Hydrocarbon accumulation model of the Cretaceous in southern China

The Cretaceous in southern China is mainly a set of red and mauve clastic rock, with evaporation layers. For lack of source rock, it has been paid little attention to in the exploration process. With the development of research on hydrocarbon exploration, the masses of Cretaceous reservoirs and shows have been found in recent years. This means that the Cretaceous has great exploration potential. According to the research, authors find that the high-quality reservoir and efficient cap rocks develop in the Cretaceous. At the same time, the Cretaceous and underlying Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic marine strata and overlying Cenozoic nonmarine strata constitute a superimposed basin. Moreover, high-quality source rocks developed in the above-mentioned two sets of strata. In the south, especially in the middle and lower Yangtze region since the Himalayan strong rift was associated with a large number of faults, These faults connect the Cretaceous reservoir and its overlying and underlying source rocks, forming the fault-based and unconformity-based discontinuous source-reservoir-cap accumulation assemblages. Because the Cretaceous has the abundant oil and gas from Paleogene source rocks or Mesozoic-Paleozoic source rocks with secondary hydrocarbon generation ability, three types of reservoirs develop in the Cretaceous: “new-generating and old-reservoiring” reservoirs, “old-generating andnew-reservoiring” reservoirs, and few “self-generating andself-reservoiring” reservoirs. The hydrocarbon enrichment depends on two key factors. Firstly, Cretaceous reservoirs are near to the source kitchens, so its oil and gas source is ample. Secondly, the fault system is well developed, which provides the necessary conducting systems for hydrocarbon accumulation.     

Major Cretaceous volcanic province in southern Rockall Trough

A group of three large curvilinear ridges, called the Barra Volcanic Ridge System, has been mapped in the acoustic basement of southern Rockall Trough. Typically, each ridge is about 2 km high and 20 km wide at its base. A crudely-layered acoustic character, moderate density but high strength of magnetisation point to a volcanic-sedimentary (ash?) composition for the ridges. Seismic continuity with the acoustic basement of the rest of Rockall Trough suggests that the trough basement is of similar composition. An age for the ridges of Lower Cretaceous is indicated by well ties and consideration of regional geology. Volumetrically, the ridges are on the scale of hot spot features such as the Wyville-Thomson Ridge.     

Global carbonate accumulation rates from Cretaceous to Present and their implications for the carbon cycle model

Abstract Global carbonate accumulation rates on the surface of the earth, including not only platforms but also continental margin slopes and deep-sea from the Cretaceous to Present, are estimated by compiling previous geologic studies. These rates are revised, taking account of the erosional effect of the sediments on the platform and deep-sea. Long-term model carbonate fluxes from the ocean to the crust are calculated on the basis of the carbon cycle model (GEOCARB of Berner 1991 ). The rates based on the actual geologic data indicate much lower values than model fluxes, excluding the Pliocene and Quaternary. The discrepancy could be attributed to the two misunderstandings, namely an overestimate of carbonate accumulation rate for the Quaternary and an incorrect use of the higher Quaternary rate for a boundary condition of the model. The carbonate accumulation rate for the Pliocene to Quaternary is lowered from 29.8 × 10¹⁸ mol/Ma (modified from Opdyke & Wilkinson 1988 ) to 14.8 × 10¹⁸ mol/Ma in the present study, assuming that the rate from Quaternary to Pliocene is almost the same as the Miocene value. New model fluxes are recalculated with the new boundary condition in the Quaternary (14.8 × 10¹⁸ mol/Ma). Revised model fluxes show general trends of high rates in 120 Ma or 130 Ma, and a low rate in 0 Ma, and are in agreement with the accumulation rate pattern.     

Hydrocarbon accumulation in network and its application in the continental rift basin

The concept of hydrocarbon accumulation in network was presented on basis of the overall analysis of the formation and evolution characteristics of the continental faulted basin and of the systemic re-search on the major controlling factors on the hydrocarbon accumulation. The hydrocarbon accumu-lation in network can be defined as hydrocarbon accumulation in a three-dimensional network system which is constituted by the hydrocarbon migration passages under multiple dynamics,following the hydrocarbon generation from source rocks. The research shows that the hydrocarbon accumulation in network is composed of four elements,i.e.,hydrocarbon source (source rock kitchen),hydrocarbon accumulation terminal (trap),network pathway connecting source and terminal (transporting system),and network potential driving hydrocarbon migration in the network pathway (migration dynamics). Compared with other networks,hydrocarbon accumulation in network has three basic characteristics: the irreversible geological process of material and information flow in the network; the loss of material and information in the flow process in the network; the multiple dynamics in the flow process. Interac-tion of all the elements in the geological process can be called hydrocarbon accumulation in network. There are three basic models for hydrocarbon accumulation in network,that is,hydrocarbon accumu-lation in the network source area,hydrocarbon accumulation in the network pathway,and hydrocarbon accumulation in the network terminal. The key in the application of the hydrocarbon accumulation models in network in practice is to confirm the major accumulation stage and the function range of the four elements controlling the hydrocarbon firstly,to predict the profitable accumulation region by su-perposition of the favorable areas confirmed by four elements consequently,and to evaluate the oil-bearing property of the trap as well as confirm drilling targets. This paper takes the Dongying De-pression in the Bohai Bay Basin as an application example.     

Hydrocarbon accumulation and distribution in lower Paleozoic carbonates in Tarim Basin

Carbonates are the main exploratory layers in Tarim Paleozoic cratonic basin. With abundant oil and gas sources, the lower Paleozoic carbonate in which traps develop over a large area and at a high amplitude, has the basic condition to form large oil and (or) gas fields. Three types of petroleum accumulation models, which consist of buried-hill petroleum accumulation in the high part of the uplift, inner structure petroleum accumulation in the pitching part of the uplift and fault horst petroleum accumulation on the border of the uplift, are found in the lower Paleozoic carbonates. Petroleum occurrence is mainly controlled by paleo-uplift, fault, unconformity and fracture system. The pitching part of the paleo-uplift and the fault belts on the paleo-uplift are the favorable exploratory areas.     

Seismic ground motion relationships in southern China based on stochastic finite-fault model

The characteristics of seismic ground motions in southern China are difficult to determine statistically due to a lack of strong ground motion data. In this study, a stochastic finite-fault ground motion model was adopted to simulate the seismic ground motions at bedrock for southern China, based on parameters derived from small and medium earthquakes that have occurred in the region. From these, the response spectra was estimated. A set of ground motion attenuation relationships was then developed based on simulated peak ground motions and response spectral parameters through regression, which would be applicable for use in engineering practice. Through comparisons, it was demonstrated that the proposed ground motion relationships are generally consistent with those obtained from other reported ground motion attenuation models for southern China.     

A model study of the summer Southeast Vietnam Offshore Current in the southern South China Sea

The western boundary current in the southern South China Sea (SCS) in summer does not always flow northward along the Indo-China Peninsula, it leaves the southeast coast of peninsula around 10–14°N, forming a strong eastward jet called “Vietnam Coastal Current” or “Southeast Vietnam Offshore Current” (SVOC). It is known that the wind stress curl is the major driving factor responsible for this current. In this paper, we carry on the study of the separation position, strength and forming time of this current. A connected single-layer/two-layer model is employed here to study these problems. According to the numerical experiments and analyses of the vorticity dynamics, it is found that, the local wind stress curl (including the northern cyclonic and the southern anticyclonic wind forcing curl), the nonlinear term, the topographic effect, the planetary vorticity advection and the water exchange between the SCS and Java Sea via the Sunda Shelf have an important effect on both the position where this current leaves the coast and its strength; when there is an inflow via the Sunda Shelf, the current is stronger and the separation position is more northward; whereas the water stratification, the coastline and the inflow of Kuroshio have little effect on its separation. In fact, two opposite flowing currents, the northward SVOC and the southward western branch of the cyclonic eddy to its north near the Indo-China Peninsula, collide with each other, and the strength of these two currents determine the separation position of the SVOC. Origin of the SVOC may be driven by the local negative wind stress curl in the middle SCS in mid-spring, this current flows along the coast of the Indo-China Peninsula and leaves the coast at high latitude, flowing northeastward; once the local positive wind stress curl near the northern Indo-China Peninsula or the negative one near the southern Indo-China Peninsula is large enough, this current will begin to leave the coast at low latitude.     

Seismic ground motion relationship in southern China based on stochastic finite-fault model

The characteristics of seismic ground motions in southern China are difficult to determine statistically due to a lack of strong ground motion data. In this study, a stochastic finite-fault ground motion model was adopted to simulate the seismic ground motions at bedrock for southern China, based on parameters derived from small and medium earthquakes that have occurred in the region. From these, the response spectra was estimated. A set of ground motion attenuation relations hipswas then developed based on simulated peak ground motions and response spectral parameters through regression, which would be applicable for use in engineering practice. Through comparisons, it was demonstrated that the proposed ground motion relationships are generally consistent with those obtained from other reported ground motion attenuation models for southern China.     

南海南北大陆边缘盆地构造演化差异性对油气成藏条件控制

南海大陆边缘盆地由于边界条件的差异,形成了离散型、走滑-伸展型和伸展-挠曲复合型3类陆缘盆地.这些盆地由于其构造演化差异性,导致了盆地沉积充填存在较大差异,相应地导致这些盆地油气成藏条件及油气资源量的巨大差异.南海北部离散型大陆边缘盆地主要发育湖相泥岩和海相泥岩烃源岩,尽管存在较好的湖相烃源岩,但由于各断陷分隔且面积较小,因而油气主要富集于各富烃凹陷周缘.南海南部伸展-挠曲复合型大陆边缘盆地构造演化差异明显,南部曾母盆地周缘前陆阶段早于礼乐盆地、北康盆地和南薇西盆地,一方面由于坳陷面积大及相应的海陆交互相煤系地层及海相泥岩烃源岩面积大、厚度大,另一方面断坳转换时期(15.5 Ma)缓慢的沉降速率导致大面积碳酸盐岩及礁灰岩广泛发育,形成了较为有利的生储盖组合.南海西部走滑-伸展型陆缘盆地介于上述两者之间,具有较厚的沉积物充填和高热流值,油气聚集以天然气藏为主.总之,无论是烃源岩分布范围及厚度,还是储集层,特别是礁灰岩储层分布以及生储盖组合等方面,南海南部大陆边缘盆地油气成藏条件均优于北部大陆边缘盆地,前者具有更优的油气勘探前景.     

Changes of vegetation in southern China

In order to reveal the changes of vegetation in southern China since the Last Glacial Maximum, we have established high-resolution time scales and palynological sequences of borehole profiles by drilling cores in some weak areas of the research to restore vegetation changes over the past 20,000 years on the basis of previous work. This paper gives the vegetation zoning maps of 18, 9 and 6 ka BP respectively in southern China, and describes the distribution characteristics of plants in different zones/subzones. The results show that the vegetation zonations around 18 ka BP were significantly different from that at present.It appeared in turn with Cold-temperate coniferous forest and alpine meadow steppe zone, and Temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest zone/warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest zone from northwest to southeast in the west, and Temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest zone, Warm temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest zone, and Northern subtropical mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest zone from north to south in the central and east. The vegetation distribution around 9 ka BP changed distinctively. Except that the northwest part was located in Mountain temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest zone, the vegetation in other areas occurred in turn with North subtropical mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest subzone, Mid-subtropical typical evergreen broad-leaved forest subzone, and South subtropical monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest subzone/Tropical seasonal rainforest and rainforest zone from north to south.There was little change in the appearance of vegetation zonations between 6 and 9 ka BP, but the northern edge of each vegetation belt moved a little northward, reflecting that the overall climate became warmer around 6 ka BP. The vegetation changes in southern China over the past 20,000 years were largely driven by environmental changes. Climate change was the main factor affecting the vegetation distribution. The impact of human activities became more and more remarkable in the later period. In the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the delta region, sea level changes also influenced the vegetation distribution.     

中国南方植被的变化

为揭示自末次盛冰期以来中国南方植被的变化规律,文章在前人工作的基础上,通过在一些研究薄弱区布钻取芯,建立钻孔剖面高分辨率的时间标尺和胞粉序列,以恢复研究区过去约2万年以来的植被变化过程.文中分别给出中国南方18、9和6ka BP前后的植被分带图和各区域植物的分布特征.研究表明:18ka BP前的植被带分布与现在存在着明显的差异,其中西部由西北向东南依次为寒温性针叶林与高寒草甸草原带、温带针阔叶混交林带/暖温带落叶阔叶林带,中东部由北向南依次分布温带针阔叶混交林带、暖温带落叶阔叶林带,以及北亚热带常绿、落叶阔叶混交林带;9ka BP前后的植被面貌发生了明显的变化,除西北部局部地处山地温性针阔叶混交林带外,其他地区由北向南依次分布北亚热带常绿、落叶阔叶混交林亚带,中亚热带典型常绿阔叶林亚带,南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林亚带/热带季雨林和雨林带;6ka BP前后的植被面貌与9ka BP前后的变化不大,但各个植被带的北缘略有北移,反映当时总体气候变得更加温暖.中国南方2万年以来的植被变化,很大程度上受到环境变迁的驱使,其中气候变化为主要影响因素,人类活动的影响在后期变得越来越明显,而在长江下游和三角洲地区,海平面变化对植物的分布同样构成一定的影响.     

Cretaceous integrative stratigraphy and timescale of China

Cretaceous strata are widely distributed across China and record a variety of depositional settings. The sedimentary facies consist primarily of terrestrial, marine and interbedded marine-terrestrial deposits, of which marine and interbedded facies are relatively limited. Based a thorough review of the subdivisions and correlations of Cretaceous strata in China, we provide an up-to-date integrated chronostratigraphy and geochronologic framework of the Cretaceous system and its deposits in China.Cretaceous marine and interbedded marine-terrestrial sediments occur in southern Tibet, Karakorum, the western Tarim Basin,eastern Heilongjiang and Taiwan. Among these, the Himalayan area has the most complete marine deposits, the foraminiferal and ammonite biozonation of which can be correlated directly to the international standard biozones. Terrestrial deposits in central and western China consist predominantly of red, lacustrine-fluvial, clastic deposits, whereas eastern China, a volcanically active zone, contains clastic rocks in association with intermediate to acidic igneous rocks and features the most complete stratigraphic successions in northern Hebei, western Liaoning and the Songliao Basin. Here, we synthesise multiple stratigraphic concepts and charts from southern Tibet, northern Hebei to western Liaoning and the Songliao Basin to produce a comprehensive chronostratigraphic chart. Marine and terrestrial deposits are integrated, and this aids in the establishment of a comprehensive Cretaceous chronostratigraphy and temporal framework of China. Further research into the Cretaceous of China will likely focus on terrestrial deposits and mutual authentication techniques(e.g., biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy). This study provides a more reliable temporal framework both for studying Cretaceous geological events and exploring mineral resources in China.     

Magmatic intervals,transgression-regression cycles and oceanic events in the Cretaceous and Tertiary of southern South America

The southern part of South America provides an excellent test area to analyse relationships between transgression-regression cycles along a passive continental margin with magmatic activity and tectonic movements of the Andean Orogen. Most of the tectono-eustatic sea-level changes recognized are related to magmatic activity, whether calc-alkaline or alkaline. The magmatic activity depends on whether tectonic convergence or extension forces are dominant.     

Testes specific accumulation of tributyltin in turbot Scophthalmus maximus from the southern Baltic Sea

Concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) and its breakdown products, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MTB), were measured in tissues of male turbot Scophthalmus maximus from the Gulf of Gdańsk (GDA) and the Pomeranian Bay (POM) in the southern Baltic Sea. The fish (n = 206) were collected during the spawning seasons of 2008-2009. All specimens were at the same maturity stage and in full breeding condition. The ripe testes of the turbot appeared to be a target tissue for TBT accumulation. We report that TBT is extensively eliminated at the specific whole-body level and that the males from TBT-contaminated location (GDA) reach this specific level at 23-24 cm in total length.     

赣南晚白垩纪红层磁学研究及其地质意义

磁性地层学是界定沉积物地质年代的一种重要方法,该方法的应用建立在沉积物记录了可靠的特征剩磁基础上.红层的磁性地层年代学研究对于我国华南地区晚中生代以来古环境、古气候的演化具有极为重要的意义.但是,目前对于红层古地磁可靠性的解释存在广泛的争议,为更好地理解并尝试解决具体红层剖面的古地磁可靠性问题,迫切需要综合岩石磁学和其他非磁学手段对沉积物中的载磁矿物性质进行系统厘定.本文通过对赣南地区两个典型晚白垩纪红层剖面（信丰XF剖面和留车LC剖面）进行详细的岩石磁学分析,并结合扫描电镜和沉积相特征,判定出磁性矿物以赤铁矿为主,含有少量针铁矿、磁赤铁矿和磁铁矿.其中,赤铁矿是最主要的剩磁载体,且与钛铁矿共存,综合磁学与非磁学结果判定其记录了原生的沉积剩磁.在获得了可靠的古地磁信息基础上,结合前人对该区域生物地层学和年代学研究并与邻区地层比对,初步判断出LC剖面与XF剖面地质年代分别为晚白垩纪早期Cenomian期和晚白垩纪晚期Maastrichtian期.XF剖面依据ESR测年、南雄盆地地层比对和沉积相的判断,地层极性时段初步界定为C30n,即68.196~66.398 Ma,这为进一步探讨该地区的古环境和古气候演化提供了可参考的年龄标尺.

     

Crustal deformation and dynamics of Early Cretaceous in the North China Craton

The Early Cretaceous represents a peak period of the North China Craton(NCC) destruction. A comprehensive analysis of crustal deformation during this period can reveal processes and dynamics of the destruction. The peak destruction of the NCC was associated with intense extension whose representative deformation products are metamorphic core complexes(MCCs), extensional domes and rifted basins. These MCCs occurred along both northern and southern margins of the NCC, and resulted from synchronous extension and magmatism, showing difference from the typical orogen-type MCCs in many aspects.The MCCs of the Early Cretaceous were replaced by extensional domes under relatively weak extension and uplift. In contrast to a major depression-type basin of the Early Cretaceous in the western NCC, rifted basins of the same age in the eastern NCC appeared as medium-to small-scale ones extensively. In the eastern NCC, the rifted basins north of the Bohai Bay are characterized by a feature similar to an active rift whereas those south of the Bohai present similarity to a passive rift. Various sorts of extensional structures developed during the peak destruction indicate a stable stress state of NE-SE extension over the entire central to eastern NCC, consistent with the plate margin-driven stress field. Spatial distribution of the extensional structures presents an 1800 km wide back-arc extension region in the central to eastern NCC, consistent with the Paleo-Pacific slab rollback model following flat subduction. Temporal-spatial variation of initial extension and volcanic activity during the peak period also supports the rollback model right after the flat oceanic slab. The crustal deformation evolution demonstrates that the peak destruction of the NCC took place after the B-episode compression of the Yanshan Movement of the earliest Early Cretaceous and terminated with onset of the C-episode compression of the earliest Late Cretaceous.     

Early Cretaceous palynofloral provinces in China: western additions

Two distinct palynofloral provinces have been recognized for the Early Cretaceous of western China, including Xizang (Tibet): one indicated by the presence of the cheirolepidiacean pollen grain Dicheiropollis and the other by abundant representatives of different gymnospermous pollen, especially Araucariacites and Callialasporites. The boundary between them coincides with the Yarlung Zangbo Suture. To the north of the suture, the Xizang–Tarim Dicheiropollis Province occupies a wide region from southern Xinjiang through the central and northern Qinghai–Xizang Plateau to the west of Yunnan. South of the suture, the Southern Xizang Araucariacites‐Callialasporites Province appears to have affinities with the South Gondwanan (floral) Realm. Despite some similarities with the composition of assemblages from other palynofloral provinces, both are distinct and considered to reflect different climates. Hot arid to semi‐arid conditions are indicated by the Dicheiropollis Province, whereas a more humid and somewhat cooler climate is suggested for the Araucariacites‐Callialasporites Province.     

Three-dimensional geoelectrical model of southern Kamchatka

The magnetotelluric data for the southern part of Kamchatka Peninsula are interpreted in the mode of three-dimensional (3D) model fitting of the invariant characteristics of impedance and tipper matrices. The interpretation yielded the distribution of electric conductivity in the crust and mantle of the Earth. Conductive blocks are revealed in the junction zone of the Kamchatka depression and Pribrezhnyi horst, as well as beneath the Mutnovskii-Vilyuchik and Avacha-Koryak groups of volcanoes. These blocks are confined to the sublatitudinally trending regional faults and to the upper part of the asthenosphere. The locations of the conductive zones are correlated to the distributions of low-density and low-velocity domains and areas of high seismic and volcanic activity, which is probably due to the significant fluid saturation of these zones.