of Mantle CO2 in the Bohai Sea, China: The Perspective from the Source and Pathway System

Research on the distribution of mantle CO₂should involve comprehensive analysis from CO₂source to accumulation.The crust-mantle pathway system is the key controlling factor of the distribution of mantle CO₂,but has received little attention.The pathway system and controlling factors of CO₂distribution in the Bohai Sea are analyzed using data on fault styles and information on the mantle and lithosphere.The relation between volcanic rocks and the distribution of mantle CO₂is reassessed using age data for CO₂accumulations.The distribution of mantle CO₂is controlled by uplift of the asthenosphere and upper mantle,magma conduits in the mantle and fault systems in the crust.Uplifted regions of the asthenosphere are accumulation areas for CO₂.The area with uplift of the Moho exhibits accumulation of mantle CO₂at depth.CO₂was mainly derived from vertical migration through the upper mantle and lower crust.The fault style in the upper crust controls the distance of horizontal migration and the locations of CO₂concentrations.The distribution of mantle CO₂and volcanic rocks are not the same,but both probably followed the same pathways sometimes.Mantle CO₂in the Bohai Sea is concentrated in the Bozhong sag and the surrounding area,particularly in a trap that formed before 5.1 Ma and is connected to crustal faults(the Bozhang faults)and lithospheric faults(the Tanlu faults).     

New Apatite Fission-Track Ages of the Western Kuqa Depression: Implications for the Mesozoic–Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of South Tianshan, Xinjiang

The Mesozoic–Cenozoic uplift history of South Tianshan has been reconstructed in many ways using thermochronological analyses for the rocks from the eastern Kuqa Depression. The main difference in the reconstructions concerns the existence and importance of Early Cretaceous and Paleogene tectonic activities, but the existence of a Cenozoic differential uplift in the Kuqa Depression remains enigmatic. Here, we present new apatite fission-track ages obtained for 12 sandstone samples from the well-exposed Early Triassic to Quaternary sequence of the Kapushaliang section in the western Kuqa Depression. The results reveal that there were four pulses of tectonic exhumation, which occurred during the Early Cretaceous(peak ages of 112 and 105 Ma), Late Cretaceous(peak age of 67 Ma), Paleocene–Eocene(peak ages at 60, 53, and 36 Ma), and early Oligocene to late Miocene(central ages spanning 30–11 Ma and peak ages of 23 and 14 Ma), respectively. A review of geochronological and geological evidence from both the western and eastern Kuqa Depression is shown as follows.(1) The major exhumation of South Tians Shan during the Early Cretaceous was possibly associated with docking of the Lhasa block with the southern margin of the Eurasian plate.(2) The Late Cretaceous uplift of the range occurred diachronically due to the far-field effects of the Kohistan-Dras Arc and Lhasa block accretion.(3) The Paleogene uplift in South Tianshan initially corresponded to the far-field effects of the India–Eurasia collision.(4) The rapid exhumation in late Cenozoic was driven by the continuous far-field effects of the collision between India and Eurasia plates. The apatite fission-track ages of 14–11 Ma suggest that late Cenozoic exhumation in the western Kuqa Depression prevailed during the middle to late Miocene, markedly later than the late Oligocene to early Miocene activity in the eastern segment. It can be hypothesized that a possible differential uplift in time occurred in the Kuqa Depression during the late Cenozoic.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000309

In the early 1980s, evidence that crustal rocks had reached temperatures 〉1000 ℃ at normal lower crustal pressures while others had followed low thermal gradients to record pressures characteristic of mantle conditions began to appear in the literature, and the importance of melting in the tectonic evolution of orogens and metamorphic-metasomatic reworking of the lithospheric mantle was realized. In parallel, new developments in instrumentation, the expansion of in situ analysis of geological ma- terials and increases in computing power opened up new fields of investigation. The robust quantifi- cation of pressure （P）, temperature （T） and time （t） that followed these advances has provided reliable data to benchmark geodynamic models and to investigate secular change in the thermal state of the lithosphere as registered by metamorphism through time. As a result, the last 30 years have seen sig- nificant progress in our understanding of lithospheric evolution, particularly as it relates to Precambrian geodynamics.     

Early Miocene Paleoaltitude of the Tuotuohe Basin, Central-Northern Tibetan Plateau and its Tectonic Implications

Reconstruction of the paleoaltitude history of the Tibetan Plateau is critical for understanding the linkage between tectonics and its effect on regional and global climate change. Presently, most of the paleoaltitude studies are concentrated on the southern and southeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, and few studies have been conducted in the central-northern part. In this paper we focused on the Wudaoliang Formation in the Tuotuohe Basin, central to northern Tibetan Plateau, to reconstruct paleoaltitude based on carbonate oxygen isotopes. The carbonate samples are primary or have experienced an early stage of digenesis. Based on the thermodynamic and empirical model results, the paleoaltitude of the Wudaoliang Formation is found to be around 2700–3260 m (average of 2980 ± 280 m) in the early Miocene (~24 Ma). Integrating paleoaltitude results from Wudaoliang Basin and our results, we conclude that crustal shortening and tectonic activity were strong during the late Eocene to late Oligocene-early Miocene and relatively weak during the early Miocene in the central-northern Tibetan Plateau.     

Granitic Magmatism in Eastern Tethys Domain (Western China) and their Geodynamic Implications

Western China locates in the eastern section of the Tethys domain, granitic rocks in this region with variable formation ages and geochemistry record key information about the crust-mantle structure and thermal evolution during the convergent process of Tethys. In this study, we focus on some crucial granitic magmatism in the western Yangtze, Qinling orogen, and western Sanjiang tectonic belt, where magma sequence in the convergent orogenic belt can provide important information about the crust-mantle structure, thermal condition and melting regime that related to the evolution processes from Pre- to Neo-Tethys. At first, we show some features of Pre-Tethyan magmatism, such as Neoproterozoic magmatism (ca. 870–740 Ma) in the western margin of the Yangtze Block were induced by the assembly and breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent. The complication of voluminous Neoproterozoic igneous rocks indicated that the western Yangtze Block underwent the thermodynamic evolution from hot mantle-cold crust stage (ca. 870–850 Ma) to hot mantle and crust stage (ca. 850–740 Ma). The Neoproterozoic mantle sources beneath the western Yangtze Block were progressively metasomatized by subduction-related compositions from slab fluids (initial at ca. 870 Ma), sediment melts (initial at ca. 850 Ma), to oceanic slab melts (initial at ca. 825–820 Ma) during the persistent subduction process. Secondly, the early Paleozoic magmatism can be well related to three distinctive stages (variable interaction of mantle-crust to crustal melting to variable sources) from an Andeans-type continental margin to collision to extension in response to the evolution of Proto-Tethys and final assembly of Gondwana continent. Thirdly, the Paleo-Tethys magmatism, Triassic granites in the Qinling orogenic display identical formation ages and Lu-Hf isotopic compositions with the related mafic enclaves, indicate a coeval melting event of lower continental crust and mantle lithosphere in the Triassic convergent process and a continued hot mantle and crust thermal condition through the interaction of subducted continental crust and upwelling asthenosphere. Finally, the Meso- and Neo-Tethyan magmatism: Early Cretaceous magmatism in the Tengchong Block are well responding to the subduction and closure of Bangong-Nujiang Meso-Tethys, recycled sediments metasomatized mantle by subduction since 130 Ma and subsequently upwelling asthenosphere since ca. 122 Ma that causes melting of heterogeneous continental crust until the final convergence, this process well recorded the changing thermal condition from hot mantle-cold crust to hot mantle and crust; The Late Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic magmatism well recorded the processes from Neo-Tethyan ocean slab flat subduction, steep subduction, to initial collision of India-Asia, it resulted in a series of continental arc magmatism with enriched mantle to crustal materials at Late Cretaceous, increasing depleted and/or juvenile materials at the beginning of early Cenozoic, and increasing evolved crustal materials in the final stage, implying a continued hot mantle and crust condition during that time. Then we can better understand the magmatic processes and variable melting from the mantle to crust during the evolution of Tethys, from Pre-, Paleo-, Meso-, to Neo-, both they show notably intensive interaction of crust-mantle and extensive melting of the heterogeneous continent during the final closure of Tethys and convergence of blocks, and thermal perturbation by a dynamic process in the depth could be the first mechanism to control the thermal condition of mantle and crust and associated composition of magmatism.     

Kinematics of syn-tectonic unconformities and implications for the tectonic evolution of the Hala'alat Mountains at the northwestern margin of the Junggar Basin,Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Hala’alat Mountains are located at the transition between the West Junggar and the Junggar Basin.In this area,rocks are Carboniferous,with younger strata above them that have been identified through well data and high-resolution 3D seismic profiles.Among these strata,seven unconformities are observed and distributed at the bases of:the Permian Jiamuhe Formation,the Permian Fengcheng Formation,the Triassic Baikouquan Formation,the Jurassic Badaowan Formation,the Jurassic Xishanyao Formation,the Cretaceous Tugulu Group and the Paleogene.On the basis of balanced sections,these unconformities are determined to have been formed by erosion of uplifts or rotated fault blocks primarily during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic.In conjunction with the currently understood tectonic background of the surrounding areas,the following conclusions are proposed:the unconformities at the bases of the Permian Jiamuhe and Fengcheng formations are most likely related to the subduction and closure of the Junggar Ocean during the late Carboniferous-early Permian;the unconformities at the bases of the Triassic Baikouquan and Jurassic Badaowan formations are closely related to the late Permian-Triassic Durbut sinistral slip fault;the unconformities at the bases of the middle Jurassic Xishanyao Formation and Cretaceous Tugulu Group may be related to reactivation of the Durbut dextral slip fault in the late Jurassic-early Cretaceous,and the unconformity that gives rise to the widely observed absence of the upper Cretaceous in the northern Junggar Basin may be closely related to large scale uplift.All of these geological phenomena indicate that the West Junggar was not calm in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic and that it experienced at least four periods of tectonic movement.     

Partial Melting and Its Implications for Understanding the Seismic Velocity Structure within the Southern Tibetan Crust

In order to constrain the crustal wave velocity structure in the southern Tibetan crust and provide insight into the contribution of crustal composition, geothermal gradient and partial melting to the velocity structure, which is characterized by low average crustal velocities and widespread presence of low-velocity zone(s), the authors model the crustal velocity and density as functions of depth corresponding to various heat flow values in light of velocity measurements at high temperature and high pressure. The modeled velocity and density are regarded as comparison standards. The comparison of the standards with seismic observations in southern Tibet implies that the predominantly felsic composition at high heat flow cannot explain the observed velocity structure there. Hence, the authors are in favor of attributing low average crustal velocities and low-velocity zone(s) observed in southern Tibet mainly to partial melting. Modeling based on the experimental results suggests that a melting percentage     

Hydrocarbon Generation Evolution of Permo-Carboniferous Rocks of the Bohai Bay Basin in China

<正>The Bohai Bay Basin is a Mesozoic subsidence and Cenozoic rift basin in the North China Craton.Since the deposition of the Permo-Carboniferous hydrocarbon source rock,the basin has undergone many tectonic events.The source rocks have undergone non-uniform uplift,twisting,deep burying,and magmatism and that led to an interrupted or stepwise during the evolution of hydrocarbon source rocks.We have investigated the Permo-Carboniferous hydrocarbon source rocks history of burying,heating,and hydrocarbon generation,not only on the basis of tectonic disturbance and deeply buried but also with new studies on apatite fission track analysis,fluid inclusion measurements,and the application of the numerical simulation of EASY%R_o.The heating temperature of the source rocks continued to rise from the Indosinian to Himalayan stage and reached a maximum at the Late Himalayan.This led to the stepwise increases during organic maturation and multiple stages of hydrocarbon generation.The study delineated the tectonic stages, the intensity of hydrocarbon generation and spatial and temporal distribution of hydrocarbon generations.The hydrocarbon generation occurred during the Indosinian,Yanshanian,and particularly Late Himalayan.The hydrocarbon generation during the late Himalayan stage is the most important one for the Permo-Carboniferous source rocks of the Bohai Bay Basin in China.     

Characteristics and Genetic Mechanisms of Overpressure in the Depressions of Bohai Bay Basin, China

The distribution and genetic mechanisms of abnormal pressures in the Bohai Bay Basin were systematically analyzed. Abnormal pressures are widely developed in the Bohai Bay Basin, primarily in the Paleogene E2s4, E2s3, Es1, and Ed formations. From the onshore area of the Bohai Bay Basin to the center of the Bozhong area, the top depth of the overpressured zone in each depression increases gradually, the overpressured strata in each depression gradually move to younger formations, and the pressure structure successively alters from single-bottom- overpressure to double-bottom-overpressure and finally to double-top-overpressure. The distribution of overpressured area is consistent with the sedimentary migration controlled by the tectonic evolution of the Bohai Bay Basin, which is closely related to the hydrocarbon-generation capability of active source rocks. The overpressured strata are consistent with the source-rock intervals in each depression; the top of the overpressured zone is synchronous with the hydrocarbon generation threshold in each depression; the hydrocarbon generation capability is positively correlated with the overpressure magnitude in each formation. Undercompaction was the main mechanism of overpressure for depressions with fluid pressure coefficients less than 1.2, whereas hydrocarbon generation was the main mechanism for depressions with fluid pressure coefficients greater than 1.5.     

Basement tectonics and flexural subsidence along western continental margin of India

The Paleocene-recent post-rift subsidence history recorded in the Mumbai Offshore Basin off western continental margin of India is examined. Results obtained through 2-D flexural backstripping modelling of new seismic data reveal considerable thermo-tectonic subsidence over last ca. 56 Myr. Reverse postrift subsidence modelling with variable β stretching factor predicts residual topography of ca. 2000 m to the west of Shelf Margin Basin and fails to restore late Paleocene horizon and the underlying igneous basement to the sea level. This potentially implies that:(1) either the igneous basement formed during the late Cretaceous was emplaced under open marine environs; or(2) a laterally varying cumulative subsidence occurred within Mumbai Offshore Basin(MOB) during ca. 68 to ca. 56 Ma. Pre-depositional topographic variations at ca. 56 Ma across the basin could be attributed to the extensional processes such as varied lower crustal underplating along Western Continental Margin of India(WCMI). Investigations about basement tectonics after unroofing of sediments since late Paleocene from this region support a transitional and heavily stretched nature of crust with high to very high β factors. Computations of past sediment accumulation rates show that the basin sedimentation peaked during late Miocene concurrently with uplift of Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau and intensification of Indian monsoon system. Results from basin subsidence modelling presented here may have significant implications for further studies attempting to explore tectono-climatic interactions in Asia.     

Origin and Distribution of Hydrogen Sulfide in Oil-Bearing Basins,China

Abstract: The concentration of hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) varies greatly in the oil-bearing basins of China, from zero to 90%. At present, oil and gas reservoirs with high H2S concentration have been discovered in three basins, viz. the Bohai Bay Basin, Sichuan Basin and the Tarim Basin, whereas natural gas with low H2S concentration has been found in the Ordos Basin, the Songliao Basin and the Junggar Basin. Studies suggest that in China H2S origin types are very complex. In the carbonate reservoir of the Sichuan Basin, the Ordos Basin and the Tarim Basin, as well as the carbonate-dominated reservoir in the Luojia area of the Jiyang depression in the Bohai Bay Basin, Wumaying areas of the Huanghua depression, and Zhaolanzhuang areas of the Jizhong depression, the H2S is of Thermochemical Sulfate Reduction (TSR) origin. The H2S is of Bacterial Sulphate Reduction (BSR) origin deduced from the waterflooding operation in the Changheng Oilfield (placanticline oil fields) in the Songliao Basin. H2S originates from thermal decomposition of sulfur-bearing crude oil in the heavy oil area in the Junggar Basin and in the Liaohe heavy oil steam pilot area in the western depression of the Bohai Bay Basin. The origin types are most complex, including TSR and thermal decomposition of sulfcompounds among other combinations of causes. Various methods have been tried to identify the origin mechanism and to predict the distribution of H2S. The origin identification methods for H2S mainly comprise sulfur and carbon isotopes, reservoir petrology, particular biomarkers, and petroleum geology integrated technologies; using a combination of these applications can allow the accurate identification of the origins of H2S. The prediction technologies for primary and secondary origin of H2S have been set up separately.     

Sedimentary Response of Different Fan Types to the Paleogene–Neogene Basin Transformation in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Province

A group of alluvial fans formed in the early Paleogene represent marginal sedimentary facies at the foot of the South Tianshan Mountain, Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, Xinjiang province. Two types of fans occurred in the middle–late Paleogene Kumugeliemu and Suweiyi formations: one alluvial, and the other fan delta deposited in a lacustrine setting. Within the early Neogene Jidike Formation, coastal subaqueous fans developed, probably in a deeper water lacustrine setting. The three types of fans are stacked vertically in outcrop with the sequence in ascending order: bottom alluvial, middle fan-delta, and top subaqueous. The subaqueous is a typical coarse-fan deposit occurring in the glutinite member of the Jidike Formation in some wells. Laterally, from the foreland to the lacustrine settings, the distribution pattern of sedimentary facies represents the same three fan types sequentially. The spatial distribution of these fans was controlled by the Paleogene–Neogene Basin transformation, and evolution with different types of fans developed in the Kuqa Depression in response. In the Paleogene, the Kuqa Depression was a rift basin where an alluvial fan was deposited in the foreland setting, which, by early Neogene, became a foreland basin when the lake level changed. With any rise in lake level, fan-deltas migrated from lacustrine to foreland settings, whereas when the lake level fell, fan migration was reversed. In the early Neogene, with increasing slope and rising lake level, fans progressed and covered the previous fan-delta and lacustrine mudstone. Eventually, subaqueous fans developed, forming the present spatial configuration of these three fan types.