Lower carboniferous (Dinantian) stratigraphy and structure in the Kingscourt Outlier,Ireland

Logging of 55 recent boreholes, together with remapping, has resulted in a fundamental reassessment of the stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Dinantian Kingscourt Outlier. Despite the present isolated position of the outlier within the Longford-Down Massif, the Kingscourt rocks are an integral part of the Dublin Basin succession. The newly defined Ardagh Platform marks the most northerly limit to basinal sedimentation in the Dinantian Dublin Basin. The Courceyan is a typical but thinner, north Dublin Basin succession with two new formal units: the Rockfield Sandstone Member and the Kilbride Formation. The latter, a coarse-grained, well washed limestone of latest Courceyan to early Chadian (late Tournaisian) age is the shallow water equivalent of the Feltrim Formation (Waulsortian facies), which is absent in the outlier. The Courceyan interval in the north of the outlier is markedly attenuated. In the succeeding Chadian-Brigantian interval basinal facies predominate in the south, but on the Ardagh Platform an almost complete coeval Viséan shallow water sequence is found. A new platform unit (Deer Park Formation) of latest Asbian to Brigantian age is defined in the Ardagh area. The Dee Member (Chadian) is newly defined for the lower part of the basinal Tober Colleen Formation and the Altmush Shale Member is formally defined for the upper part of the Loughshinny Formation. Two major structures dominate the Kingscourt Outlier: the NE-SW trending Moynalty Syncline in the south and the N-S trending Kingscourt Fault. Both are Hercynian structures, but probably represent reactivated Caledonide basement-controlled structures. Dinantian syn-depositional faulting is indicated in both the Courceyan (‘Kingscourt Sag’) and Chadian-Asbian. The latter period of faulting in the Ardagh area separates platform facies in the north from basinal facies to the south. In the late Asbian, platform facies with carbonate build-ups prograded south into the basin as far south as Nobber, but in the latest Asbian to Brigantian, basinal facies extended northwards over the collapsed platform margin.     

Lower Carboniferous (Dinantian) stratigraphy and structure of the Walterstown-Kentstown area,Co. Meath,Ireland

Stratigraphic units are defined and described for the Lower Carboniferous succession in the Walterstown-Kentstown area of Co. Meath, Ireland. A complete (unexposed) Courceyan succession from the terrestrial red bed facies of the Baronstown Formation to the Moathill Formation of the Navan Group has been penetrated in several boreholes. Although the lower part of the sequence is comparable with the Courceyan succession at Navan and Slane, the middle part of the sequence differs markedly in the Walterstown-Kentstown area and two new members, the Proudstown and Walterstown Members, are defined in the upper part of the Meath Formation. Syndepositional faulting was initiated during the Courceyan, probably in latest Pseudopolygnathus multistriatus or early Polygnathus mehli latus time. Movement on the ENE trending St. Patrick's Well Fault influenced the deposition of the Walterstown Member and the overlying Moathill Formation and was probably associated with the development of the East Midlands depocentre to the south of the area. A second episode of tectonism in the latest Courceyan or early Chadian resulted in uplift and erosion and the development of ‘block and basin’ sedimentation. Subsequent transgression of the uplifted block led to the establishment of the Kentstown Platform, bounded to the north, west and south by rocks of basinal facies. The Milverton Group (Chadian-Asbian), confined to this platform, unconformably overlies Courceyan or Lower Palaeozoic strata and is subdivided into three formations: Crufty Formation (late Chadian), Holmpatrick Formation (late Chadian-Arundian) and Mullaghfin Formation (late Arundian-Asbian). The Walterstown Fault controlled the western margin of the Kentstown Platform at this time. Contemporaneous basinal sediments of the Fingal Group (Lucan and Naul Formations) accumulated to the west of the Walterstown Fault and are much thicker than age-equivalent platform facies. Platform sedimentation ceased in latest Asbian to early Brigantian time with tectonically induced collapse and drowning of the platform; platform carbonates of the Mullaghfin Formation are onlapped northwards by coarse proximal basinal facies of the Loughshinny Formation. A distinct gravity anomaly in the Kentstown area suggests the presence of a granitoid body within the basement. The Kentstown Platform is therefore considered to have formed on a buoyant, granite-cored, footwall high analogous to the Askrigg and Alston Blocks of northern England.     

Stratigraphy and sedimentology of lower carboniferous (Dinantian) boreholes from West Co. Meath,Ireland

The 2-km deep Athboy Borehole (1439/2) together with the lower part of boreholes EP30 and N915 form a standard type section for strata of Dinantian (Courceyan to Asbian) age in west Co. Meath. Above a thin basal red-bed siliciclastic sequence, the marine Courceyan shelf succession is almost 600 m thick. It comprises the Liscartan, Meath, and Moathill Formations of the Navan Group and the Slane Castle Formation of the succeeding Boyne Group. The shallow-water limestones include micrites, oolites, and sandy bioclastic packstones and grainstones with subordinate skeletal wackestones and shales. Lateral facies changes from north to south in the Navan area suggest deepening across a shelf towards a depocentre further to the south around Trim. The deeper-water Waulsortian Limestones of late Courceyan to Chadian age (Feltrim Formation, ca. 213 m thick) form a series of five sheet-like mudbanks, interbedded with generally thin units of nodular crinoidal limestones and shales. The mudbanks are formed of bryozoan-rich peloidal wackestones and lime-mudstones with phase C and D components. Rare soft-sediment breccias occur at the bottom and top of banks. The succeeding Fingal Group commences with a thin interval (3–20 m) of black shales, laminated packstones, and micritic limestones of Chadian age, the Tober Colleen Formation. This is followed by the Lucan Formation (Chadian to Asbian) predominantly of laminated and graded calciturbidites, laminated sandstones, cherts, and black shales, which is over 1300 m thick. Ten sedimentary units have been informally defined, based on lithofacies and facies associations. The oldest unit, the Tara Member, is characterized by proximal debris-flow breccia deposits and nodular mudstones. A thick bioturbated micrite and shale unit (Ardmulchan Member) in the middle of the formation is overlain directly by a coarse oolitic and crinoidal grainstone unit (Beauparc Member). Near the top of the formation is a distinctive unit of coarse-grained laminated sandstones and shales (Athboy Member). The highest rocks in the Borehole are clean thickly-bedded limestones of the Asbian Naul Formation (>90 m thick). The youngest Dinantian strata in the area, the Brigantian Loughshinny Formation, marks a return to shale-dominant basin sedimentation. The significance of this work lies in the fact that the Athboy borehole is the longest continuously cored borehole in the Carboniferous of Ireland and provides a continuous sedimentary and biostratigraphic record for the northern part of the Dublin Basin. Foraminiferal biozones (Cf2–Cf6) have been recognized in this and in borehole N915, and Stage boundaries identified, which can be applied throughout the Basin. The sedimentary record for the Lucan Formation indicates four tectonic pulses during the Viséan, in the late Chadian/early Arundian, mid-Arundian, Holkerian, and late Holkerian/early Asbian.     

Stratigraphic evolution of the nearshore to fluvial plain of the Upper Cuyo Group,Neuquén,Argentina

The upper portion of the Cuyo Group in the Zapala region, south‐eastern Neuquén Basin (Western Argentina), encompasses marine and transitional deposits (Lajas Formation) overlain by alluvial rocks (Challacó Formation). The Challacó Formation is covered by the Mendoza Group above a second‐order sequence boundary. The present study presents the stratigraphic framework and palaeophysiographic evolution of this Bajocian to Eo‐Calovian interval. The studied succession comprises the following genetic facies associations: (i) offshore and lower shoreface–offshore transition; (ii) lower shoreface; (iii) upper shoreface; iv) intertidal–subtidal; (v) supratidal–intertidal; (vi) braided fluvial to delta plain; (vii) meandering river; and (viii) braided river. The stratigraphic framework embraces four third‐order depositional sequences (C1 to C4) whose boundaries are characterized by the abrupt superposition of proximal over distal facies associations. Sequences C1 to C3 comprise mostly littoral deposits and display well‐defined, small‐scale transgressive–regressive cycles associated with fourth‐order depositional sequences. Such high‐frequency cycles are usually bounded by ravinement surfaces associated with transgressive lags. At last, the depositional sequence C4 delineates an important tectonic reorganization probably associated with an uplift of the Huincul Ridge. This is suggested by an inversion of the transport trend, north‐westward during the deposition of C1 to C3 depositional sequences (Lajas Formation) to a south‐west trend during the deposition of the braided fluvial strata related to the C4 depositional sequence (Challacó Formation).     

渝东南正阳盆地晚白垩世构造—沉积演化

重庆黔江正阳盆地位于川东南—湘鄂西隔槽式褶皱带中,发育上白垩统正阳组,其1段为冲、洪积相砾岩,2段为河、湖相砂岩、粉砂岩,含丰富的恐龙化石。该盆地是燕山运动在川东南—湘鄂西隔槽式褶皱带中形成的典型山间盆地,研究该盆地的构造—沉积演化对探讨晚白垩世渝东南构造演化具有重要意义,但目前针对该盆地的研究较少。本研究通过测量和分析正阳组中的沉积、构造特征,探讨了盆地的控盆断裂、古水流方向、沉积物来源以及构造演化史。对正阳组古流向恢复的研究表明,其物源主要来自西侧。燕山期,北西—南东向的区域挤压作用在川东南地区形成了广泛分布的节理系及逆冲断层,这些断层随着挤压应力的持续将各滑脱层连通,岩层在断坡附近堆叠,背斜扩展,逐渐形成隔槽式褶皱。燕山末期,渝东南地区在局部拉张的构造背景下发育了正断层——“阿蓬江断裂”,其控制了正阳盆地的形成,并形成“东断西超、东低西高”的古地理格局,西侧地质体为盆地提供物源,沉积了正阳组。此后,局部挤压使得该地区抬升,遭受剥蚀,南侧抬升剥蚀较北侧明显。     

藏南洛扎地区侏罗、白垩纪岩相古地理特征

藏南洛扎地区侏罗、白垩纪处于印度板块被动边缘一侧,共划分9个沉积相带、9个沉积亚相.日当组由南而北,海水由浅变深,可划分3个相带;陆热组总体处于陆棚环境;遮拉组处于陆棚-深海盆地环境,沿绒布断裂以北,发育拉张环境下的中-基性火山岩,总体沿断裂-带呈中心式喷发,其沉积背景为深水盆地相,发育放射虫硅质岩等;维美组为深水背景,在硅质岩、泥质沉积的陆棚-盆地区,有浅水物质的夹层,发育深切河谷的水道沉积物与浊流沉积物共存现象,并对下伏地层产生强烈的下切;桑秀组区内再次表现为强烈的伸展拉张,绒布断裂可能初现,沿断层发育中心式的中-基性火山喷发,出现火山爆发角砾、枕状熔岩、柱状节理发育的安山岩,并在断裂北侧形成滑塌角砾岩,而南部相对平静,沉积-套陆棚相的泥质沉积物;甲不拉组显现“一隆两坳”的地貌单元,北侧绒布断裂以北为开阔海陆棚环境,洛扎以南为闭塞潟湖环境.     

山东潍北凹陷古近系孔店组一段特征及沉积演化

综合运用岩心、钻井、测井及地震资料,对潍北凹陷古近系孔一段的地层特征及沉积演化进行研究。结果表明：潍北凹陷孔店组一段可以划分为3个亚段、11个砂层组。在西部鄌郚—葛沟断裂和东部昌邑—大店断裂控制下,地层东西向发育稳定,仅在北部洼陷带地层显著加厚;在北部古城—潍河口断层控制下,地层向南部超覆,地层由北向南变薄。潍北凹陷孔店组一段主要发育扇三角洲相和湖泊相,南部斜坡带发育小范围三角洲相。孔一下亚段,物源供给充足,北部洼陷带、瓦城断阶带和灶户断鼻带发育大规模的扇三角洲相;孔一中亚段,湖盆水体变浅,物源供给减少,北部洼陷带、瓦城断阶带和灶户断鼻带继承性发育扇三角洲相,但分布范围变小;孔一上亚段,湖盆水体最浅,物源供给少,全区发育滨浅湖亚相,仅在央斜4井区和昌11井区发育小范围的扇三角洲相沉积。     

豫皖交界中新生代地层特征及盆地演化

豫皖交界地段中新生代盆地位于合肥盆地的南缘。该区中新生界划分方案不一。通过超覆不整合的厘定及区域对比将其自下而上划分为中侏罗统三尖铺组、凤凰台组，上侏罗统金刚台组，下白垩统段集组、陈棚组，第三系戚家桥组和第四系。中新生界沉积物以陆相红色类磨拉石建造和陆相火山碎屑岩建造为主，陆相红色类磨拉石的建造分析表明其形成于洪积扇和扇前河湖环境，碎屑来源是沉积区南侧的大别隆起和向北逆冲的浅变质岩带。其盆地类型为复合盆地，具有由南向北、由西向东迁移的特点，而盆地的性质则发生了从前陆盆地向断陷盆地的转变     

Evolution of the early devonian bindook volcanic complex,wollondilly basin,eastern lachlan fold belt

The Early Devonian Bindook Volcanic Complex consists of a thick silicic volcanic and associated sedimentary succession filling the extensional Wollondilly Basin in the northeastern Lachlan Fold Belt. The basal part of the succession (Tangerang Formation) is exposed in the central and southeastern Wollondilly Basin where it unconformably overlies Ordovician rocks or conformably overlies the Late Silurian to Early Devonian Bungonia Limestone. Six volcanic members, including three new members, are now recognised in the Tangerang Formation and three major facies have been delineated in the associated sedimentary sequence. The oldest part of the sequence near Windellama consists of a quartz turbidite facies deposited at moderate water depths together with the shallow‐marine shelf Windellama Limestone and Brooklyn Conglomerate Members deposited close to the eastern margin of the basin. Farther north the shelf facies consists of marine shale and sandstone which become progressively more tuffaceous northwards towards Marulan. The Devils Pulpit Member (new unit) is a shallow‐marine volcaniclastic unit marking the first major volcanic eruptions in the region. The overlying shallow‐marine sedimentary facies is tuffaceous in the north, contains a central Ordovician‐derived quartzose (?deltaic) facies and a predominantly mixed facies farther south. The initial volcanism occurred in an undefined area north of Marulan. A period of non‐marine exposure, erosion and later deposition of quartzose rocks marked a considerable break in volcanic activity. Volcanism recommenced with the widespread emplacement of the Kerillon Tuff Member (new unit), a thick, non‐welded rhyolitic ignimbrite followed by dacitic welded ignimbrite and air‐fall tuff produced by a large magnitude eruption leading to caldera collapse in the central part of the Bindook Volcanic Complex, together with an additional small eruptive centre near Lumley Park. The overlying Kerrawarra Dacite Member (new unit) is lava‐like in character but it also has the dimensions of an ignimbrite and covers a large part of the central Bindook Volcanic Complex. The Carne Dacite Member is interpreted as a series of subvolcanic intrusions including laccoliths, cryptodomes and sills. The Tangerang Formation is overlain by the extensive crystal‐rich Joaramin Ignimbrite (new unit) that was erupted from an undefined centre in the central or northern Bindook Volcanic Complex. The volcanic units at Wombeyan and the Kowmung Volcaniclastics in the northwestern part of the complex are probably lateral time‐equivalents of the Tangerang Formation and Joaramin Ignimbrite. All three successions pre‐date the major subaerial volcanic plateau‐forming eruptions represented by the Barrallier Ignimbrite (new unit). The latter post‐dated folding and an extensive erosional phase, and unconformably overlies many of the older units in the Bindook Volcanic Complex. This ignimbrite was probably erupted from a large caldera in the northern part of the complex and probably represents surface expressions of part of the intruding Marulan Batholith. The final volcanic episode is represented by the volcanic units at Yerranderie which formed around a crater at the northern end of the exposed Bindook Volcanic Complex.     

鄂尔多斯盆地二叠系山西组及下石盒子组盒8段南北物源沉积汇水区与古地理

在对鄂尔多斯盆地目的层段总体资料了解的基础上,对盆地南部4个露头剖面、18口井岩心的砂岩进行了切片分析,根据长石含量变化和其他岩矿特征、测井曲线与岩石组合特征、连井剖面以及露头沉积相分析,明确了山西组-下石盒子组盒8段沉积物在盆地南部的汇水区位置。“汇水区”指搬运南北物源沉积物的流水汇聚区,它大体上是南北物源沉积物分布的分界区、大致呈东西向分布。汇水区南北的长石含量存在明显差异。提出了在汇水区局部又存在南北物源沉积“交互区”的认识,“交互区”指南北物源沉积物抵达汇水区并在局部地段发生交互的地区,它是南北物源沉积物的连通区。交互区位于汇水区并分隔汇水区。在盒8段交互区发现了还原条件下形成的早期成岩矿物--菱铁矿结核。盆地南部山西期-盒8沉积期的沉积古地理受南部和北部物源沉积物的双重影响,连井剖面显示汇水区南北沉积相带具有对称分布的特征,其沉积单元和相带包括：（1）汇水区,含3个交互区;（2）汇水区南缘三角洲相带,含来自南部物源的3个三角洲;（3）汇水区北缘三角洲相带,含来自北部物源的4～5个三角洲;（4）与南、北三角洲相带过渡的河流相带。在上述认识的基础上,绘制了研究区目的层段沉积模式图。     

The Wajid Sandstone around Abha/Khamis Mushayt and in its type area: lithostratigraphic architecture and correlations

The Wajid Sandstone of southeastern Saudi Arabia is a prolific aquifer and a recent target for hydrocarbon exploration, but a sedimentologic model and the stratigraphic architecture of the sediments have only recently been presented for the type area of the Wajid Group around Wadi Dawasir. Farther to the west, the Wajid Sandstone was also recognized, but stratigraphic architecture and sedimentology are poorly known. This paper presents the preliminary results of investigations targeted at the outcrops west and south of the type area, covering the area between Wadi Dawasir, Najran in the south, and Abha in the west. Two successions are recognized, a lower red one and an upper beige one. Although the lower one sedimentologically shares several features with the lowermost unit in the type area, the marine Dibsiyah Formation, a correlation remains doubtful. The red succession lacks the Skolithos fauna of the Dibsiyah Formation, and its facies associations point to a fluvial depositional environment. From its stratigraphic position and from its lithology, the red succession is similar to the Siq Formation of the northern Kingdom and it will be discussed whether the red succession might be a yet unrecognized equivalent of the Siq Formation. The lower red unit is bounded by a major unconformity, separating it from the underlying basement. This pan-African unconformity developed during a latest Neoproterozoic–Cambrian episode of intensive weathering and peneplanation. It is characterized by a thick weathering zone and an overlying coarse but thin quartz pebble breccia to conglomerate, which together represent a regolith. The beige succession is definitely correlated to the Khusayyayn Formation. Both successions are characterized by macro-scale to giant 2D and 3D submarine dunes and share many other phenomena. The basal unconformity also shows regolith development with a quartz pebble conglomerate, whose clasts seem to have been reworked from the pan-African regolith.     

东辛油田沙三段五砂层组物源及有利区分析

通过对东辛油田沙三段5砂层组4小层的构造特征进行分析,确定其南部的小断层为一个逆断层,北部升高,南部降低,为油气聚集构成了圈闭条件.同时对于该地区砂体厚度以及地层厚度进行分析,确定其物源来自南部、西部及北东部.在该地层中,没有北部物源.最后通过该地区孔隙度、渗透率以及砂体有效厚度的分析,确定最有利勘探区域依次为南部区域、中偏西部区域,其次是北东部区域;中偏东区域勘探意义很小.     

苏北盆地高邮凹陷古近系戴南组沉积相及其与隐蔽油气藏的关系

苏北盆地高邮凹陷是江苏油田的主要油气勘探开发区，是一个南断北超的典型箕状断陷湖盆，其中的古近系戴南组为一套厚度近2 000 m的河湖相砂泥岩地层，从下到上分为一段和二段。通过沉积充填分析和沉积相编图，戴南组一段沉积时，苏北盆地断陷构造活动相对强烈，地形高差大，水体相对较深，水体范围相对较小，从南向北分别发育近岸水下扇、湖底扇、三角洲等沉积相类型。戴南组二段沉积时，构造活动有所减弱，地形高差变小，水体相对较浅，水体范围扩大至整个凹陷，从南向北分别发育扇三角洲、湖底扇、三角洲等沉积相类型。利用砂岩等厚图等资料，确定了戴南组的沉积相图。沉积相在平面上分布范围明确，纵向上既有差异性又有继承性。高邮凹陷边缘和内部的同沉积断层对沉积相和砂体的发育分布起着重要的控制作用，沉积相控制了油气分布，特别是对隐蔽油气藏形成起重要作用。高邮凹陷戴南组的隐蔽圈闭类型主要有地层超覆、断层-岩性、砂岩上倾尖灭及透镜体圈闭等。湖底扇、三角洲前缘、扇三角洲前缘、近岸水下扇中扇等为有利的储集岩相带。结合石油地质条件的分析，确定了联18-马18井区等几个有利的隐蔽油藏勘探区。     

Late Cretaceous ostracod fauna from the Shenjiatun section (Songliao Basin,Northeast China): Biostratigraphic and palaeoecological implications

This work provides the first detailed taxonomic study of ostracod species from the Shenjiatun section (Nenjiang Formation, Songliao Basin, northeast China). Ten species belonging to seven genera are recognized. At the species level, this ostracod fauna shows a high degree of endemicity. The ontogeny of two species is recognized in this study, and sexual dimorphism within Daqingella arca is unequivocally recognized for the first time. The ostracod fauna suggests that this fossil-bearing sedimentary succession should be assigned to members 3–4 (Campanian) of the Nenjiang Formation (mainly Member 3) instead of representing ‘Quaternary sediments’ as previously thought. On the basis of the ostracod fauna, Member 3 of the Nenjiang Formation at Shenjiatun represents a shallow-littoral, lacustrine depositional environment that, at least in the upper part of Member 3, potentially included less stable conditions characterized by smaller, ephemeral waterbodies and increased (non-marine, oligohaline) salinities through evaporation.     

The Albian–Cenomanian boundary at Eggardon Hill,Dorset (England): an anomaly resolved?

Re-examination of the classic exposures of the Eggardon Grit (topmost Upper Greensand Formation) at Eggardon Hill, Dorset shows that the upper part of this unit has a more complex stratigraphy than has been previously recognised. The Eggardon Grit Member, as described herein, is capped by a hardground and associated conglomerate, and is entirely of Late Albian age. The hardground is probably the lateral equivalent of the Small Cove Hardground, which marks the top of the Upper Greensand succession in southeast Devon. The conglomerate is overlain by a thin sandy limestone containing Early Cenomanian ammonites. This limestone is almost certainly the horizon of the Early Cenomanian ammonite fauna that has previously been attributed to the top of the Eggardon Grit. The limestone is regarded as a thin lateral equivalent of the Beer Head Limestone Formation (formerly Cenomanian Limestone) exposed on the southeast Devon coast. The fauna of the limestone at Eggardon suggests that it is probably the age equivalent to the two lowest subdivisions of the Beer Head Limestone in southeast Devon, with a remanié fauna of the Pounds Pool Sandy Limestone Member combined with indigenous macrofossils of the Hooken Nodular Limestone Member. The next highest subdivision of the Beer Head Limestone in southeast Devon (Little Beach Bioclastic Limestone Member), equates with the ammonite-rich phosphatic conglomerate of the ‘Chalk Basement Bed’, which caps the Beer Head Limestone at Eggardon, and which was previously regarded as the base of the Chalk Group on Eggardon Hill.Petrographic analysis of the Eggardon Grit shows that lithologically it should more correctly be described as a sandy limestone rather than sandstone. The original stratigraphical definition of the unit should probably be modified to exclude the softer, nodular calcareous sandstones that have traditionally been included in the lower part of the member.Without the apparently clear evidence of unbroken sedimentation across the Albian–Cenomanian boundary, suggested by the previous interpretation of the Eggardon succession, it is harder to argue for this being a prevalent feature of Upper Greensand stratigraphy in southwest England. Correlation of the Eggardon succession with successions in Dorset and southeast Devon reveals a widespread regional break in sedimentation at the Albian–Cenomanian boundary. The sand-rich facies above this unconformity represent the true base of the Chalk Group, rather than the ‘Chalk Basement Bed’ of previous interpretations.Selected elements of regionally important Upper Greensand ammonite faunas previously reported from Shapwick Quarry, near Lyme Regis, and Babcombe Copse, near Newton Abbot, are newly figured herein.     

Sedimentary basins of Yemen: their tectonic development and lithostratigraphic cover

This paper describes the updated stratigraphy, structural framework and evolution, and hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic basins of Yemen, depicted also on regional stratigraphic charts. The Paleozoic basins include (1) the Rub’ Al-Khali basin (southern flanks), bounded to the south by the Hadramawt arch (oriented approximately W–E) towards which the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments pinch out; (2) the San’a basin, encompassing Paleozoic through Upper Jurassic sediments; and (3) the southern offshore Suqatra (island) basin filled with Permo-Triassic sediments correlatable with that of the Karoo rift in Africa. The Mesozoic rift basins formed due to the breakup of Gondwana and separation of India/Madagascar from Africa–Arabia during the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous. The five Mesozoic sedimentary rift basins reflect in their orientation an inheritance from deep-seated, reactivated NW–SE trending Infracambrian Najd fault system. These basins formed sequentially from west to east–southeast, sub-parallel with rift orientations—NNW–SSE for the Siham-Ad-Dali’ basin in the west, NW–SE for the Sab’atayn and Balhaf basins and WNW–ESE for the Say’un-Masilah basin in the centre, and almost E–W for the Jiza’–Qamar basin located in the east of Yemen. The Sab’atayn and Say’un–Masilah basins are the only ones producing oil and gas so far. Petroleum reservoirs in both basins have been charged from Upper Jurassic Madbi shale. The main reservoirs in the Sab’atayn basin include sandstone units in the Sab’atayn Formation (Tithonian), the turbiditic sandstones of the Lam Member (Tithonian) and the Proterozoic fractured basement (upthrown fault block), while the main reservoirs in the Say’un–Masilah basin are sandstones of the Qishn Clastics Member (Hauterivian/Barremian) and the Ghayl Member (Berriasian/Valanginian), and Proterozoic fractured basement. The Cenozoic rift basins are related to the separation of Arabia from Africa by the opening of the Red Sea to the west and the Gulf of Aden to the south of Yemen during the Oligocene-Recent. These basins are filled with up to 3,000 m of sediments showing both lateral and vertical facies changes. The Cenozoic rift basins along the Gulf of Aden include the Mukalla–Sayhut, the Hawrah–Ahwar and the Aden–Abyan basins (all trending ENE–WSW), and have both offshore and onshore sectors as extensional faulting and regional subsidence affected the southern margin of Yemen episodically. Seafloor spreading in the Gulf of Aden dates back to the Early Miocene. Many of the offshore wells drilled in the Mukalla–Sayhut basin have encountered oil shows in the Cretaceous through Neogene layers. Sub-commercial discovery was identified in Sharmah-1 well in the fractured Middle Eocene limestone of the Habshiyah Formation. The Tihamah basin along the NNW–SSE trending Red Sea commenced in Late Oligocene, with oceanic crust formation in the earliest Pliocene. The Late Miocene stratigraphy of the Red Sea offshore Yemen is dominated by salt deformation. Oil and gas seeps are found in the Tihamah basin including the As-Salif peninsula and the onshore Tihamah plain; and oil and gas shows encountered in several onshore and offshore wells indicate the presence of proven source rocks in this basin.     

新疆塔里木盆地库车坳陷北缘白垩系储层沉积相研究

库车坳陷北缘白垩系储层主要分布在巴西盖组和巴什基奇克组。白垩纪时期,库车坳陷发育了不同类型的三角洲沉积体系,巴西盖期为湖泊三角洲沉积体系;巴什基奇克早期主要为扇三角洲沉积体系;巴什基奇克中晚期主要为湖泊-辫状三角洲沉积体系。垂向上,巴西盖组下部砂岩段总体表现为加积序列,上部泥岩段整体表现为向上砂质增多的进积序列;巴什基奇克组下部第Ⅲ岩性段表现为进积-加积演化序列特征;巴什基奇克组中上部Ⅱ-Ⅰ段总体上构成一个向上变粗的进积序列。平面上,从巴西盖期至巴什基奇克晚期,库车坳陷北缘沉积相总体上呈近东西向展布,南北相带变化明显的特点。在沉积相研究的基础上,结合构造活动和成岩作用分析认为,研究区内白垩系巴什基奇克组中上部辫状三角洲前缘砂体为优质储层,以克拉2井区最好,向西至克拉1井,向东至克拉3井储层均变差。     

汤原断陷古近系剥蚀量恢复及原型盆地构造格局

汤原断陷构造复杂,后期改造强烈,原型盆地认识不清,导致原始沉积沉降中心不明确,制约了油气勘探的进展。本文从剥蚀量计算入手,分别采用镜质体反射率（R_o）法和地层趋势法,对宝泉岭组、达连河组及新安村组的地层剥蚀量进行计算,结合地震及构造特征,并利用地质建模技术恢复了不同时期的原型盆地形态,通过计算恢复认为：新安村组时期,原始厚度最厚发育在东部边界断裂下降盘,沉积沉降中心被断陷中部低凸起分为南北两个部分,此时期沉积沉降中心位于断陷东部边界断裂中段;达连河组时期,早期的两个沉积沉降中心逐渐合并为一个,断陷西部、南部出现规模较小的沉降带,最厚处依然位于东部断裂带下降盘,而沉积沉降中心迁移至东部边界断裂北段;宝泉岭组时期,早期的两个沉积沉降中心完全合并为一个,断陷西部的沉降带规模扩大,形成一东一西的两个主要沉积沉降中心,沉积沉降中心由一个变为两个。在此基础上,明确了原型盆地格局形态及不同时期沉积沉降中心分布及迁移过程。     

四川盆地震旦系灯影组地层厘定与岩相古地理特征*

埃迪卡拉(震旦)系是元古代第2次大氧化事件(NOE)后形成的具有良好生储盖条件的碳酸盐岩沉积组合,已在四川盆地获得原生气藏勘探重大突破,但德阳—安岳台内裂陷及周缘区灯影组划分对比尚不统一,制约了对台缘带丘滩体横向分布特征的认识。基于露头、钻井和地震资料,通过岩石学、电性和地球化学特征分析,开展了灯影组地层层序重新厘定,在此基础上对灯影组岩相古地理进行了重建,取得以下研究成果: (1)建立了宁强胡家坝灯影组典型剖面,明确了灯影组分段岩性组合特征,指出高石131X、中江2、蓬探1井原划分的灯二段应归属灯四段,台缘带灯四段具有三分性,特征明显,并构建了等时地层格架。 (2)明确了等时地层格架内丘滩体迁移规律,即德阳—安岳台内裂陷东段灯四段台缘丘滩体垂直相带展布方向呈由东向西进积、平行相带方向呈由南向北迁移特征,灯四下亚段丘滩体发育于南部的川中古隆起一带,灯四中亚段丘滩体发育于中部太和区块,灯四上亚段丘滩体则发育于北部的宁强区块。(3)根据灯四下、中、上亚段构造-岩相古地理特征,预测了德阳—安岳台内裂陷及周缘灯影组有利储集层展布,对指导天然气勘探具重要意义。川中古隆起、太和区块和宁强区块均位于震旦纪同一台缘带上,南部的川中古隆起已探明安岳万亿立方米大气田,中部的太和区块含气规模达万亿立方米的大气区已初步明朗,北部的宁强区块也具备形成万亿立方米大气区的有利条件。     

The nature and field relations of the Ordovician Maumtrasna Formation,County Mayo,Ireland

The nature and field relationships of the Maumtrasna Formation of the Partry Mountains, Co. Mayo, show that the formation underlies the regionally mappable Glenummera Formation, which is of Llanvirn age, and it is laterally equivalent to the Rosroe and Derrylea Formations, also of Llanvirn age. The formation rests unconformably on two different volcanic domains, the basic volcanics of the Bohaun Volcanic Formation to the northwest (of unknown age) and the largely acidic volcanics and sediments of the Tourmakeady Volcanic succession to the southeast (Arenig). It is not the youngest formation in the Ordovician succession of the South Mayo Trough, as was previously thought. This largely conglomeratic unit forms a coarsening upward sequence deposited on alluvial fans which were inundated by a marine transgression at the base of the Glenummera Formation. Clasts in the conglomerates are mainly of granite and porphyry with a minor metamorphic component. The source is interpreted as an arc rooted on a metamorphic basement which lay to the south and east. The suggestion that this area was present day Connemara finds little support. This area may expose some of the ‘hidden’ geology of the Midland Valley of Scotland.