评述“前陆盆地”名词在中国中西部含油气盆地中的引用——反思中国石油构造学的发展

Comments on the Citation of the Term "Foreland Basin" in the Petroliferous Basins of Central and Western China——A Review on the Development of Chinese Petroleum Tectonics

“前陆盆地”一词,在中国中西部含油气盆地研究中被许多学者广泛引用,在空间上有“泛前陆盆地化”,在地史演化中有“扩大化”,名词术语引用上有“复杂化”的倾向,因而引起同行的关注。本文从文献中追踪前陆盆地原命名者的涵义和沿革,正确理解国外学者提出前陆盆地的特征及模式,再根据中国的实际地质特征与国外典型前陆盆地对比,结果发现我国中西部前陆盆地的特殊性大于国外所称的前陆盆地的共同性。因而认为在中国中西部直接引用“前陆盆地”一词不当。建议采用“陆内俯冲型前陆盆地”(Intracontinental subduction foreland basin)一词(简称C-型前陆盆地),以示有中国地质特色的前陆盆地,为今后建立油气成藏模式和指导油气勘探工作提供理论依据。最后,还讨论了中国石油构造学发展中,值得反思的3个问题。

The term 'foreland basin' has been widely used in the study of petroliferous basins in central and western China. However, there is a spatial tendency of 'pan-foreland basinization', a tendency of expansion of its use in the geological evolution and a tendency of complication in the citation of the term. Therefore, the term 'foreland basin' has caused much concern in China. Based on the literature, the present paper follows the original meaning of foreland basin and its evolution, and correctly understands the characteristics of foreland basins. A comparison has been made between the sedimentary basins in central and western China and the typical foreland basins abroad. It is found that there are more individualities than commonalities between the two. Hence, a direct citation of the term 'foreland basin' in the study of sedimentary basins in central and western China is not suitable. The authors suggest adopting the term 'Intracontinental subduction foreland basin' (abbreviated as C-foreland basin), which represents the individualities of sedimentary basins in central and western China. The term 'Intracontinental subduction foreland basin' will be helpful to building formation modes of petroleum pools and advancing petroleum exploration in central and western China. Besides, three issues have been conscientiously discussed about the development of Chinese petroleum tectonics.