Mesozoic break-up of SW Gondwana: implications for regional hydrocarbon potential of the southern South Atlantic

This work provides new palinspastic palaeofacies reconstructions of SW Gondwana incorporating rotation of a Falkland/Malvinas microplate. We discuss the implications of this for the tectonic evolution of the southern South Atlantic and hence for the regional hydrocarbon potential.Existing Gondwana reconstructions display good fits of major continents but poorly constrained fits of microcontinents. In most continental reconstructions, the Falkland/Malvinas Plateau was assumed to be a rigid fragment of pre-Permian South American crust. However, it has been suggested, on the basis of palaeomagnetic data, that the Falkland/Malvinas Islands were rotated by ∼180° after 190 Ma. This rotation hypothesis has been successfully tested on the basis of Devonian stratigraphy and palaeontology, Permian stratigraphy and sedimentology and Late Palaeozoic and Early Mesozoic structure, making it unlikely that the plateau behaved as a rigid structure during breakup. We have explored the consequences of accepting this hypothesis for the tectonic evolution of SW Gondwana by compiling new palaeogeographic maps for the Permian–Cretaceous of the southern Atlantic area. To achieve a realistic close fit, we have devised a pre-rift proxy for the ocean–continent boundary for the South Atlantic. In order to produce the best fit, it is necessary to subdivide South America into four plates. The consequences of this are far-reaching. Our work suggests that although sedimentary basins were initiated at different times, three major tectonic phases can be recognised; in regional terms these can be thought of as pre-, syn- and post-rift.During the pre-rift time (until the Late Triassic), the area was dominated by compressional tectonism and formed part of the Gondwana foreland. The Falkland/Malvinas Islands lay east of Africa, the Falkland/Malvinas Plateau was ∼33% shorter and Patagonia was displaced east with respect to the rest of South America, in part along the line of the Gastre Fault System. Potential source facies are dominantly post-glacial black shales of Late Permian age deposited in lacustrine or hyposaline marine environments; these rocks would also be an effective regional seal. Sandstones deposited in the Late Permian would be dominantly volcaniclastic with poor reservoir qualities; Triassic sandstones tend to be more mature.There was significant extension from about 210 Ma (end-Triassic) until the South Atlantic opened at about 130 Ma (Early Cretaceous). In the early syn-rift phase, extension was accompanied by strike-slip faulting and block rotation; later extension was accompanied by extrusion of large volumes of lava. Early opening of the South Atlantic was oblique, which created basins at high angle to the trend of the ocean on the Argentine margin, and resulted in microplate rotation in NE Brazil. Intermittent physical barriers controlled deposition of Upper Jurassic–Cretaceous anoxic sediments during breakup; some of these mudrock units are effective seals with likely regional extent. During crustal reorganisation, clastic sediments changed from a uniform volcaniclastic provenance to local derivation, with variable reservoir quality.In the late rift and early post-rift phase, continental extension changed from oblique to normal and basins developed parallel to the continental margins of the South Atlantic. This change coincides with the main rifting in the Equatorial basins of Brazil and the early impact of the Santa Helena Plume. It resulted in widespread development of unconformities, the abandonment of the Recôncavo–Tucano–Jatoba rift and the end of NE Brazil plate rotation, which remained attached to South America. There was extensive deposition of evaporites, concentrated in (but not restricted to) the area north of the Rio Grande Rise/Walvis Ridge.Widespread deposits can be used to define potential regional elements of hydrocarbon systems and to provide a framework for relating more local elements. Our main conclusion is that the regional hydrocarbon potential of the southern South Atlantic has been constrained by the tectonic evolution.     

南美奥连特盆地16区块构造沉积特征及石油地质评价

以该盆地中心16区块为例,分析了其构造-沉积发育史及石油地质要素。研究表明该区前白垩系为断陷-裂陷盆地,白垩系为稳定的被动大陆边缘,新生界为前陆盆地。将主要目的层白垩系划分析5个层序,主要是河流-受潮汐控制的河口湾、三角洲-大陆架沉积,海平面相对升降变化决定了沉积体系的时空演化进而决定生储盖配置。含油气系统主力烃源岩为白垩系浅海相泥页及灰岩。产层为白垩系的河流相、海陆交替相和海相砂岩（NAPO组和HOLLIN组）,其中,HOLLIN组和M段为低位期底积层,分布广泛,为主要侧向运移输导层。海陆交替相的潮汐水道砂一滨岸砂坝-障壁砂坝为主要储层,断层控制水道砂岩分布,来自断层的烃类与厚层优质砂岩及浅海泥岩、泥灰岩形成良好生储盖配置,斜坡带走滑断层和山前带逆冲断层为垂向输导层。盖层（亦为烃源岩层）为白垩系各旋回海侵期页岩或（泥）灰岩,稳定,封盖性好。晚白垩纪-渐新世（早安第斯期）为生排烃高峰期,中新世以后形成的圈闭不利于捕集油气。     

Review of the current distribution of southern elephant seals in the eastern South Pacific

The eastern South Pacific southern elephant seal population was extinguished by extensive hunting and the current presence of this species in this area is not well understood. We reviewed existing records from the 1900s to 2014 in the eastern South Pacific, as well as tagged seals and movement records in order to assess the potential immigration source of these individuals. A total of 409 confirmed sightings were compiled, ranging from the southern tip of South America (Cape Horn Archipelago) as far north as Ecuador, including some oceanic island groups. The evidence shows also that recolonisation of its former Pacific distribution has started, with slow population growth in three incipient pupping sites in southern Chile (south of 51°S). Although the source of all of the individuals in the growing colonies is unknown, evidence from tags and satellite tagging indicates that some seals come from subpopulations on the Peninsula Valdes and the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, although mtDNA analysis showed, preliminarily, a greater genetic relationship only with the Falkland/Malvinas Islands rookery.     

The transgressive infill of an inherited-valley system: The Springhill Formation (lower Cretaceous) in southern Austral Basin, Argentina

The Berriasian-Valanginian Springhill Formation of the Austral Basin of southern South America comprises fluvial to marine deposits. In order to interpret depositional systems and unravel the stratigraphic architecture of this unit in the southern region of the basin (Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina), 500 m of cores combined with well-log data from 41 wells were studied. Facies associations corresponding to fluvial (A1-A6), estuarine (B1-B5) and open-marine (C1-C4) depositional environments were identified. These facies associations succeed each other vertically across the entire study area (6800 km²) forming a ∼120-m-thick transgressive succession. This unit filled a north-south-oriented valley system, developed in the underlying Jurassic volcanic complex.Lowstand fluvial deposits of the first stage of the valley-system fill occur in downdip segments of the system above a sequence boundary (SB). These fluvial deposits are overlain by coastal-plain and tide-dominated estuarine strata across an initial transgressive surface (ITS). In the northern sector the earliest valley infill is characterized by a transgressive fluvial succession, overlying a merged SB/ITS that is probably time-equivalent of marginal-marine deposits of the southern sector. The fluvial strata in the north are overlain by wave-dominated estuarine deposits. A drastic change to open-marine conditions is marked by a marine flooding surface, with local evidence of marine erosion (FS-RS). Open-marine strata are thin (<10 m) and dominated by lower-shoreface and offshore-transition deposits. They are capped by a younger flooding surface (FS), which represents the onset to offshore conditions across the study area due to a continuous long-term transgression that persisted until the Barremian.Although the interpreted depositional systems and stratigraphic architecture of the Springhill Formation resemble transgressive incised-valley-fill successions, the greater thickness and larger size of the Springhill valleys suggest inherited rift topography rather than valley development during a relative sea-level fall.     

Structure and oil and gas perspectives of the Californian borderland

The Californian borderland is the largest oil and gas region of the Pacific coast of the United States. Here, a series of large and minor sedimentary basins with established or inferred oil and gas bearing properties are recognized. The Californian borderland is located on a Nevadan-type active continental margin. The bodies of such margins are composed of giant accretion formations and occupy not only their underwater parts but also vast land areas. The accretion formations are dominated by rocks of a deep-water origin. The Californian borderland represents a system of basins and ranges that compose the underwater margin and the Coastal Ranges of California and the basement within the Great Valley. In the depressions of the accretion orogen, which are small in size but feature high subsidence rates, significant thicknesses of deposits are accumulated (up to 6?8 km). In the depressions of the Californian borderland, they are represented by young Neogene (rarer Eocene-Oligocene) formations of mainly terrigenous or siliceous-terrigenous compositions. The active tectonic regime resulted in a sharp reduction of the age range of the oil and gas bearing deposits, which are represented only by Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic rocks. Full-scale oil and gas production here is performed in the Santa Barbara-Ventura and Santa Maria basins. The principal oil and gas bearing unit is the Monterrey Formation of the Middle Miocene. By January 2006, the production on the Californian borderland comprised about 17.8 million tons of oil and over 1 billion m³ of gas. Up to 1.4 billion tons of oil and 200 billion m³ of gas reserves are regarded to be not recovered on the Pacific coast of the United States in the region of the Californian borderland.     

When did the Falklands rotate?

Similarities in the styles and relative timings of tectonic events in the Outeniqua Basin, South Africa and the North Falkland Basin suggest that basin formation in both regions may have preceded rotation of the Falklands microplate. Contrary to previous models for the break-up of Gondwana, which suggest Jurassic rotation, the data implies Valanginian rotation, contemporaneous with the first recorded motion on the Agulhas Falkland Fracture Zone and South Atlantic rifting. The data also suggests that the formation of the Falkland Plateau Basin may also be a Cretaceous event as opposed to the previously assumed Jurassic age. Such a model is consistent with new offshore seismic evidence while the inconclusive nature of the supportive evidence for Jurassic rotation does not exclude later rotation as a possibility.     

Evolution of the Malvinas Plate South of Africa

We confirm that a Malvinas Plate is required in the Agulhas Basin during the Late Cretaceous because: (1) oblique Mercator plots of marine gravity show that fracture zones generated on the Agulhas rift, as well as the Agulhas Fracture Zone, do not lie on small circles about the 33o-28y South America-Africa stage pole and were therefore not formed by South America-Africa spreading, (2) the 33o-28y South America-Africa stage rotation does not bring 33o magnetic anomalies on the Malvinas Plate into alignment with their conjugates on the African Plate, and (3) errors in the 33o-28y South America-Africa stage rotation cannot account for the misalignment. We present improved Malvinas-Africa finite rotations determined by interpreting magnetic anomaly data in light of fracture zones and extinct spreading rift segments (the Agulhas rift) that are clearly revealed in satellite-derived marine gravity fields covering the Agulhas Basin. The tectonic history of the Malvinas Plate is chronicled through gravity field reconstructions that use the improved Malvinas-Africa finite rotations and more recent South America-Africa and Antarctica-Africa finite rotations. Newly-mapped triple junction traces on the Antarctic, South American, Malvinas, and African Plates, combined with geometric and magnetic constraints observed in the reconstructions, enable us to investigate the locations of the elusive western and southern boundaries of the Malvinas Plate. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Stratigraphic and provenance evolution of the Southern Apennines foreland basin system during the Middle Miocene to Pliocene (Irpinia-Sannio successions,Italy)

The paper deals with original stratigraphic, petrographic and structural data concerning the evolution of the southern Apennines chain (Italy). The main Langhian to Pliocene deposits cropping out in the northern sector of the southern Apennines foreland basin system (Sannio-Irpinia area) have been studied and correlated in order to document the effects of tectonic changes on the evolution of sandstone detrital modes and stratigraphic architecture. The studied sandstone units can be grouped in five key intervals: a) Numidian Flysch, mostly formed by Langhian mature quartzarenitic deposits and conformable Serravallian post-Numidian successions, formed by arkosic and calciclastic arenaceous-pelitic beds (foreland depozones); b) Langhian to Tortonian San Giorgio Fm., mostly composed of quartzofeldspatic sandstones (foredeep depozone); c) Tortonian to Early Messinian, quartz-feldspatic and partly sedimentary-carbonatoclastic petrofacies, thrust-top successions (Vallone Ponticello, Villanova del Battista and San Bartolomeo fms.); d) Late Messinian quartzolithic to quartzofeldspatic sandstones (Torrente Fiumarella, Anzano Molasse and Tufo-Altavilla unit), which can be referred to infilled thrust-top basins; e) unconformity-bounded Pliocene quartzofeldspatic sandstone strata (wedge-top depozones), characterized by synsedimentary tectonic activity.Detrital modes of the Serravallian through Middle Pliocene sandstones of the southern Apennines foreland basin system testify clear provenance relations from the accreted terranes forming the southern Apennine thrust-belt. The studied clastics show almost the same blended (quartz-feldspatic) composition; this condition could be related to the tectonic transport over thrust ramp of source rocks, as suggested by the tectonic evolutionary model. This study, dealing with sedimentary provenance analysis and tectonostratigraphic evolution, provides an example of the close relations between clastic compositions and foreland basin system development in southern Apennines.     

南黄海盆地及邻区中生代地层对比

中生代地层广泛分布于南黄海盆地及邻区，包括胶莱盆地、苏北盆地、群山盆地、黑山盆地、庆尚盆地等。陆上和海域的三叠纪地层主要由灰岩组成。侏罗纪地层目前只发现陆上，主要由陆相碎屑岩组成，但从南黄海盆地某些地震剖面上可以看出，海域侏罗纪地层很可能存在。白垩纪地层在上述中生代盆地中分布最广，在许多钻井中，白垩纪地层的厚度在1000m以上，甚至2000m。其中，陆地上早白垩纪地层主要由暗色陆相碎屑岩组成，例如胶莱盆地的莱阳组、苏北盆地的葛村组，庆尚盆地的新洞群；而海域的早白垩纪地层通常由红色碎屑岩组成，例如，南黄海盆地东侧的Kachi-1和Inga-1井钻遇早白垩纪地层，其中Kachi-1井的早白垩纪地层为红褐色碎屑岩夹火山岩，而Inga-1井的早白垩纪地层为玄武岩。中白垩纪地层属氧化环境，岩石通常为红色或棕色。例如，胶莱盆地的王氏组、苏北盆地的浦口组和赤山组、庆尚盆地的河阳群。在南黄海盆地中，ZC7－2－1、Kachi-1和另外5口井均钻遇这套以红色为主的地层。苏北盆地和南黄海盆地的晚白垩纪地层称为泰州组，主要由暗色泥岩组成，而庆尚盆地的晚白垩纪地层称为榆川群，主要由火山岩组成。地层对比显示，南黄海盆地及邻区中生代地层具有东部沉积厚、西部沉积薄，东部沉积环境以氧化为主、岩石发红，西部以还原环境为主、岩石发暗，东部以火山岩为主、西部以碎屑岩为主的特征。     

High-resolution sequence stratigraphy,sedimentology and reservoir quality evaluation of the Yaojia Formation in the Longxi area of the Western Slope,Songliao Basin,China

Delta-front sand bodies with large remaining hydrocarbon reserves are widespread in the Upper Cretaceous Yaojia Formation in the Longxi area of the Western Slope, Songliao Basin, China. High-resolution sequence stratigraphy and sedimentology are performed based on core observations, well logs, and seismic profile interpretations. An evaluation of the reservoir quality of the Yaojia Formation is critical for further petroleum exploration and development. The Yaojia Formation is interpreted as a third-order sequence, comprising a transgressive systems tract (TST) and a regressive systems tract (RST), which spans 4.5 Myr during the Late Cretaceous. Within this third-order sequence, nine fourth-order sequences (FS9–FS1) are recognized. The average duration of a fourth-order sequence is approximately 0.5 Myr. The TST (FS9–FS5) mostly comprises subaqueous distributary channel fills, mouth bars, and distal bars, which pass upward into shallow-lake facies of the TST top (FS5). The RST (FS4–FS1) mainly contains subaqueous distributary-channel and interdistributary-bay deposits. Based on thin-sections, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-pressure mercury-intrusion (HPMI) analyses, a petrographic study is conducted to explore the impact of the sedimentary cyclicity and facies changes on reservoir quality. The Yaojia sandstones are mainly composed of lithic arkoses and feldspathic litharenites. The sandstone cements mostly include calcite, illite, chlorite, and secondary quartz, occurring as grain coating or filling pores. The Yaojia sandstones have average core plug porosity of 18.55% and permeability of 100.77 × 10⁻³ μm², which results from abundant intergranular pores and dissolved pores with good connectivity. Due to the relatively coarser sediments and abundant dissolved pores in the feldspars, the FS4–FS1 sandstones have better reservoir quality than the FS9–FS5 sandstones, developing relatively higher porosity and permeability, especially the FS1 and FS2 sandstones. The source–reservoir–cap-rock assemblages were formed with the adjoining semi-deep lake mudstones that were developed in the Nenjiang and Qingshankou Formations. This study reveals the deposition and distribution of the delta-front sand bodies of the Yaojia Formation within a sequence stratigraphic framework as well as the factors controlling the Yaojia sandstones reservoir quality. The research is of great significance for the further exploration of the Yaojia Formation in the Longxi area, as well as in other similar lacustrine contexts.     

Geochemistry and provenance of a multiple-stage fan in the Upper Miocene to the Pliocene in the Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan basins,offshore South China Sea

The Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan basins in the northwestern South China Sea preserve a large volume of Cenozoic sediments. However, their sources are still remain controversial and need a further research. This paper uses discriminant diagrams and bivariate plots of major, trace and rare earth elements, combined with heavy mineral data and detrital zircon U-Pb ages to determine the provenance, source area weathering and tectonic setting of the Upper Miocene to Pliocene sediments in the Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan basins, offshore South China Sea. The sandstone samples used in this study are characterized by four features: (i) The studied sandstones are first-cycle deposits, no recycling processes are recorded in these sediments, and there is a low degree of weathering conditions in the source areas. (ii) The sandstones from the DF fan, LD fan and Central Canyon System may have a similar source, being derived from an old upper continental crust mainly composed of felsic igneous source rocks. (iii) Detrital zircon U-Pb ages suggest that Central Vietnam is likely to be the dominant source of the DF fan, LD fan and Central Canyon System. (iv) The tectonic setting of the sandstones in the DF fan, LD fan and Central Canyon System belongs to the continental island arc (CIA) or the active continental margin (ACM) fields.     

Peat formation and accumulation mechanism in northern marginal basin of South China Sea

In the present study, the coal-rock organic facies of Oligocene Yacheng Formation of the marginal basin in the South China Sea were classified and divided. In addition, through the correlations of the large-scale coal-bearing basins between the epicontinental sea and the South China Sea, it was concluded that the coal forming activities in the South China Sea presented particularity and complexity. Furthermore, the coal forming mechanisms also presented distinctiveness. The marginal basins in th...     

低勘探程度盆地模拟研究——以南黄海盆地北部坳陷为例

盆地模拟已成为当前沉积盆地研究的重要工具。南黄海盆地北部坳陷自裂陷期演化以来沉积了巨厚的中-新生代碎屑沉积,近年来的地质调查获取的数据为其盆地模拟研究提供了条件,本次研究在收集相关基础数据的基础上,首先对盆地构造热演化史进行了模拟,重建了盆地热史,模拟结果显示其古热流在中-晚侏罗世平均值约为61mW/m²,在约145-74Ma间不断上升至约80 mW/m²,随后缓慢下降至65 mW/m²,并持续到渐新世末期,据此将盆地演化阶段划分为裂前期、裂陷期及裂后期。盆地模拟结果显示北部坳陷在白垩纪逐步进入强裂陷演化阶段并经历快速沉积过程,至晚白垩纪裂陷发育程度中等,在此基础上,对研究区进行了三维盆地模拟,结果显示北部坳陷生烃门限深度大致位于古近系阜宁组顶部,下伏的侏罗系及白垩系烃源岩基本完成生排烃过程,其中侏罗系烃源岩生排烃主要发生在盆地发育的裂陷期及裂后期,而白垩系及古近系烃源岩生排烃主要发生在裂后期。尽管研究区尚处在低勘探程度阶段,但盆地模拟结果已能为研究区下一步的勘探提供重要的信息,此外,本次研究对模拟过程中的主要不确定性也进行了分析。     

南海北部白垩系发育特征及构造意义

通过综合分析研究发现,晚中生代时期南海北部构造隆升带存在随时间由北向南逐步迁移:中晚侏罗世广东沿岸开始逐步隆升,大部分地区遭受剥蚀,火山碎屑岩发育,而南海北部则接受了滨浅海相到深海相沉积;早白垩世隆升带向海迁移,广东沿岸发育山间盆地,接受河湖相沉积,在南海北部深海相沉积消失,仅存在海陆过渡相沉积;进入晚白垩世,南海海域整体发生抬升,广东沿岸地区山间盆地范围扩大,陆相地层发育,以陆相洪积扇及河湖相沉积为特征,南海海域大部分地区缺失上白垩统,但在潮汕坳陷发育了一套杂色砂泥岩夹砾岩沉积,含蒸发岩,砂岩中的锆石FT年龄均在75 Ma左右,故地层形成时间应在75 Ma之后,由于上覆新生代地层的约束,该套地层应属晚白垩世,此时潮汕坳陷属前陆盆地,礼乐盆地、巴拉望及民都洛均位于潮汕坳陷南侧或西南侧,属于隆升山脉的一部分。     

Composition, porosity, and reservoir potential of the Middle Jurassic Kashafrud Formation, northeast Iran

In the Kopet-Dagh Basin of Iran, deep-sea sandstones and shales of the Middle Jurassic Kashafrud Formation are disconformably overlain by hydrocarbon-bearing carbonates of Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous age. To explore the reservoir potential of the sandstones, we studied their burial history using more than 500 thin sections, supplemented by heavy mineral analysis, microprobe analysis, porosity and permeability determination, and vitrinite reflectance.The sandstones are arkosic and lithic arenites, rich in sedimentary and volcanic rock fragments. Quartz overgrowths and pore-filling carbonate cements (calcite, dolomite, siderite and ankerite) occluded most of the porosity during early to deep burial, assisted by early compaction that improved packing and fractured quartz grains. Iron oxides are prominent as alteration products of framework grains, probably reflecting source-area weathering prior to deposition, and locally as pore fills. Minor cements include pore-filling clays, pyrite, authigenic albite and K-feldspar, and barite. Existing porosity is secondary, resulting largely from dissolution of feldspars, micas, and rock fragments, with some fracture porosity. Porosity and permeability of six samples averages 3.2% and 0.0023 mD, respectively, and 150 thin-section point counts averaged 2.7% porosity. Reflectance of vitrinite in eight sandstone samples yielded values of 0.64-0.83%, in the early mature to mature stage of hydrocarbon generation, within the oil window.Kashafrud Formation petrographic trends were compared with trends from first-cycle basins elsewhere in the world. Inferred burial conditions accord with the maturation data, suggesting only a moderate thermal regime during burial. Some fractures, iron oxide cements, and dissolution may reflect Cenozoic tectonism and uplift that created the Kopet-Dagh Mountains. The low porosity and permeability levels of Kashafrud Formation sandstones suggest only a modest reservoir potential. For such tight sandstones, fractures may enhance the reservoir potential.     

Diagenetic model of the Bajo Barreal formation (Cretaceous) in the southwestern flank of the Golfo de San Jorge Basin (Patagonia, Argentina)

This paper analyses the diagenetic evolution of sandstones belonging to the Bajo Barreal Formation (Cretaceous) in the Golfo de San Jorge Basin (Patagonia, Argentina). The Bajo Barreal Formation includes the main reservoirs, which are located along the western area of the basin and is composed of sandstones, conglomerates, mudstones, tuffaceous mudstones and some layers of tuffs. The principal reservoirs comprise medium-to coarse-grained sandstones, which are dominated by feldspathic litharenites and contain minor amounts of litharenites and lithic arkoses. The authigenic minerals include kaolinite, smectite, chlorite, quartz overgrowths, microquartz and calcite, with minor proportions of megaquartz, siderite, analcime, laumontite, feldspar overgrowths and illite/smectite and chlorite/smectite mixed layers. Secondary porosity is much more important than primary porosity and is produced by the dissolution of feldspar, lithic clasts and clay cements. The diagenetic history of the Bajo Barreal sandstones can be divided into seven diagenetic stages, each of which is characterized by a specific assemblage of authigenic minerals and diagenetic processes. Eogenetic conditions occur in stages 1, 2, 3 and 4. Stage 1 corresponds to shallow burial characterized by the physical reduction of primary porosity by compaction; during stage 2, rim clay cements of chlorite, smectite and clinoptilolite, as well as thin quartz overgrowths, were formed. The precipitation of pore-filling cements of kaolinite, chlorite and smectite occurred during stage 3, while stage 4 records the intense dissolution of feldspar, lithic fragments and kaolinite cements. Mesogenesis occurs in diagenetic stages 5 and 6. The former corresponds to a new phase of authigenic kaolinite, while the latter records the significant dissolution of feldspar, lithic clasts and previous cements, which produced the highest values of secondary porosity. Finally, stage 7 corresponds to the highest degree of diagenesis in the Bajo Barreal Formation (mesogenesis), which resulted in the precipitation of cements of zeolites and calcite, as well as quartz and plagioclase overgrowths.     

Modification and pathways of Southern Ocean Deep Waters in the Scotia Sea

An unprecedented high-quality, quasi-synoptic hydrographic data set collected during the ALBATROSS cruise along the rim of the Scotia Sea is examined to describe the pathways of the deep water masses flowing through the region, and to quantify changes in their properties as they cross the sea. Owing to sparse sampling of the northern and southern boundaries of the basin, the modification and pathways of deep water masses in the Scotia Sea had remained poorly documented despite their global significance.Weddell Sea Deep Water (WSDW) of two distinct types is observed spilling over the South Scotia Ridge to the west and east of the western edge of the Orkney Passage. The colder and fresher type in the west, recently ventilated in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, flows westward to Drake Passage along the southern margin of the Scotia Sea while mixing intensely with eastward-flowing Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) of the antarctic circumpolar current (ACC). Although a small fraction of the other WSDW type also spreads westward to Drake Passage, the greater part escapes the Scotia Sea eastward through the Georgia Passage and flows into the Malvinas Chasm via a deep gap northeast of South Georgia. A more saline WSDW variety from the South Sandwich Trench may leak into the eastern Scotia Sea through Georgia Passage, but mainly flows around the Northeast Georgia Rise to the northern Georgia Basin.In Drake Passage, the inflowing CDW displays a previously unreported bimodal property distribution, with CDW at the Subantarctic Front receiving a contribution of deep water from the subtropical Pacific. This bimodality is eroded away in the Scotia Sea by vigorous mixing with WSDW and CDW from the Weddell Gyre. The extent of ventilation follows a zonation that can be related to the CDW pathways and the frontal anatomy of the ACC. Between the Southern Boundary of the ACC and the Southern ACC Front, CDW cools by 0.15°C and freshens by 0.015 along isopycnals. The body of CDW in the region of the Polar Front splits after overflowing the North Scotia Ridge, with a fraction following the front south of the Falkland Plateau and another spilling over the plateau near 49.5°W. Its cooling (by 0.07°C) and freshening (by 0.008) in crossing the Scotia Sea is counteracted locally by NADW entraining southward near the Maurice Ewing Bank. CDW also overflows the North Scotia Ridge by following the Subantarctic Front through a passage just east of Burdwood Bank, and spills over the Falkland Plateau near 53°W with decreased potential temperature (by 0.03°C) and salinity (by 0.004). As a result of ventilation by Weddell Sea waters, the signature of the Southeast Pacific Deep Water (SPDW) fraction of CDW is largely erased in the Scotia Sea. A modified form of SPDW is detected escaping the sea via two distinct routes only: following the Southern ACC Front through Georgia Passage; and skirting the eastern end of the Falkland Plateau after flowing through Shag Rocks Passage.     

黄海地质构造与油气资源

概述了南，北黄海盆地地质构造特征，盆地的形成与演化，分析研究了油气地质特征与成藏条件；对黄海各盆地和隆起区可能具有找油气远景的新领域，新层位和新类型，提出一些探讨性的认识。     

Sequence stratigraphy and ichnology of Early Cretaceous reservoirs,Gadvan Formation in southwestern Iran

The siliciclastic Gadvan Formation from Abadan Plain, southwestern Iran, is highly bioturbated and allows relationships between changes in ichnocoenoses within a depositional system to be documented and placed in a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework. Relying on the sedimentary and ichnological characteristics, the siliciclastic succession is divided into two facies associations: a wave-dominated offshore-shoreface complex and a tide-river influenced delta. The first includes facies that have been deposited in shelf-offshore, upper offshore, lower shoreface and upper/middle shoreface environments, the latter includes facies that have been deposited in prodelta and delta front. Integrated ichnologic and sedimentologic studies of the Gadvan Formation, allow distinction between prodelta and delta front and open marine deposits. With the identification of maximum flooding and ravinement surfaces as bounding surfaces of the stratal units, detailed analysis on systematic changes in the stacking pattern (cycle thickness, cycle type, and facies proportion) are made. Eight ichnocoenoses could be differentiated in the studied sections. The positions of the ichnocoenoses within genetically related stratal units (genetically related ichnocoenoses), indicate three large-scale cycles (DS1 to DS3, from oldest to youngest). The cyclical nature of the Gadvan Formation is attributed to low-amplitude eustasy in greenhouse conditions formed under interaction of eustatic high-frequency cycles and longer term tectonically driven sea-level variations during the long-term transgressive sea-level trend of the early Cretaceous. Stratigraphic architectural style of sequences DS1 to DS3 (which includes scarce evidence of lowstand deposits, partial or total truncation of the HST, and predominance of thick transgressive deposits), is remarkably similar to long-term transgressive sea-level trend of the Early Cretaceous across the Arabian Plate. This study suggests a more relatively seaward position of the siliciclastic successions of the Gadvan Formation of Abadan Plain than the Mesopotamian Basin (upper Zubair Formation equivalent in western Iraq and Kuwait), which would be concordant with the prevailing view of an easterly prograding coastline across the Arabian Plate.This study reveals important sedimentological and ichnological features and permits the development of predictive models for the paleoenvironmental and sequence stratigraphical significance of trace fossil assemblages that can be readily compared or translated to analogous depositional systems worldwide. The ichnological analysis is based on cores and can be especially applied to evaluate the applicability of current ichnological models to the study of Cretaceous reservoirs of western Iraq, Kuwait and western Saudi Arabia.