Oil source rocks at the mesozoic and cenozoic continental margins: Communication 1. Oil source rocks at continental margins in the Triassic-Jurassic and Neocomian-Aptian

The presence of rocks capable of generating hydrocarbons (HC) in the section of sedimentaryrock basins is an essential criterion for their qualification as structures with oil and gas pools. Although organic matter (OM) is always present as dissemination in genetically different sediments, it is believed that rocks enriched with OM of the sapropel series (2 to 3% C_org) can generate a significant amount of liquid HC. However, rock sequences with the C_org ranging from 3–5 to 15–20% are considered oil source formations. The rock section of large petroliferous basins usually includes one or two source sequences, which generated liquid and gaseous HCs after submergence to high temperature and pressures zones. In the basin confined to the Arctic slope of Alaska, one of the main producers of liquid HC is represented by the Upper Triassic clays and limestones of the Shublik Formation. In the Barents Sea and North Sea basins, such rocks are represented by the Spekk Formation and the Kimmeridge Clay, respectively; in the West Siberian basin, by the Bazhenovo Formation; in the Persian Gulf, by the Fahlian, Sargelu, and Garau formations; in basins of the Caribbean region, by marls and clayey limestones of the La Luna Formation. In perioceanic basins of the South Atlantic, the major source sequences are represented by the Neocomian and Barremian clays and marls. The source rocks are identified as the Lagoa Feia Formation in the Campos and Santos basins. They are cognized as the Black Marlstone or Bukomazi Formation in the Lower Congo, Kwanzaa-Cameroon, and Angola basins.     

Petroliferous basins at continental margins of paleozoic paleoseas: Communication 2. Petroliferous basins at continental margins in the Rheic, Uralian, and Central Asian paleoseas

The continental block of the Earth’s crust was separated in the Paleozoic into two unequal parts: (i) huge supercontinent Gondwana located at high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere and (ii) several small continents (Laurentia, Baltica, Siberia, Kazakhstan, South Chinese block, and North Chinese blocks) located at low latitudes south and north of the equator. Morphology of the Paleozoic seas between these blocks was subjected to changes (expansion and contraction) with time. Their closure was provoked by several orogenic (Taconian, Caledonian, Acadian, and Hercynian) phases. At present, relicts of these ancient orogenic structures extend as belts along the boundaries of many petroliferous basins and record the position of past seas. One of the oldest oil-and-gas deposition belts, which appeared in southern Iapetus in the Precambrian/Phanerozoic, was confined to a passive margin of Gondwana. In the Early Paleozoic, small blocks of the continental crust (Avalonia, Armorica, Perunica, Iberica, and others) were successively detached from the passive margin. This process was accompanied by the opening of a new deep basin (Rheic Sea or Paleotethys). The Uralian and Central Asian paleoseas were formed approximately at the same time. Many petroliferous basins existing now were located in the Paleozoic at the margins of these paleoseas.     

Hydrocarbon source rocks in sedimentary basins of continental margins in the Middle-Late Paleozoic

The second half of the Paleozoic was marked by amalgamation of large continental blocks. The collision between the Laurentia and Baltica continents in the Devonian culminated in the formation of Laurussia. This event was followed by accretion of the Siberian and Kazakhstan continental blocks after the closure of the Uralian marine basin in the terminal Carboniferous-initial Permian. These processes were responsible for the formation of the Pangea supercontinent at the end of the Permian Period. They were accompanied by climate changes reflected in the alternation of warming and cooling epochs. One of these cooling epochs was terminated by large-scale glaciation of Gondwana at the end of the Carboniferous Period. Nevertheless, the most significant process, which drastically changed the existing paleogeographic situation, was colonization of continents by plants and animals, and, thus, accumulation of coaliferous formations in them. The lacustrine and sea basins also accumulated humic and mixed humic/sapropel organic matter (OM) in addition to pure sapropelic sediments.     

Petroliferous basins at continental margins of Paleozoic paleoseas: Communication 1. Petroliferous basins at margins of Iapetus and Panthalassa

Although large marine basins governing the fabric of our planet in the Paleozoic disappeared later (whether or not they were oceans is a debatable issue), sedimentary basins formed at continental margins at that time played a crucial role as depositories of various fossil minerals, including ores, salts, phosphorites, coal, bauxites, and construction materials. Many of these basins are oil- and gas-bearing structures. Their oldest representatives are confined to margins of Proterozoic/Paleozoic paleoseas (Iapetus and Panthalassa), whereas other basins appeared after opening of the Central Asian, Uralian, and Rheic (Paleotethys) deep-marine basins. Study of specific features of the sedimentary cover of such basins, rock composition therein, rocks and associated oil- and gas-bearing systems revealed that the Paleozoic planet was divided into two parts: Gondwana, with the major portion confined to high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere; and other smaller near-equatorial continents. This pattern significantly governed the composition and mode of post-sedimentary transformations of natural reservoirs, as well as age and spatial distribution of the major hydrocarbon (HC) source sequences. Most Paleozoic oil- and gas-bearing basins make up specific belts because of their confinement to continental margins in paleoseas of that time.     

Paleomagnetism and the alpine tectonics of Eurasia V: The paleomagnetism of some mesozoic and cenozoic volcanic rocks from the lebanon

A sampling of Mesozoic and Tertiary basalts in Lebanon yielded the following information:

Age	D	I	α95	Pole position	dp	dm
Upper Jurassic	95	+21	10.6	114E 2N	5.9	11.2
				66W 2S
Lower Cretaceous	122	+2	9.0	105E 25S	4.5	9.0
				75W 25N
Upper Pliocene	2	+46	7.7	169E 88N	6.3	9.8
				11W 88S

Full-size table

These results confirm and amplify earlier work by Van Dongen et al., and can be interpreted as indicating a net anticlockwise rotation of Lebanon relative to the African tectonic plate amounting to about 70° during the Late Jurassic-Pliocene interval. This could have resulted from differential movement between the African and European plates as they made way for the growing Atlantic Ocean.     

Source rocks in sedimentary basins of continental margins in the early paleozoic

During the Paleozoic, epochs with the relatively cold climate alternated with epochs marked by significant warming. Moreover, cooling epochs were characterized by the substantial sea level fall, while warming was accompanied by its rapid rise. In many basins located at margins of Laurentia, Baltica, and the North China continental block, such an alternation is reflected in the structure of sedimentary sequences and the lateral/vertical distribution of reservoirs, confining beds, and source rocks. Despite the fact that sediments with high concentrations of sapropelic OM accumulated in different periods, their distribution areas on continents and their margins became highly reduced during cold epochs, when these sediments filled mostly rift troughs and foreland basins. After the colonization of land by higher plant communities in the Carboniferous and Permian sediments deposited during cold epochs, the humic material became an important constituent of OM in the source rock sequences.     

Glaciogenic and related sedimentary rocks: Main lithochemical features. Communication 2. The Paleozoic and Cenozoic

Lithochemical features of the Early-Late Paleozoic and Cenozoic glaciogenic and related sedimentary rocks around the world are considered. Comparison of the bulk chemical composition of diamictites with the average Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS) revealed that the diamictites do not show any lithochemical characteristics unambiguously indicating their formation under cool climatic conditions. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) often used in the paleoclimatic reconstructions should be considered as additional (though very important) tool, because it is controlled by local factors. Taking into account these facts, there are likely no grounds to expect that the amount of the redeposited sedimentary material in the Late Paleozoic and Cenozoic glaciogenic rocks is more than in their Early Proterozoic and Late Riphean-Vendian analogues.     

渤海湾盆地新生界生油岩系底界面温度分布

依据渤海湾盆地2000余口测温井的地温梯度数据、地层岩性描述、分层数据以及钻井资料,计算了该盆地各生油岩系底界面的温度。统计结果表明:渤海湾盆地沙河街组大部分凹陷区地层底界面温度介于90℃至150℃,目前仍具有大量生油的温度条件,而在隆起或一些凸起地区,该地层组段温度普遍小于90℃,未能达到生油的温度指标。东营组和孔店组地层也仍具有一定的生油温度条件。研究还表明:地层温度与地层界面埋深密切相关,温度随界面埋深的增大而升高,沉积厚度大的凹陷区地层界面温度大于沉积厚度小的凸起区或斜坡地带,说明地层界面埋深是决定地温高低的主要控制因素,而地温梯度对地层界面温度的影响相对较小。     

Oil and gas potential of continental margins of the Pacific Ocean

Oil and gas basins (OGB) of active and transform margins of the Pacific Ocean are discussed. Their western and eastern parts differ substantially in the evolution, tectonic pattern, and scope of resources. In the west, marginal seas incorporated into the Cenozoic geodynamic system of deep-water basins (marginal seas) and conjugate island arcs exhibit a greater oil and gas potential (hereafter, petroleum potential) as compared to the eastern margin bounded by a deep-water trench and transformed into the framing with OGBs only in separate sectors. The abundance of siliceous rocks influenced the formation and accumulation of oil and gas in the Pacific region. The most part of hydrocarbon accumulations is related to organogenic edifices and channels of shelf fans. Oil and gas fields confined to fans on slopes of deep-water troughs of active and transform margins are also known. Proceeding from the global practice, significant petroleum potential in Russia is associated with back-arc seas of the Pacific. The poorly studied deep-water basins on slopes are worthy of special attention.     

Partial melting of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks at convergent continental margins: Evidences,melt compositions and physical effects

Ultrahigh-pressure(UHP) metamorphic rocks are distinctive products of crustal deep subduction,and are mainly exposed in continental subduction-collision terranes. UHP slices of continental crust are usually involved in multistage exhumation and partial melting, which has obvious influence on the rheological features of the rocks, and thus significantly affect the dynamic behavior of subducted slices. Moreover,partial melting of UHP rocks have significant influence on element mobility and related isotope behavior within continental subduction zones, which is in turn crucial to chemical differentiation of the continental crust and to crust-mantle interaction.Partial melting can occur before, during or after the peak metamorphism of UHP rocks. Post-peak decompression melting has been better constrained by remelting experiments; however, because of multiple stages of decompression, retrogression and deformation, evidence of former melts in UHP rocks is often erased. Field evidence is among the most reliable criteria to infer partial melting. Glass and nanogranitoid inclusions are generally considered conclusive petrographic evidence. The residual assemblages after melt extraction are also significant to indicate partial melting in some cases. Besides field and petrographic evidence, bulk-rock and zircon trace-element geochemical features are also effective tools for recognizing partial melting of UHP rocks. Phase equilibrium modeling is an important petrological tool that is becoming more and more popular in P-T estimation of the evolution of metamorphic rocks; by taking into account the activity model of silicate melt, it can predict when partial melting occurred if the P-T path of a given rock is provided.UHP silicate melt is commonly leucogranitic and peraluminous in composition with high SiO_2,low MgO, FeO, MnO, TiO_2 and CaO, and variable K_2 O and Na_2 O contents. Mineralogy of nanogranites found in UHP rocks mainly consists of plagioclase + K-feldspar + quartz, plagioclase being commonly albite-rich.Trace element pattern of the melt is characterized by significant enrichment of large ion lithophile elements(LILE), depletion of heavy rare earth elements(HREE) and high field strength elements(HFSE),indicating garnet and rutile stability in the residual assemblage. In eclogites, significant Mg-isotope fractionation occurs between garnet and phengite; therefore, Mg isotopes may become an effective indicator for partial melting of eclogites.     

印度大陆板片前缘撕裂与分段俯冲：来自冈底斯新生代火山-岩浆作用证据

青藏高原碰撞造山带不仅呈现南北不均一性,而且显示东西分段性。以横贯高原腹地的NNE向负磁异常带为界,将冈底斯分为三段。在宽约300km的负磁异常带为代表的中段,近SN向的裂谷和正断层系统、重要地震和现代热水活动、古新世林子宗火山岩系和中新世超钾质火山岩系、以及日喀则弧前盆地集中发育,伴有斑岩型Cu-Mo和成因独特的Au-Cu矿化;在85°E以西的西段,主要发育强烈逆冲推覆系、同碰撞期花岗岩和中新世钾质-超钾质火山岩系,伴有造山型Au矿化;而在90°E以东的东段,主要发育走滑断裂系、同碰撞期花岗岩和中新世埃达克质斑岩,伴有斑岩型Cu-Mo矿化。古新世林子宗火山岩的精细定年和地球化学特征揭示,印度大陆板片向北的俯冲-汇聚至少在50Ma前没有表现出明显的时间差异性。然而,中新世钾质-超钾质岩和大规模花岗岩基的时空分布和地球化学特征反映,印度大陆板片前缘可能发生撕裂,并发生分段式差异俯冲,西段(85°E以西)俯冲规模大,距离远,东段(90°E以东)俯冲规模小,可能未跨过雅江缝合带。沿着负磁异常带两侧的边界裂谷带,高SiO_2煌斑岩和念青唐古拉花岗岩基及相伴钾质火山岩的发育,揭示来源于软流圈地幔的岩浆和高热流穿过板片撕裂带并沿耦合上覆的裂谷带上涌,前者侵位和喷发,后者诱发地壳熔融。90°E与85°E之间的俯冲板片可能由于撕裂、断离和破碎,因而导致斜跨高原腹地的大面积通道式负磁异常带。     

长江源区新生代火山岩的年代学研究

长江源区的火山岩包含了青藏高原北部新生代火山岩形成及演化的全部信息，其年代学研究对查明青藏高原北部新生代火山活动时空演化具有重要意义。通过K—Ar同位素年代学研究，将长江源区新生代的火山活动划分为3期：第Ⅰ期(40．1-35．1Ma)火山喷发较弱，形成小范围分布的细粒安粗岩和斑状粗面岩；第Ⅱ期(26．5～17．6Ma)火山喷溢最为强烈，形成大面积厚层黑色气孔状安粗岩；第Ⅲ期(5．5-4．61Ma)由潜火山作用形成球粒状、斑状粗面岩岩丘。长江源区3个期次的火山喷发与青藏高原北部火山活动的阶段性相对应。长江源区新生代火山岩的演化特征为：从早到晚，岩石系列由高钾钙碱性系列→钾玄岩系列演化；岩性由安粗岩→粗面岩演化。     

The formation environment and development modes of Cenozoic source rocks in the Qiongdongnan Basin

According to the drilling results,there are three sets of source rocks of the Cenozoic Group in the Qiongdongnan Basin,including the Yacheng Formation transitional facies mudstone,the Oligocene Lingshui Formation semi-enclosed marine facies mudstone,and the Miocene neritic-bathyal facies mudstone.The hydrocarbon generating conditions of the source rocks in the study area are mainly controlled by sedimentary environment and organic matter input.The abundance of organic matter in the Oligocene source rocks which were formed in a low-energy back shore environment is confined by organic matter input and hydrodynamic condition.The Miocene source rocks formed in the open marine environment lack terrestrial organic matter input,whose organic matter abundance is constrained by the primary production of the ocean and the preservation condition of organic matter.In addition,the redox conditions are also significant to the formation of source rocks in the study area.According to the differences in key factors controlling the development of source rocks in different time periods and structural belts revealed by drilling practice,three development patterns of source rocks have been put forward.The first one is the transitional facies model featuring a great deal of terrestrial organic matter and weakly hydrodynamic conditions which are apt to develop high effective source rocks in the Yacheng Formation.The second one is the semi-enclosed marine facies featuring abundant terrestrial organic matter,weakly hydrodynamic condition and fine preservation condition in the central depression zone,which are apt to form fine-quality source rocks in the Lingshui Formation.The third one is the marine facies model featuring strong hydrodynamics in the shore-shallow area of northern continental shelf and the lack of benthic algae which are against the development of source rocks.It can be predicted that the continental slope is the perfect place to form source rocks where adequate amounts of light favor the photosynthesis of plants,besides the fine preservation and weakly hydrodynamic conditions.In the deep sea area,although accompanied with weakly hydrodynamic conditions and a reduction environment,it is not suitable for the development of source rocks on account of less aquatic organisms causing low primary production.     

Tectonic Environments of Cenozoic Volcanic Rocks in China and Characteristics of the Source Regions in the Mantle

Extensive volcanism is one of the important features of Cenozoic geology in China.Based on temporal-spatial distribution,the volcanism was associated with three major different geological settings:1)the continental rift basalts in Northeast and North China;2)the tension-fault basalts on the continental margins of Southeast China; and 3) the collision-zone high-K volcanics in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its vicinities.The characteristics of “depletion in the south and enrichment in the north“of the China continental mantle are strongly supported by isotopic evidence.The Cenozoic continental cal characters,into the following geochemical provinces:1)the depleted mantle in South China;2)the primary mantle in Northeast and NorthChina; 3)the hybrid and transi-tional mantle in the region of Shandong ,Anhui,Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang;4)the depleted mantle around the Bohai Bay and the Lower Liaohe River;5)the K-metasomatic enriched mantle in the northern part of Northeast China;and 6)the re-cycled enriched mantle in the ancient subduction zone in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its surround-ings.These geochemical characteristics on a regional scale must be a reflection of the nature of lithosphere evolution.     

Characteristics and evaluation of Mesozoic source rocks in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf

Source rocks are the material basis of oil and gas generation and determine the potential resources of exploration blocks and have important research value. This paper studies the lithology, thickness, and geochemistry of Mesozoic source rocks in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf. The results show that the Mesozoic source rocks are mainly dark mudstone and coal-bearing strata. The total thickness of Lower–Middle Jurassic source rocks ranges from 100 m to 700 m, and that of Lower Cretaceous source rocks ranges from 50 m to 350 m. The overall thickness of Mesozoic source rocks is distributed in the NE direction and their thickness center is located in the Jilong Depression. The Lower–Middle Jurassic source rocks are mainly developed shallow marine dark mudstone and transitional coal measure strata. Those of the Lower Cretaceous are mainly mudstone of a fan delta front. Lower–Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous hydrocarbon source rocks are dominated by type III kerogen, with Lower–Middle Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks having high organic matter abundance and being medium–good hydrocarbon source rocks, while Lower Cretaceous hydrocarbon source rocks have relatively poor quality. From northwest to southeast, the vitrinite reflectance Ro of Mesozoic source rocks increases gradually. Source rocks in the study area are divided into three types. The first hydrocarbon-generating area is mainly located in the southeastern region of the study area, and the Jilong Depression is the hydrocarbon-generating center. The results of this study can provide a basis for exploration of Mesozoic oil and gas resources in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf.© 2019 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Peralkaline silicic melts of island arcs, active continental margins, and intraplate continental settings: Evidence from the investigation of melt inclusions in minerals and quenched glasses of rocks

Based on the analysis of data on the composition of melt inclusions in minerals and quenched glasses of igneous rocks, we considered the problems of the formation of peralkaline silicic magmas (i.e., whose agpaitic index, the molar ratio AI = (Na₂O + K₂O)/Al₂O₃, is higher than one). The mean compositions of peralkaline silicic melts are reported for island arcs and active continental margins and compared with the compositions of melts from other settings, primarily, intraplate continental areas. Peralkaline silicic rocks are rather common in the latter. Such rocks are rare in island arcs and active continental margins, but agpaitic melts were observed in inclusions in phenocrysts of plagioclase, quartz, pyroxene, and other minerals. Plagioclase fractionation from an alkali-rich melt with AI < 1 is considered as a possible mechanism for the formation of peralkaline silicic melts (Bowen’s plagioclase effect). However, the analysis of available experimental data on plagioclase-melt equilibria showed that natural peralkaline melts are almost never in equilibrium with plagioclase. For the same reason, the melting of the majority of crustal rocks, which usually contain plagioclase, does not produce peralkaline melts. The existence of peralkaline silicic melt inclusions in plagioclase phenocrysts suggests that plagioclase can crystallize from peralkaline melts, and the plagioclase effect may play a certain role. Another mechanism for the formation of peralkaline silicic magmas is the melting of alkali-rich basic and intermediate rocks, including the spilitized varieties of subalkali basalts.     

陆相火山岩区填图方法的实践——以浙江嵊州新生代玄武岩为例

从20世纪90年代以来,中国陆相火山岩区调查工作普遍采用"火山构造-火山岩相-火山岩性"三位一体的思路与工作方法。以浙江嵊州地区1∶5万区域地质调查工作为例,探讨了该方法在大面积新生代玄武岩区中的应用。系统的野外调查及研究显示,在新生代玄武岩区,遥感技术及新的影像图是火山岩区填图的关键,图像解译-野外验证的反复实践,是提高填图效果和质量的有效方法。在野外,特殊的地貌、爆发相的集块角砾岩及火山颈相的玄武玢岩往往指示了火山机构的中心;火山岩相、喷发间断是划分火山旋回的关键。火山机构、火山岩相、火山岩性的时间-空间变化是恢复古火山喷发历史的关键手段。     

青藏高原羊湖新生代陆相盆地雅西措群烃源岩初步评价

青藏高原羊湖新生代陆相盆地雅西措群潜在烃源岩的类型为灰色、黄灰色、灰黑色泥岩和灰绿色泥灰岩,厚度约100m。根据野外对露头烃源岩的观察,结合样品室内分析结果,从有机质的丰度、类型、成熟度等方面对其进行了初步评价。雅西措群烃源岩有机质丰度偏低,泥岩和泥灰岩有机碳平均含量分别为0.19%和0.14%,灰色、黄灰色泥岩表现出非—较差烃源岩的特征,灰黑色泥岩为好烃源岩,灰绿色泥灰岩表现出中等—好烃源岩的特征。泥岩烃源岩有机质类型主要表现为Ⅱ和Ⅲ型,主体处于未成熟—低成熟阶段。泥灰岩烃源岩有机质类型表现为Ⅰ—Ⅱ1型,处于低成熟—成熟阶段。