Petroleum geological dynamics of Lower Paleozoic in the Ordos Basin, northwest China

Taking the hydrocarbon source rocks of Ordovician, Lower Paleozoic in the Ordos Basin as the main research object, the characteristics of petroleum geological dynamics about geohistory, geothermal history, hydrocarbon generation history and hydrocarbon expulsion history were studied by using the methods of basin numerical modeling dynamically and pool-forming dynamics. It is shown that the Ordovician strata had entirely undergone five stages of initial deposition, uplift and erosion, rapid subsidence, alternating uplift and subsidence, and differential uplift and erosion; that under the background of lower heat flow on the whole, the paleoheat flow of Ordovician strata in the basin could be divided into two large stages of relatively high heat flow values period before Cretaceous deposition and relatively low ones after it; that the thermal evolution of organic matters in the hydrocarbon source rocks of Ordovician had entered into high mature-postmature stage on the whole and the intensity of gas generated was greater than that of oil generated, the hydrocarbon being mainly natural gas; and that the curves of the intensity of oil and gas expulsion at each time unit showed the feature of multi-peak-type, the accumulative intensity of gas expulsion was greater than that of oil expulsion. Thus natural gas exploration potential is good.     

Geochemical characteristics and origin of gases from the Upper,Lower Paleozoic and the Mesozoic reservoirs in the Ordos Basin,China

The Ordos Basin,the second largest sedimentary basin in China,contains the broad distribution of natural gas types.So far,several giant gas fields have been discovered in the Upper and Lower Paleozoic in this basin,each having over 1000×10 8 m 3 of proven gas reserves,and several gas pools have also been discovered in the Mesozoic.This paper collected the data of natural gases and elucidated the geochemical characteristics of gases from different reservoirs,and then discussed their origin.For hydrocarbons preserved in the Upper Paleozoic,the elevatedδ13C values of methane,ethane and propane indicate that the gases would be mainly coal-formed gases;the singular reversal in the stable carbon isotopes of gaseous alkanes suggests the mixed gases from humic sources with different maturity.In the Lower Paleozoic,theδ13C 1 values are mostly similar with those in the Upper Paleozoic,but theδ13C 2 andδ13C 3 values are slightly lighter,suggesting that the gases would be mixing of coal-type gases as a main member and oil-type gases.There are multiple reversals in carbon isotopes for gaseous alkanes,especially abnormal reversal for methane and ethane(i.e.δ13C 1 >δ13C 2 ),inferring that gases would be mixed between high-mature coal-formed gases and oil-type gases.In the Mesozoic,the δ13Cvalues for gaseous alkanes are enriched in 12C,indicating that the gases are mainly derived from sapropelic sources;the carbon isotopic reversal for propane and butane in the Mesozoic is caused by microbial oxidation and mixing of gases from sapropelic sources with different maturity.In contrast to the Upper Paleozoic gases,the Mesozoic gases are characterized by heavier carbon isotopes of iso-butane than normal butane,which may be caused by gases generated from different kerogen types. Finally,according toδ13C 1 -Ro relationship and extremely low total organic carbon contents,the Low Paleozoic gases would not be generated from the Ordovician source as a main gas source,bycontrast, the Upper Paleozoic source as a main gas source is contributed to the Lower Paleozoic gases.     

On the development mechanism of the lacustrine high-grade hydrocarbon source rocks of Chang 91 member in Ordos Basin

As revealed from recent drilling and organic geochemical testing and research, a series of lacustrine high-grade hydrocarbon source rocks was discovered in the upper section of the Chang 9 oil reservoir member of upper Triassic in Ordos Basin. The hydrocarbon source rocks show average TOC content as high as 5.03%, average bitumen "A" content as high as 0.8603%, and good quality organic precursors, which are of the sapropelic type mainly derived from lower aquatic plants and have reached the thermal evolution stage featured by oil-producing climax. Generally the lacustrine high-grade hydrocarbon source rocks were developed in local depressions of a lake basin, and the Chang 91 member was particularly formed in a depositional environment characterized by fresh water to weakly saline water, weakly oxidizing to weakly reducing setting and semi-deep lake facies, as was demonstrated by a variety of organic to inorganic geochemical parameters. As a result, high productivity constitutes the principal controlling force for generation of this series of high-grade hydrocarbon source rocks. Deposition of thinly-bedded and laminated tuffs as well as positive Eu anomaly corroborate the possible occurrence of anoxic geological event closely related to contemporaneous volcanic eruption, which would play a key part in development of the Chang 91 member of high-grade hydrocarbon source rocks.     

The components and carbon isotope of the gases in inclusions in reservoir layers of Upper Paleozoic gas pools in the Ordos Basin,China

The components and carbon isotope of gases in inclusions are one of the most important geochemical indexes for gas pools.The analysis results of the components and carbon isotope of gases from inclusions in reservoir layers of Upper Palaeozoic gas pools in the Ordos Basin show that most inclusions grown in reservoir sandstone are primary inclusions.There is only a little difference about the components and carbon isotope between the well gases and the secondary inclusions gases.This indicated that the epigenetic change of gas pools is little.This difference between the well gases and the secondary inclusions gases is caused by two reasons:(i)The well gases come from several disconnected sand bodies buried in a segment of depth,while the inclusion gases come from a point of depth.(ii)The secondary inclusions trapped the gases generated in the former stage of source rock gas generation,and the well gases are the mixed gases generated in all the stages.It is irresponsible to reconstruct the palaeo-temperature and palaeo-pressure under which the gas pool formed using carbon dioxide inclusions.     

Kinetic simulating experiment on the secondary hydrocarbon generation of kerogen

The kinetic parameters of generation have been obtained for different hydrocarbon classes, including methane, C₂-C₅ gas hydrocarbons, C₆-C₁₃ light hydrocarbons and C₁₃₊ heavy hydrocarbons, and vitrinite reflectance (R°) by the kinetic simulating experiment of kerogen cracking. Then, combined with the detailed geology of Sichuan Basin, the effective gas-generating intensity of the Lower Cambrian source rock is approximately estimated by applying these parameters.     

The hydrocarbon generation mechanism and the three-stage type model of hydrocarbon generation for carbonate source rocks

The diagenetic mechanism and process of carbonate rocks, which is different to that of clastic rocks, decides the existence of different existing state organic matters in carbonate rocks. This has been verified by both the microscopic observation of organic petrology and the analysis of organic geochemistry of many samples. Based on the hydrous pyrolysis simulation experiment of the low-mature carbonate rocks, the contrasting study on the yield and their geochemistry characteristics of different existing state soluble organic matters of a series of various maturity samples shows that the different existing state organic matters make different contributions to hydrocarbon generation during every evolution state. So that, the hydrocarbon generation process of carbonate rocks can be summarized as the following three stages: the first is the direct degradation of biogenic bitumen macromolecules during the immature stage, the second is the thermal degradation of a large amount of kerogen at the mature stage, the last stage is the expulsion or release of inclusion organic matter owing to the increased thermal expansion pressure during the high evolution stage. Part of achievements of the Eighth Five-Year National Science-Technology Key-Task Project “85-102-02-07”.     

塔里木盆地下古生界烃源岩二次生烃范围研究

塔里木盆地是一个多旋回叠合盆地,下古生界烃源岩具有典型的二次生烃特征.当前关于二次生烃的研究集中在通过热模拟方法认识生烃机理和模式等方面,关于典型盆地二次生烃发生范围、分布规律、影响因素研究相对较少.本文在认识塔里木盆地构造背景和热演化规律的基础上,选取不同构造单元具有代表性的50余口井,利用Basin Mod 1D盆地模拟软件对多口井进行烃源岩成熟史模拟,结合现有的镜质体反射率数据,研究奥陶系和寒武系烃源岩是否存在二次生烃以及二次生烃发生时期和规律.综合分析单井模拟结果发现,奥陶系烃源岩二次生烃发生范围分布在沙雅隆起、卡塔克隆起中部和古城墟隆起西端,寒武系烃源岩二次生烃发生范围分布在沙雅隆起、巴楚隆起和卡塔克隆起中部.不同构造单元二次生烃开始的时间不同.二次生烃生烃史受盆地构造-热演化史控制,且对油气藏形成和分布有一定影响.     

Early hydrocarbon generation of biological lipids in non-marine lacustrine basins—a genetic mechanism of immature oil

Taking both eastern Linqing Depression and North Jiangsu Basin as examples, based on geochemical features of immature oils as well as source inputs of hydrocarbons and macerals, it is revealed that a mixed source input of alga bio-lipids and higher plant waxes is a basic characteristic of source material for immature oils in non-marine brackish-saline lacustrine basins. Project supported by the “85–102” Chinese National Key Science and Technology Project and the National Gas Geochemistry Key Laboratory, Lanzhou Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Chemical kinetics study of hydrocarbon regeneration from organic matter in carbonate source rocks and its significance

In the comparison research of hydrocarbon regeneration, a low maturity carbonate source rock is heated to different temperatures in a gold tube to obtain a series of samples with different maturities. Then, the heated samples, before and after extraction, are subjected to Rock-Eval pyrolysis through a thermal simulation of hydrocarbon regeneration in order to inspect pyrolysis characteristics and probe into the characteristics of the chemical kinetics of each sample. The results indicate that, whether hy- drocarbon regeneration peak is delayed or advanced, the potential of hydrocarbon regeneration is closely related to the expulsion amount and breakdown maturity of primary hydrocarbon generation. After extraction, the average activation energy of artificially maturated samples increases with the in- creasing maturity, but the chemical kinetic properties of un-extracted samples decrease. The calibrated chemical kinetic models that describe extracted and un-extracted samples are applied to the Bohai Bay and the Songliao Basin, and the results indicate that the combination of the two models can explain some contradictory conclusions previously reported. These results also facilitate the quantitative evaluation of the amount of hydrocarbon regeneration by the chemical kinetic method.     

Research on diagenesis of the sandstone-type uranium deposits in Dongsheng area, Ordos Basin

Synthetic methods of thin section petrography, scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, energy spectrum analysis, cathodoluminescence, isotopic analysis and temperature measuring for fluid inclusions were used in analyzing sandstone samples collected from the Zhiluo Formation in order to fully understand the diagenesis evolution and the mineralizing response as well as the genesis of the uranium-bearing sandstone in Dongsheng area. The result shows that (1) the sandstone include lithic silicarenite, feldspathic litharenite and litharenite; (2) the authigenic minerals include clay minerals, carbonate minerals, siliceous and ferric minerals; (3) the physical property of sandstone is obviously controlled by diagenesis; and (4) the sandstone with favorable physical property is propitious to migration and storage of ore-forming fluid, and finally, forming the ore deposit. The sandstone of the Zhiluo Formation had undergone the early diagenetic stage (periods A and B) and the epidiagenetic stage. The evolution of diagenetic environment is in the order of acidic oxidation, alkalescent deoxidization, acidity to transitional environment of oxidation-deoxidization and acidity-alkalescence. The uranium exists in forms of pre-enrichment uranyl ion, active uranyl ion, dispersive adsorptive uranium and uranium mineral, respectively. In addition, the authors also hold that the formation of the sandstone-type uranium is not only related to the oxidation-deoxidization environment, but also closely related to the acidic-alkaline transitional environment, which are propitious to uranium mineralization in sandstone.     

Fission-track-age records of the Mesozoic tectonic-events in the southwest margin of the Ordos Basin, China

Based on the analysis of apatite and zircon fission track (FT), the FT age distribution and the peck-ages of the Mesozoic tectonic events in the southwest margin of the Ordos Basin (OB) were discussed. (1) The early event mainly occurred at 213-194 Ma with a peck-age of 205 Ma, and corresponded to the tectonic uplift and the mega-clastic deposit in the southwest OB during the Late Triassic. (2) The middle event included at least two episodes. One was at 165-141 Ma with a peck-age of 150 Ma, and the other was at 115-113 Ma with a peck-age of 114 Ma, corresponding to the over-thrusting and the mega- clastic deposits in the southwest OB during the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. (3) The late event mainly demonstrated the regional uplifting and included at least two episodes. One was at 100-81 Ma with a peck-age of 90 Ma, and the other was at 66-59 Ma with a peck-age of 63 Ma. Additionally, the relationship analysis of the tectonic event and the mineralizing chronology revealed that the extreme environment of the peck-age event and the subsequent moderate activity could be the key factors of the multiple resources coupling and coexistence in the OB.     

Origin of gray-green sandstone in ore bed of sandstone type uranium deposit in north Ordos Basin

Dongsheng sandstone-type uranium deposit is located in the northern part of Ordos Basin, occurring in the transitional zones between gray-green and gray sandstones of Jurassic Zhiluo Formation. Sandstones in oxidized zone of the ore bed look gray-green, being of unique signature and different from one of ordinary inter-layered oxidation zone of sandstone-type uranium deposits. The character and origin of gray-green sandstones are systematically studied through their petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry. It is pointed out that this color of sandstones is originated from secondary oil-gas reduction processes after paleo-oxidation, being due to acicular-leaf chlorite covering surfaces of the sandstone grains. To find out the origin of gray-green sandstone and recognize paleo-oxidation zones in the ore bed are of not only theoretical significance for understanding metallogenesis of this kind of sandstone-type uranium deposit, but also very importantly practical significance for prospecting for similar kind of sandstone-type uranium deposit.     

Determination of paleo-pressure for a natural gas pool formation based on PVT characteristics of fluid inclusions in reservoir rocks--A case study of Upper-Paleozoic deep basin gas trap of the Ordos Basin

It has been proved to be a difficult problem to determine directly trapping pressure of fluid inclusions. Recently, PVT simulation softwares have been applied to simulating the trapping pressure of petroleum inclusions in reservoir rocks, but the reported methods have many limitations in practice. In this paper, a method is suggested to calculating the trapping pressure and temperature of fluid inclusions by combining the isochore equations of a gas-bearing aqueous inclusion with its coeval petroleum inclusions. A case study was conducted by this method for fluid inclusions occurring in the Upper-Paleozoic Shanxi Formation reservoir sandstones from the Ordos Basin. The results show that the trapping pressure of these inclusions ranges from 21 to 32 MPa, which is 6-7 MPa higher than their minimum trapping pressure although the trapping temperature is only 2-3℃ higher than the homogenization temperature. The trapping pressure and temperature of the fluid inclusions decrease from southern area to northern area of the basin.The trapping pressure is obviously lower than the state water pressures when the inclusions formed. These data are consistent with the regional geological and geochemical conditions of the basin when the deep basin gas trap formed.     

Quantitative studies of hydrocarbon loss of the Silurian bitumen sandstone in the Tarim Basin

The evolution of Tarim Basin experienced several tectonic movements,of which Caledonian movement caused a serious damage to reservoirs of Silurian. The earlier reservoirs size and the later hydrocarbon loss are two key factors to exploration prospect of Silurian. On the basis of net thickness of bituminous sandstone and recovery coefficient of crude oil converting to bitumen,the scale of the hydrocarbon loss of palaeo-accumulation in bitumen sandstone of Silurian was calculated (86.30×108t). The deter-mination of net thickness of bitumen sandstone was completed mainly by several methods,such as physical property demarcation,observing lithology,grains with oil inclusion (GOI) technology,and quantitative grains fluorescence (QGF) technology. The samples of black sandstone and white sand-stone were collected and compared by means of the methods mentioned above. The results showed that there was little hydrocarbon,or none,in the white sandstone. The recovery coefficient was ob-tained by the analyses of plentiful physical parameters of crude oil and bitumen sandstone,based on the hypothesis that nonhydrocarbon compounds and bitumen were invariable in the process of bitu-men forming. The calculated result,which is more scientific and actual,indicates the exploration pros-pect is more promising in Silurian of the Tarim Basin.     

Geochemical characteristics and origin of gases from the Upper,Lower Paleozoic and the Mesozoic reservoirs in the Ordos Basin,China

The Ordos Basin, the second largest sedimentary basin in China, contains the broad distribution of natural gas types. So far, several giant gas fields have been discovered in the Upper and Lower Paleozoic in this basin, each having over 1000×10⁸m³ of proven gas reserves, and several gas pools have also been discovered in the Mesozoic. This paper collected the data of natural gases and elucidated the geochemical characteristics of gases from different reservoirs, and then discussed their origin. For hydrocarbons preserved in the Upper Paleozoic, the elevated δ ¹³C values of methane, ethane and propane indicate that the gases would be mainly coal-formed gases; the singular reversal in the stable carbon isotopes of gaseous alkanes suggests the mixed gases from humic sources with different maturity. In the Lower Paleozoic, the δ ¹³C₁ values are mostly similar with those in the Upper Paleozoic, but the δ ¹³C₂ and δ ¹³C₃ values are slightly lighter, suggesting that the gases would be mixing of coal-type gases as a main member and oil-type gases. There are multiple reversals in carbon isotopes for gaseous alkanes, especially abnormal reversal for methane and ethane (i.e. δ ¹³C₁>δ ¹³C₂), inferring that gases would be mixed between high-mature coal-formed gases and oil-type gases. In the Mesozoic, the δ ¹³C values for gaseous alkanes are enriched in ¹²C, indicating that the gases are mainly derived from sapropelic sources; the carbon isotopic reversal for propane and butane in the Mesozoic is caused by microbial oxidation and mixing of gases from sapropelic sources with different maturity. In contrast to the Upper Paleozoic gases, the Mesozoic gases are characterized by heavier carbon isotopes of iso-butane than normal butane, which may be caused by gases generated from different kerogen types. Finally, according to δ ¹³C₁-R ₀ relationship and extremely low total organic carbon contents, the Low Paleozoic gases would not be generated from the Ordovician source as a main gas source, bycontrast, the Upper Paleozoic source as a main gas source is contributed to the Lower Paleozoic gases.

     

Crude-oil hydrocarbon composition characteristics and oil viscosity prediction in the northern Songliao Basin

Crude oil hydrocarbon composition characteristics and oil viscosity prediction are important bases in petroleum exploration.A total of 54 oil/heavy-oil samples and 17 oil sands were analyzed and quantified using both comprehensive 2D gas chromatography(GC×GC)and comprehensive 2D gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry(GC×GC/TOFMS).The results show that crude oil in the West slope is mainly heavy oil and its hydrocarbon composition is characterized overall by paraffinsmono-aromaticsnaphthenesnon-hydrocarbonsdi-aromaticstri-aromaticstetra-aromatics.Aromatics are most abundant and non-hydrocarbons are least abundant,whilst content differences among paraffins,naphthenes,aromatics,and non-hydrocarbons are less than 15%.There are two types of heavy oil,secondary type and mixing type.Biodegradation is the main formation mechanism of heavy oil.Biodegradation levels cover light biodegradation,moderate biodegradation,and severe biodegradation.With increasing biodegradation,paraffin content decreases while contents of aromatics and nonhydrocarbons increase.In contrast,naphthene content increases first and then decreases with increasing biodegradation.In severe biodegradation stage,naphthenes decrease more quickly than aromatics and non-hydrocarbons.This provides a new method for studying oil/heavy-oil biodegradation mechanism and biodegradation resistance of different hydrocarbons at different biodegradation stages.In the Longhupao-Daan terrace and Qijia-Gulong depression,most crude oil is conventional oil.Its composition is dominated by paraffins with the lowest content of aromatics.In some casual oil wells from the Longhupao-Daan terrace,crude oil from Saertu oil reservoirs is moderately biodegraded whereas crude oil from Putaohua oil reservoir is lightly biodegraded.Chemical parameters using saturate hydrocarbons and aromatics are usually not suitable for determining organic type and thermal maturity of biodegraded oil,especially of moderately or severely biodegraded oil,whilst Ts/(Ts+Tm)ratio can be used to determine thermal maturity of both conventional crude oil and heavy oil.     

Geochemical characteristics and origin of gases from the Upper,Lower Paleozoic and the Mesozoic reservoirs in the Ordos Basin,China

The Ordos Basin, the second largest sedimentary basin in China, contains the broad distribution of natural gas types. So far, several giant gas fields have been discovered in the Upper and Lower Paleozoic in this basin, each having over 1000×10⁸m³ of proven gas reserves, and several gas pools have also been discovered in the Mesozoic. This paper collected the data of natural gases and elucidated the geochemical characteristics of gases from different reservoirs, and then discussed their origin. For hydrocarbons preserved in the Upper Paleozoic, the elevated δ ¹³C values of methane, ethane and propane indicate that the gases would be mainly coal-formed gases; the singular reversal in the stable carbon isotopes of gaseous alkanes suggests the mixed gases from humic sources with different maturity. In the Lower Paleozoic, the δ ¹³C₁ values are mostly similar with those in the Upper Paleozoic, but the δ ¹³C₂ and δ ¹³C₃ values are slightly lighter, suggesting that the gases would be mixing of coal-type gases as a main member and oil-type gases. There are multiple reversals in carbon isotopes for gaseous alkanes, especially abnormal reversal for methane and ethane (i.e. δ ¹³C₁>δ ¹³C₂), inferring that gases would be mixed between high-mature coal-formed gases and oil-type gases. In the Mesozoic, the δ ¹³C values for gaseous alkanes are enriched in ¹²C, indicating that the gases are mainly derived from sapropelic sources; the carbon isotopic reversal for propane and butane in the Mesozoic is caused by microbial oxidation and mixing of gases from sapropelic sources with different maturity. In contrast to the Upper Paleozoic gases, the Mesozoic gases are characterized by heavier carbon isotopes of iso-butane than normal butane, which may be caused by gases generated from different kerogen types. Finally, according to δ ¹³C₁-R ₀ relationship and extremely low total organic carbon contents, the Low Paleozoic gases would not be generated from the Ordovician source as a main gas source, bycontrast, the Upper Paleozoic source as a main gas source is contributed to the Lower Paleozoic gases.     

Characteristics of bleaching of sandstone in northeast of Ordos Basin and its relationship with natural gas leakage

Bleaching of sandstone has significant applications to tracing hydrocarbon pathways and evaluating the scale of natural gas seepage. Bleaching of sandstones in the northeast of Ordos Basin is mainly distributed in the Mesozoic Yan'an Formation. Studying on petrology, major elements, REEs and trace elements of bleached sandstones and comparing with adjacent sandstones, combining with geologic-geochemical evidences of gas seepage in the northeast of the basin, the bleached sandstones are formed in the acid environment and reducing fluids. Characteristics of petrology show that the contents of kaolinite are high and the color of margin of ferric oxide minerals is lighter than that of the center. Major elements of sandstone samples show high contents of Al2O3 and low ratio of Fe3 /Fe2 . The TFe2O3 content of the bleached sandstone is lower than that of red rock. REE data show that bleached sandstones have low ∑REE contents and Eu-depleted and slightly Ce-enriched. Trace elements show that the bleached sandstones enrich in Co, deplete in Sr, and slightly enrich in Zr and Hf which are close to the values for the green alteration sandstones, and slightly lower than ore-bearing sandstones. Geochemical characteristics of oil-bearing sandstone in the northern basin suggest that the oil-shows are formed by matured Carboniferous-Permian coal bed methane escaping to the surface, and natural gas in field could migrate to the north margin of the basin. The δ13C (PDB) andδ18O(PDB) values of calcite cement in the study area range from -11.729‰ to -10.210‰ and -14.104‰ to -12.481‰, respectively. Theδ13C (PDB) values less than -10‰ imply the carbon sources part from organic carbon. Comprehensive study suggests that the gas leakage has occurred in the northeastern basin, which is responsible for bleaching of the sandstone on top of the Yan'an Formation.     

Abiogenic hydrocarbons in commercial gases from the Songliao Basin, China

This paper discusses the kinetic fractionation, composition and distribution characteristics of carbon and hydrogen isotopes for various alkane gases formed in different environments, by different mecha- nisms and from different sources in nature. It is demonstrated that the biodegradation or thermode- gradation of complex high-molecule sedimentary organic material can form microbial gas or thermogenic gas. The δ 13C1 value ranges from -110‰ to -50‰ for microbial gases but from -50‰ to -35‰ (even heavier) f...     

阴山造山带-鄂尔多斯盆地岩石圈层、块速度结构与深层动力过程

阴山造山带位于鄂尔多斯盆地的北缘,这一地带不仅是构造活动强、弱的变异地域,且为盆、山的耦合地带,故在造山带与盆地地域具有各异的深层动力过程.本文基于高精度人工源地震宽角反射、折射探测和高分辨率的数据采集,通过反演求得了满都拉—鄂尔多斯—榆林—延川长达650 km剖面辖区的岩石圈精细层、块结构.研究结果表明：①沿该剖面由南向北地壳厚度为40~45 km;在不同构造单元其介质、结构均不相同;速度分布、空间结构形态和界面起伏及属性亦存在着明显差异;上地幔顶部速度为8.0~8.1 km/s;②沿剖面存在5条深、大断裂,且将该区切割成为壳、幔结构明显差异的4个构造单元,即鄂尔多斯盆地、盆山耦合地带、阴山造山带、内蒙构造带,它们各自具有固有的深层过程和动力学响应.同时厘定了阴山造山带与内蒙构造带之间的白云鄂博深、大断裂带是古亚洲洋的南界.在这里不仅导致了阴山造山带的形成,而且聚集了诸多的金属矿产资源,地震亦频繁活动.基于上述研究表明,阴山造山带—鄂尔多斯盆地耦合地带的壳、幔结构复杂、呈现出速度结构各异的层、块状展布.显然,在这一错综的成山、成盆、成岩、成矿和成灾地带,有着特异的深层过程和动力机制.