Evolution of paleostress fields and brittle deformation of the Tornquist Zone in Scania (Sweden) during Permo-Mesozoic and Cenozoic times

The NW-SE oriented Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone (STZ) has been thoroughly studied during the last 25 years, especially by means of well data and seismic profiles. We present the results of a first brittle tectonic analysis based on about 850 dykes, veins and minor fault-slip data measured in the field in Scania, including paleostress reconstruction. We discuss the relationships between normal and strike-slip faulting in Scania since the Permian extension to the Late Cretaceous–Tertiary structural inversions. Our paleostress determinations reveal six successive or coeval main stress states in the evolution of Scania since the Permian. Two stress states correspond to normal faulting with NE-SW and NW-SE extensions, one stress state is mainly of reverse type with NE-SW compression, and three stress states are strike-slip in type with NNW-SSE, WNW-ESE and NNE-SSW directions of compression.The NE-SW extension partly corresponds to the Late Carboniferous–Permian important extensional period, dated by dykes and fault mineralisations. However extension existed along a similar direction during the Mesozoic. It has been locally observed until within the Danian. A perpendicular NW-SE extension reveals the occurrence of stress permutations. The NNW-SSE strike-slip episode is also expected to belong to the Late Carboniferous–Permian episode and is interpreted in terms of right-lateral wrench faulting along STZ-oriented faults. The inversion process has been characterised by reverse and strike-slip faulting related to the NE-SW compressional stress state.This study highlights the importance of extensional tectonics in northwest Europe since the end of the Palaeozoic until the end of the Cretaceous. The importance and role of wrench faulting in the tectonic evolution of the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone are discussed.     

Chalk thickness trends and the role of tectonic processes in the Upper Cretaceous of southern England

A series of six thickness maps created at a formation scale for the Chalk of the Southern and Transitional Chalk provinces of SE England reinforce the difficulty in determining the controls on Chalk deposition. However, at the broad scale, they do appear to show that thickness patterns in the Cenomanian to Turonian chalks of the West Melbury Marly Chalk, the Zig Zag Chalk and the Holywell Nodular Chalk show correspondence with the underlying Mesozoic extensional basin structure. The major exception to this is the south Dorset area which was uplifted in the Early Cretaceous as an eastern extension to the Cornubian Ridge. The younger New Pit Chalk and Lewes Nodular Chalk show a switch toward thicker successions on the London Platform and thinner, more uniform successions across the Mesozoic basins to the south. This change may indicate some initial basin inversion starting in the mid Turonian which caused a shift in the main locus of Chalk deposition toward East Anglia. The work potentially suggests multiple control-modes shaping the geometry of Chalk deposits, involving an interplay of: 1) long-lived basin-defining faults and structural blocks acting to shape large-scale thickness trends through differential compaction and interaction with relative sea level change; 2) smaller scale structures that may function to more effectively dissipate stress created by intra-Cretaceous tectonic events, producing more localised/sub-regional thickness and facies variations; 3) early basin inversion reflecting the broader basin-scale response to intra-Cretaceous tectonics, potentially responsible for regional shifts in patterns of sedimentation.     

山东沭河裂谷带早白垩世晚期恐龙足迹群与古地理背景*

山东沭河裂谷带由北至南发育8个早白垩世晚期(大盛期）的恐龙足迹群化石点,其中5处为本研究首次报道。沭河裂谷带足迹化石点多,分布广,层位多,足迹数量和造迹恐龙种类丰富。郯城新发现的单个蜥脚类巨型足迹直径近1.0m,可能仅次于前人描述过的兰州西南盐锅峡下白垩统河口群内中国最大的蜥脚类足迹化石。沭河裂谷带的恐龙足迹产出于大盛群田家楼组,地质年代为110～100Ma,属于早白垩世晚期Aptian晚期—Albian期。恐龙足迹一般为凹形印痕,造迹者以蜥脚类恐龙为主,其次为鸟脚类和兽脚类。足迹多保存在发育波痕、泥裂、雨痕等沉积构造的细砂—粉砂岩沉积物层面。足迹和行迹特征显示造迹恐龙为群居和在栖息地漫步行走状态。足迹原位保存特征及赋存地层沉积学研究表明,早白垩世中晚期气候处于由温暖潮湿变得炎热干旱的过渡期,湖泊、三角洲广布,恐龙栖息于湖滨环境。沭河裂谷带早白垩世晚期恐龙足迹群的发现和综合研究进一步证实,中国早白垩世恐龙动物群有着更广阔的地理分布和相似的古地理环境。     

Sharp contrast in lithospheric structure across the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone as inferred by Rayleigh wave analysis of TOR1 project data

This work is a part of the TOR1 project (1996–1997) and is devoted to determining the lithospheric structure across the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone in Northern Europe. For the first time in Europe, a very dense seismic broadband array has offered the possibility of determining very sharp lateral variations in the structure of the lithosphere at small scales using surface wave analysis. We measure phase velocities for Rayleigh waves with periods ranging between 10 and 100 s, both within arrays with apertures of 40–50 km (small compared to the wavelength), and along long profiles of at least 100 km. Dispersion curves are then inverted and shear-wave velocity models down to the depth of 200 km are proposed. We show that the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone is a major tectonic feature within the whole lithosphere. North–east of this feature, in Sweden beneath the Baltic Shield, no lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary is observed to exist to depths of 200 km. South–west of the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone, beneath Denmark, we find a lithospheric thickness of 120±20 km. The transition across the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone is sharp and determined to be very steeply dipping to the south–west. We also demonstrate the existence of a sharp discontinuity between the lithospheres beneath Denmark (120±20 km thick) and beneath Germany (characterized by thicknesses of 50±10 km in the northernmost part and 100±20 km in the southwest). This discontinuity is most likely related to the Trans-European Fault at the surface.     

The magnetic properties of Quaternary and Tertiary sediments in the southern North Sea

Cores from boreholes penetrating late Quaternary, glacial, interglacial and postglacial sediments and the underlying late Cenozoic delta complex of the southern North Sea have been examined for their magnetic properties. A magnetic polarity stratigraphy has been established as an aid to biostratigraphic dating of the sediments; the Kaena-Gauss and Gauss—Matuyama transitions and the base and top of the Olduvai subchron have been identified. The strength and stability of laboratory-induced isothermal remanent magnetisation display clear magneto-petrological variations, which match lithostratigraphic changes in the cores. Principal component analysis has picked out a basin-wide and palaeoenvironmental consistency in the magnetic data. Large, multi-domain magnetite grains predominate in the post-deltaic and fluvio-deltaic sediments, whereas smaller greigite or titanomagnetite grains are concentrated in the intertidal and marine deltaic facies. Since heavy mineral analysis indicates that most of the deltaic detritus derived from common source areas, the differences in magnetic mineralogy have probably been caused by the sediment transport processes operating within the delta complex.     

渤海南部新生代构造发育与演化特征

利用三维地震资料及钻井资料,在对断裂体系精细刻画的基础上,结合区域地球动力学背景,就渤海湾盆地渤海海域南部地区(包括渤南低凸起、黄河口凹陷、莱北低凸起、莱州湾凹陷)新生代的构造发育演化特征及沉积–沉降中心迁移规律进行了详细分析。研究结果表明:断裂体系存在三组优势发育方向,NNE向断裂属郯庐断裂带渤南段,可分为西、中、东三个分支带,走滑特征明显;近EW向及NE向为伸展性质的控凹、控带断裂;三组断裂相互切割,形成了渤海南部地区"东西分带、南北分块"的构造格局;古近纪具有两个沉积–沉降中心,黄河口凹陷中心受控于近EW向断裂,莱州湾凹陷的沉积中心受近EW向和NNE向断裂共同控制,至新近纪,沉积中心呈由南向北迁移的规律;渤海南部地区构造演化体现了断–拗与走滑的叠加效应,可以划分为孔店组–沙四段沉积期的初始裂陷、沙三段沉积期的伸展裂陷、沙二段–东营组沉积期的走滑–伸展和馆陶组沉积期以来的走滑–裂后拗陷四个阶段。     

Lithospheric structure of the Tornquist Zone resolved by nonlinear P and S teleseismic tomography along the TOR array

The main aim of the TOR project is to study the lithospheric–asthenospheric boundary structure under the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone, across northern Germany, Denmark and southern Sweden. Relative arrival-time residuals of teleseismic P and S phases from 51 earthquakes, recorded by 150 seismic stations along the TOR array, were used to delineate the transition zone in the studied area. The effects of crustal structures were investigated by correcting the teleseismic residuals for travel-time variations in the crust based on a 3D crustal model derived from other data. The inversion was carried out for S phases. The results were then compared with the corresponding P-wave models. As expected, the derived models show that the relatively old and cold Baltic Shield has higher velocity at depth than the younger lithosphere farther South. The models show two sharp and distinct increases in depth to velocities which are low compared to our reference model, as we move from South to North. The location and sharpness of these boundaries suggests that the features resolved are, at least partially, compositional in origin, presumably related to mantle depletion. A sharp and steep subcrustal boundary is found roughly coincident with the southern edge of Sweden. This is below where the edge of the Baltic Shield is usually placed, based on surface geological evidence (the Sorgenfrei–Tornquist Zone). Another less significant transition is recognised more or less beneath the Elbe-lineament. Relatively high d(V_p / V_s) ratios under the central part of the profile (Denmark) indicate relatively low S-velocity in an area where a gravity high supports the hypothesis of extensive mafic intrusions.     

Evolution and strike variability of early post-rift deep-marine depositional systems: Lower to Mid-Cretaceous, North Viking Graben, Norwegian North Sea

The controls and development of early-post-rift, deep-water depositional systems are poorly understood due to their commonly deeply-buried nature. As a consequence, in the subsurface there is usually a lack of well penetrations and/or weak seismic imaging. At outcrop, early post-rift strata have commonly been deformed beyond reasonable recognition by later inversion tectonics. In contrast to these systems, the North Viking Graben shows a well-imaged Cretaceous early post-rift package with good well control and little effect from inversion. Therefore, this paper examines the early post-rift, deep-water depositional systems of the North Viking Graben to determine the controls on their stratigraphic position, geometry and evolution, and thus provide an analogue for comparable systems. Greater understanding of such systems will allow for the enhanced prediction of reservoir units in the subsurface and development of new play models since post-rift intervals are generally under-explored.The basin configuration inherited by the Cretaceous early post-rift in the northern North Sea was set up by Permo-Triassic and Late Jurassic rifting. In the North Viking Graben this established considerable along-strike variability, resulting in a northern basin segment surrounded by steep slopes and faulted-bounded structural highs and a southern basin segment margined by slopes with noticeably gentler gradients. Associated with the Cretaceous post-rift is an overall transgressional trend, which drowned local source areas, resulting in prevalent carbonate and hemipelagic mudstone deposition in the basins. In the North Viking Graben, the uplifted Oseberg fault-block provided the sub-aerial clastic source area until it was submerged in the early Upper Cretaceous.The early post-rift infill of the North Viking Graben was divided into four key seismic stratigraphic units (K1, K2, K3 and K4) using an integration of seismic and well data. Inside this stratigraphic framework, the depositional systems within each K-unit were resolved from characteristic seismic facies, amplitude anomalies, relationship with adjacent reflections, and geomorphologies. In the northern basin segment, the early post-rift stratigraphy contains basin-floor fans, a channel complex and a shoreline-like geometry, whereas the southern basin segment is solely characterised by hemipelagic and carbonate deposition. This spatial variability indicates that one of the dominant controls on the development of the early post-rift depositional systems in the North Viking Graben was the inherited syn-rift fault-controlled topography. The steep slopes bounding the northern basin segment aided the delivery of sediment from the sub-aerial Oseberg source area to the graben whereas the submerged, gentle slopes in the southern basin segment were relatively sediment-starved.Long- and short-term changes in relative sea-level also heavily influenced the evolution of the early post-rift basin stratigraphy. Short-term relative sea-level fall allowed basin-floor fan emplacement whereas short-term relative sea-level stand-still favoured deposition of a channel complex. Deposition of the shoreface-like geometry is associated with a short-term relative sea-level rise. This temporal difference in the style and scale of the depositional systems is also interpreted to reflect the gradual denudation and drowning of the Oseberg source area. Regional short-term trangressive and anoxic events in the northern North Sea further influenced the early post-rift strata, resulting in the deposition of stratigraphic units that can be correlated across the North Sea.     

南海北部阳江‒一统暗沙断裂带与新近纪岩浆活动

阳江?一统暗沙断裂带是南海北部珠江口盆地极其重要的中?新生代构造带和转换带.基于钻井资料和大范围、高密度的二维、三维地震资料,本文初步揭示阳江?一统暗沙断裂带走向为NW-NWW向、宽约30 km,沿着断裂走向从陆架至洋陆边界断裂带可分为北?中?南三段,断裂在新生代选择性活化,具有多重走滑断裂叠合和基底岩浆底辟强烈等特点...     

藏南定日地区晚白垩世−古近纪地层和盆地演化：对印度和亚洲初始碰撞时间的暗示

This is an extended abstract of Hu et al., 2012. The timing of the initial collision between India and Asia remains a matter of considerable debate, with views ranging from ~70 Ma to ~35 Ma. Here the initial In-dia-Asia contact is defined as the time at which the edge of the Indian continent margin first underthrust the Asian trench, leading to the complete consumption of the Neo-tethyan lithosphere, followed by continental subduction.     

南黄海盆地北部坳陷白垩系沉积特征

通过钻井和地震最新资料的对比研究表明,南黄海盆地北部坳陷白垩系的沉积特征沉积范围由下白垩世到中白垩世逐渐扩大,再到上白垩世又逐渐缩小。这说明南黄海盆地北部坳陷白垩纪经历了一次水进和水退的过程,并且南黄海盆地北部坳陷白垩纪普遍发育湖泊相沉积。白垩系在全区的残留面积为39 675 km²,最大残留厚度为5 200 m,有利于有机质的生成和转化,预示了白垩系较好的生油能力。     

南华北盆地谭庄凹陷下白垩统储层类型及次生孔隙成因

通过岩心观察、岩心物性统计和薄片鉴定等方法,对谭庄凹陷下白垩统碎屑岩储层类型及次生孔隙成因进行了研究。结果表明：谭庄凹陷下白垩统埋藏经历了早、中成岩阶段,目前处于中成岩A阶段。下白垩统砂岩储层类型主要有原生和次生孔隙,经历了由原生到次生的演化过程;不同井区成岩阶段不同,原生到次生孔隙的演化程度也存在差异。铸体薄片、扫描电镜的研究结果表明：谭庄凹陷下白垩统砂岩储层存在3个次生孔隙带,并且每口井的次生孔隙发育程度存在差别。次生孔隙的形成与长石、岩屑、石英的溶蚀,粘土矿物的脱水以及油气的充注密切相关;不同探井、不同井段砂岩次生孔隙的形成原因具有差异,长石、岩屑的溶蚀占主导地位,石英和粒间粘土杂基的溶蚀作用次之。     

秦岭构造带徽成盆地白垩纪-新生代构造应力场演化历史

沿凤-太断裂带发育的徽成盆地斜切秦岭构造带,成为东、西秦岭构造地貌的分界带。该盆地由上部成县群和下部东河群2套地层序列组成,之间为角度不整合接触。基于沉积地层序列、野外断层滑动矢量运动学分析和古构造应力场反演,结合上部成县群磁性地层学的研究结果和基性岩脉的年代测试结果,确定了该盆地2期伸展断陷成盆阶段和3期构造挤压改造的交替演化历史。认为下部盆地形成于早白垩世时期(107Ma之前),成盆应力场为NWW- SEE引张,与东西向勉略断裂带左旋走滑拉分作用有关,其中加积了一套河湖相砂砾岩沉积。该走滑盆地在沉积晚期遭受NW- SE向挤压应力作用,控盆边界断层发生反转,地层发生宽缓的褶皱变形,基性岩脉侵位其中(107Ma)。上部新生的断陷盆地很可能形成于早白垩世晚期-晚白垩世(自107Ma以来),受NW- SE引张作用,沿凤-太断裂带发生复活,其中堆积了一套河流相红色砂泥岩和砂砾岩沉积地层。该断陷盆地遭受2次挤压应力场的改造:早期NNW- SSE向挤压、晚期NNE- SSW向挤压,这两期挤压作用使控盆边界断裂(凤太断裂、勉略断裂)发生构造反转,地层陡倾,但盆地内部变形较弱。与区域构造演化历史对比,认为这两期挤压应力作用分别发生在白垩纪晚期与古近纪。     

Constraining the age of the last marine sediments in the late Cretaceous of central south Pyrenees (NE Spain): Insights from larger benthic foraminifera and strontium isotope stratigraphy

The uppermost Cretaceous (upper Campanian–Maastrichtian) marine deposits of the central south Pyrenees host a rich larger benthic foraminiferal fauna and several rudist-rich levels. These marine deposits are directly overlain by the continental facies of the Arén and Tremp Formations, which are famous for their fossil dinosaur remains. Larger benthic foraminiferal distribution documents an important faunal turnover in all the carbonate platform environments within the photic zone, from open marine to littoral areas. Biostratigraphy indicates that this turnover occurred close to the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary. This is also confirmed by strontium isotope stratigraphy which indicates an earliest Maastrichtian age for the appearance of the larger benthic foraminiferal assemblage constituted by Lepidorbitoides socialis, Clypeorbis mammillata, Wannierina cataluniensis, Orbitoides gruenbachensis, Siderolites aff. calcitrapoides, Fascispira colomi, Omphalocyclus macroporus and Laffiteina mengaudi. In particular, a numerical age of 71 Ma is obtained for the Hippurites radiosus level, just a few meters below the first continental deposits of the Arén sensu stricto Formation. The youngest marine sediments of the central south Pyrenees are early Maastrichtian in age. This is also an important constraint for the age of the end-Cretaceous dinosaur fossil localities of the Tremp basin.     

粤东地区上白垩统盐湖沉积及其在南海北部中生界油气勘探中的意义

粤东地区广泛出露上白垩统叶塘组,根据其露头剖面岩性、岩相和古生物地层学特征判断其为盐湖相沉积。沉积组合与在潮汕坳陷海域钻井LF35-1-1揭示的上白垩统沉积可以进行对比,它们都属于干旱炎热环境下形成的含膏盐沉积岩系,主体岩性均为泥岩、粉砂岩及砂岩,泥岩与粉砂岩夹薄层膏盐岩或砂岩中发育石膏联晶。潮汕坳陷为中国海域中生代盆地油气勘探的有利区域,坳陷具有良好的石油地质条件。粤东中生界盐湖沉积具有与潮汕坳陷相似的沉积背景,岩性、岩相的相似为海域与陆上露头区沉积对比奠定了基础,对比研究有利于初步解决海域油气勘探过程中钻井揭示的有限性,其研究成果对南海北部海域含膏盐岩地层的油气勘探具有重要的意义。     

Neotectonic deformation in the transition zone between the Dead Sea Transform and the East Anatolian Fault Zone, Southern Turkey: a palaeomagnetic study of the Karasu Rift Volcanism

In southern Turkey ongoing differential impingement of Arabia into the weak Anatolian collisional collage resulting from subduction of the Neotethyan Ocean has produced one of the most complex crustal interactions along the Alpine–Himalayan Orogen. Several major transforms with disputed motions, including the northward extension of the Dead Sea Fault Zone (DSFZ), meet in this region. To evaluate neotectonic motion on the Amanos and East Hatay fault zones considered to be northward extensions of the DSFZ, the palaeomagnetism of volcanic fields in the Karasu Rift between these faults has been studied. Remanence carriers are low-Ti magnetites and all except 5 of 51 basalt lavas have normal polarity. Morphological, polarity and K–Ar evidence show that rift formation occurred largely during the Brunhes chron with volcanism concentrated at 0.66–0.35 Ma and a subsidiary episode at 0.25–0.05. Forty-four units of normal polarity yield a mean of D/I=8.8°/54.7° with inclination identical to the present-day field and declination rotated clockwise by 8.8±4.0°. Within the 15-km-wide Hassa sector of the Karasu Rift, the volcanic activity is concentrated between the Amanos and East Hatay faults, both with left lateral motions, which have rotated blocks bounded by NW–SE cross faults in a clockwise sense as the Arabian Block has moved northwestwards. An average lava age of 0.5 Ma yields a minimum cumulative slip rate on the system bounding faults of 0.46 cm/year according with the rate deduced from the Africa–Arabia Euler vector and reduced rates of slip on the southern extension of the DSFZ during Plio-Quaternary times. Estimates deduced from offsets of dated lavas flows and morphological features on the Amanos Fault Zone [Tectonophysics 344 (2002) 207] are lower (0.09–0.18 cm/year) probably because they are limited to surface fault breaks and do not embrace the seismogenic crust.Results of this study suggest that most strike slip on the DSFZ is taken up by the Amanos–East Hatay–Afrin fault array in southern Turkey. Comparable estimates of Quaternary slip rate are identified on other faults meeting at an unstable FFF junction (DSFZ, East Anatolian Fault Zone, Karatas Fault Zone). A deceleration in slip rate across the DSFZ and its northward continuation during Plio-Quaternary times correlates with reorganization of the tectonic regime during the last 1–3 Ma including tectonic escape within Anatolia, establishment of the North and East Anatolian Fault Zones bounding the Anatolian collage in mid–late Pliocene times, a contemporaneous transition from transpression to transtension and concentration of all basaltic magmatism in this region within the last 1 Ma.     

A review of the geodynamic constraints on the development and evolution of geothermal systems in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone (18–28°Lat.S)

ABSTRACT

Geothermal exploration in the Central Andean Volcanic Zone (CAVZ) focuses on heat capacities of known geothermal systems, yet the role of faults, veins, fractures and folds on the evolution and migration of fluids is far from complete. Here, we present a compilation of He and Sr isotope data and newly generated structural maps to examine if particular tectonic configurations are associated with fluids migrating from different crustal levels. Accordingly, we defined three tectono-geothermal environments (T1–T3) depicting specific structural arrangements and spatial relation with geothermal and volcanic manifestations. T1 is dominated by left-lateral strike-slip NW-striking faults, and geothermal and volcanic manifestations occur along the traces of these structures. T2 is dominated by N-striking thrust faults and parallel fault-propagated folds, cut and displaced by NW-striking faults. Here, geothermal manifestations occur at fault intersections and at fold hinges. T3 is defined by left-lateral/normal NW-striking faults, with geothermal and volcanic manifestations lying along fault traces. Each tectono-geothermal environment yields distinctive isotope ratios and geothermal reservoir temperatures. T1 shows high helium and low strontium ratios, and temperatures between 220° and 310°C. T3 shows low helium and high strontium ratios and temperatures between 260° and 320°C. T2 isotope ratios fall between T1 and T3, with lowest (130°-250°C) reservoir temperatures. We argue that these particular isotope signatures are due to a structural control on reservoir location and orientation. The orientation of the fracture mesh genetically associated with each tectono-geothermal environment is a first-order control on the migration pathway of fluids. Our model shows that T1 allows fluxing of deeper fluids, T2 promotes storage and favors longer residence times and T3 enhances subvertical fluid migration. Results here help to explain the evolution of geothermal systems in a wider context, including fault systems and Sr and He isotope variations, thus providing a framework for geothermal exploration in the CAVZ.     

Diagenesis and Diagenetic Evolution of Deltaic and Neritic Gas-Bearing Sandstones in the Lower Mingyuefeng Formation of Paleogene, Lishui Sag, East China Sea Shelf Basin: Implications for Depositional Environments and Sequence Stratigraphy Controls

Gas-bearing deposits in the Lower Mingyuefeng Formation of Paleogene, Lishui Sag, East China Sea Shelf Basin consist of shoreface sandstones of the highstand systems tract (HST) and transgressive systems tract (TST), and deltaic sandstones of the lowstand systems tract (LST) and falling stage systems tract (FSST). Detailed petrographic observations suggest that the diagenetic features and related evolution of these deposits cannot be simply characterized and demonstrated in the depth domain. However, the occurrence of diagenetic minerals systematically depends on the studied interval within the HST, TST, LST, and FSST; therefore, diagenesis in this region can be better constrained when studied in the context of the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphic framework. The eogenetic processes in such settings include: (1) microcrystalline siderite precipitated as concretions in almost all environments and systems tracts, which inhibited further mechanical compaction; (2) grain dissolution and kaolinitization occurred in shoreface HST sandstones and deltaic LST and FSST sandstones; (3) glaucony was locally observed, which did not clearly reflect the controls of facies or sequence stratigraphy; and (4) cementation by pyrite aggregates occurred in the shoreface HST sandstones and deltaic LST sandstones. The mesogenetic diagenesis includes: (1) partial conversion of kaolinite into dickite in deltaic LST sandstones, and minor chlorite cementation in deltaic FSST sandstones; (2) transformation of kaolinite into illite and quartz cementation in deltaic LST and FSST sandstones; (3) frequent precipitation of ankerite and ferroan calcite in shoreface TST sandstones and early HST sandstones, forming baffles and barriers for fluid flow, with common calcite in shoreface HST sandstones as a late diagenetic cement; and (4) formation of dawsonite in the deltaic LST and FSST sandstones, which is interpreted to be a product of the invasion of a CO2-rich fluid, and acts as a good indicator of CO2-bearing reservoirs. This study has thus constructed a reliable conceptual model to describe the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations. The results may provide an entirely new conceptual framework and methodology for successful gas exploration in the continental margins of offshore China, thus allowing us to predict and unravel the distribution and quality evolution of clastic reservoirs at a more detailed and reliable scale.     

Characteristics,differences and main controlling factors of source rocks in the central‐southern South China Sea Basins

The South China Sea is rich in oil and gas resources. With the increasing exploration of oil and gas resources in the northern South China Sea and the increasing demand for energy in the world, The central‐southern South China Sea have become important constituencies for oil and gas resources. The central‐southern basins of South China Sea can be divided into three types of basin groups, namely, the southern basin group (Zengmu Basin, Brunei‐Sabah Basin), the western basin group (Wan'an Basin, Zhong jiannan Basin) and the Central Basin Group (Liyue Basin, Beikang Basin, Nanweixi Basin and Palawan Basin). At present, the degree of exploration is relatively low, and the source rock has not yet formed a understanding of the system. The main source rock development time, source rock characteristics, hydrocarbon generation potential and control factors of each basin group are still unclear, which seriously restricts the exploration of oil and gas. Based on the sedimentary facies distribution and sedimentary filling evolution, combined with the geoche mical characteristics of the source rocks, the source age, organic matter type, hydrocarbon generation potential and main controlling factors of the basins in the central‐southern basins are discussed. By the detailed research on delta scale, provenance system, paleoclimate conditions, ancient vegetation development and hydroca rbon generation parent material, the main controlling factors of hydrocarbon generation potential of source rocks in each basin group are revealed.