Main controlling factor and mechanism of gas-in-place content of the Lower Cambrian shale from different sedimentary facies in the western Hubei area, South China

The Lower Cambrian shale gas in the western Hubei area,South China has a great resource prospect,but the gas-in-place(GIP)content in different sedimentary facies varies widely,and the relevant mechanism has been not well understood.In the present study,two sets of the Lower Cambrian shale samples from the Wells YD4 and YD5 in the western Hubei area,representing the deep-water shelf facies and shallowwater platform facies,respectively,were investigated on the differences of pore types,pore structure and methane adsorption capacity between them,and the main controlling factor and mechanism of their methane adsorption capacities and GIP contents were discussed.The results show that the organic matter(OM)pores in the YD4 shale samples are dominant,while the inorganic mineral(IM)pores in the YD5 shale samples are primary,with underdeveloped OM pores.The pore specific surface area(SSA)and pore volume(PV)of the YD4 shale samples are mainly from micropores and mesopores,respectively,while those of the YD5 shale samples are mainly from micropores and macropores,respectively.The methane adsorption capacity of the YD4 shale samples is significantly higher than that of the YD5 shale samples,with a maximum absolute adsorption capacity of 3.13 cm^(3)/g and 1.31 cm^(3)/g in average,respectively.Compared with the shallow-water platform shale,the deep-water shelf shale has a higher TOC content,a better kerogen type and more developed OM pores,which is the main mechanism for its higher adsorption capacity.The GIP content models based on two samples with a similar TOC content selected respectively from the Wells YD4 and YD5 further indicate that the GIP content of the deep-water shelf shale is mainly 34 m^(3)/t within a depth range of 1000—4000 m,with shale gas exploration and development potential,while the shallow-water platform shale has normally a GIP content of<1 m^(3)/t,with little shale gas potential.Considering the geological and geochemical conditions of shale gas formation and preservation,the deep-water shelf facies is the most favorable target for the Lower Cambrian shale gas exploration and development in the western Hubei area,South China.

Facies-controlled prediction of dolomite reservoirs in the Middle Permian Qixia Formation in Shuangyushi,northwestern Sichuan Basin

The Middle Permian Qixia Formation in the Shuangyushi area,northwestern Sichuan Basin,develops shoal-facies dolomite reservoirs.To pinpoint promising reservoirs in the Qixia Formation,deep thin shoal-facies dolomite reservoirs were predicted using the techniques of pre-stack Kirchhoff-Q compensation for absorption,inverse Q filtering,low-to high-frequency compensation,forward modeling,and facies-controlled seismic meme inversion.The results are obtained in six aspects.First,the dolomite reservoirs mainly exist in the middle and lower parts of the second member of Qixia Formation(Qi2 Member),which coincide with the zones shoal cores are developed.Second,the forward modeling shows that the trough energy at the top and bottom of shoal core increases with increasing shoal-core thickness,and weak peak reflections are associated in the middle of shoal core.Third,five types of seismic waveform are identified through waveform analysis of seismic facies.Type-Ⅰ and Type-Ⅱ waveforms correspond to promising facies(shoal core microfacies).Fourth,vertically,two packages of thin dolomite reservoirs turn up in the sedimentary cycle of intraplatform shoal in the Qi2 Member,and the lower package is superior to the upper package in dolomite thickness,scale and lateral connectivity.Fifth,in plane,significantly controlled by sedimentary facies,dolomite reservoirs laterally distribute with consistent thickness in shoal cores at topographical highs and extend toward the break.Sixth,the promising prospects are the zones with thick dolomite reservoirs and superimposition of horstegraben structural traps.

An improved deep dilated convolutional neural network for seismic facies interpretation

With the successful application and breakthrough of deep learning technology in image segmentation,there has been continuous development in the field of seismic facies interpretation using convolutional neural networks.These intelligent and automated methods significantly reduce manual labor,particularly in the laborious task of manually labeling seismic facies.However,the extensive demand for training data imposes limitations on their wider application.To overcome this challenge,we adopt the UNet architecture as the foundational network structure for seismic facies classification,which has demonstrated effective segmentation results even with small-sample training data.Additionally,we integrate spatial pyramid pooling and dilated convolution modules into the network architecture to enhance the perception of spatial information across a broader range.The seismic facies classification test on the public data from the F3 block verifies the superior performance of our proposed improved network structure in delineating seismic facies boundaries.Comparative analysis against the traditional UNet model reveals that our method achieves more accurate predictive classification results,as evidenced by various evaluation metrics for image segmentation.Obviously,the classification accuracy reaches an impressive 96%.Furthermore,the results of seismic facies classification in the seismic slice dimension provide further confirmation of the superior performance of our proposed method,which accurately defines the range of different seismic facies.This approach holds significant potential for analyzing geological patterns and extracting valuable depositional information.

Application of 9-component S-wave 3D seismic data to study sedimentary facies and reservoirs in a biogasbearing area:A case study on the Pleistocene Qigequan Formation in Taidong area,Sanhu Depression,Qaidam Basin,NW China

To solve the problems in restoring sedimentary facies and predicting reservoirs in loose gas-bearing sediment,based on seismic sedimentologic analysis of the first 9-component S-wave 3D seismic dataset of China,a fourth-order isochronous stratigraphic framework was set up and then sedimentary facies and reservoirs in the Pleistocene Qigequan Formation in Taidong area of Qaidam Basin were studied by seismic geomorphology and seismic lithology.The study method and thought are as following.Firstly,techniques of phase rotation,frequency decomposition and fusion,and stratal slicing were applied to the 9-component S-wave seismic data to restore sedimentary facies of major marker beds based on sedimentary models reflected by satellite images.Then,techniques of seismic attribute extraction,principal component analysis,and random fitting were applied to calculate the reservoir thickness and physical parameters of a key sandbody,and the results are satisfactory and confirmed by blind testing wells.Study results reveal that the dominant sedimentary facies in the Qigequan Formation within the study area are delta front and shallow lake.The RGB fused slices indicate that there are two cycles with three sets of underwater distributary channel systems in one period.Among them,sandstones in the distributary channels of middle-low Qigequan Formation are thick and broad with superior physical properties,which are favorable reservoirs.The reservoir permeability is also affected by diagenesis.Distributary channel sandstone reservoirs extend further to the west of Sebei-1 gas field,which provides a basis to expand exploration to the western peripheral area.

Log interpretation of carbonate rocks based on petrophysical facies constraints

The complex pore structure of carbonate reservoirs hinders the correlation between porosity and permeability.In view of the sedimentation,diagenesis,testing,and production characteristics of carbonate reservoirs in the study area,combined with the current trends and advances in well log interpretation techniques for carbonate reservoirs,a log interpretation technology route of“geological information constraint+deep learning”was developed.The principal component analysis(PCA)was employed to establish lithology identification criteria with an accuracy of 91%.The Bayesian stepwise discriminant method was used to construct a sedimentary microfacies identification method with an accuracy of 90.5%.Based on production data,the main lithologies and sedimentary microfacies of effective reservoirs were determined,and 10 petrophysical facies with effective reservoir characteristics were identified.Constrained by petrophysical facies,the mean interpretation error of porosity compared to core analysis results is 2.7%,and the ratio of interpreted permeability to core analysis is within one order of magnitude,averaging 3.6.The research results demonstrate that deep learning algorithms can uncover the correlation in carbonate reservoir well logging data.Integrating geological and production data and selecting appropriate machine learning algorithms can significantly improve the accuracy of well log interpretation for carbonate reservoirs.

Study on the Fine Configuration of Reservoir in River Facies Oilfield in Bohai Sea Area

The geological conditions of offshore shallow water delta oil reservoirs were complex, with limited well data and large well spacing. Taking A Oilfield in the Bohai Sea Area, China as an example, the target sand body was formed in a shallow water delta sedimentary environment, with well-developed underwater distributary channels and frequent branching and diversion. The reservoir was strong non-uniformity and uneven plane water cut pressure. To this end, based on the existing work of predecessors, combined with seismic, logging, and production dynamics data, and based on the genesis mechanism of shallow water delta reservoirs, the boundary of composite river channels was identified through seismic facies, and logging facies were used to subdivide them into single river levels within the composite river channels. Then, seismic waveform characteristics were applied to track and characterize the plane distribution of single river channels, guiding the efficient development of offshore shallow water delta oil fields and achieving increased storage and production in Bohai Oilfield, China.

Automatic discrimination of sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs using borehole image logs

Reef-bank reservoirs are an important target for petroleum exploration in marine carbonates and also an essential supplemental area for oil and gas production in China. Due to the diversity of reservoirs and the extreme heterogeneity of reef-banks, it is very difficult to discriminate the sedimentary facies and lithologies in reef-bank reservoirs using conventional well logs. The borehole image log provides clear identification of sedimentary structures and textures and is an ideal tool for discriminating sedimentary facies and lithologies. After examining a large number of borehole images and cores, we propose nine typical patterns for borehole image interpretation and a method that uses these patterns to discriminate sedimentary facies and lithologies in reeI^bank reservoirs automatically. We also develop software with user-friendly interface. The results of applications in reef-bank reservoirs in the middle Tarim Basin and northeast Sichuan have proved that the proposed method and the corresponding software are quite effective.

Seismic facies response of tectonics and direction of block movement in the northeastern South China Sea

The close relationship between the structure,evolution,and resources environment of the South China Sea is a current research focus and also a focal point of our study.In this paper,we use regional seismic sections to analyze the relationship between seismic facies and the structure and tectonic evolution of the northeastern South China Sea and propose new points about the structure and the direction of block（land mass） motion.First,the tectonic features are clear and can be divided into five different structural units which are both linked and independent of each other.Second,it doesn＇t matter if the South China Sea basin pattern is extensional,weakly compressive,or strongly compressive,the regional tectonic stress field is unified.For the first time we find that two shallow subduction zones are recognized in the seismic profiles.All the tectonic blocks have accordion-fold-style structures,converging in the east,and the South China Sea exhibits different stages of basin development：growth, maturity,end,and termination.The block subduction and regional block dip directions are all aligned with the regional stress field.

Seismic Facies in a Deepwater Area of a Marine Faulted Basin:Deepwater Area of the Paleogene Lingshui Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin

In recent years, deep water areas have become popular exploration fields because of their abundant hydrocarbon resource potential. There are only relatively poor planar seismic profiles and no wells for deepwater areas of the Lingshui Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin. A lot of faults developed and strata are fragmented due to high temperatures and high pressure, and this has resulted in dim sequence boundaries. Based on seismic data of the deepwater area and well data of bordering shallow water areas, Lingshui Formation was divided into four third class sequences; namely SI, SII, SIII and SIV, and the three-dimensional isochronous stratigraphic framework of the Lingshui Formation in the studied area was shaped. Based mainly on seismic attributes such as amplitude, continuity, internal structure and external shape, six typical seismic facies were identified, including mat-shaped, filling, wedge-shaped, foreset, moundy-shaped and lenticular-shaped, and a seismic facies distribution map was subsequently drawn. With studies on wells of bordering shallow water areas, regional sedimentary characteristics, and isopach map as references, sedimentary planar distribution features were analyzed. The deepwater area of the Lingshui Formation has mainly developed littoral and shallow sea. Sandstone bodies of fan delta, braided river delta, slope fan, basin floor fan, and turbidite fan are at an interdigitate junction to marine hydrocarbon source rocks and thus are favorable prospecting targets.

Logging identification method of depositional facies in Sinian Dengying Formation of the Sichuan Basin

The sedimentary facies/microfacies,which can be correlated with well logs,determine reservoir quality and hydrocarbon productivity in carbonate rocks.The identification and evaluation of sedimentary facies/microfacies using well logs are very important in order to effectively guide the exploration and development of oil and gas.Previous carbonate facies/microfacies identification methods based on conventional well log data often exist multiple solutions.This paper presents a new method of facies/microfacies identification based on core-conventional logs-electrical image log-geological model,and the method is applied in the fourth member of the Dengying Formation(Deng 4)in the Gaoshiti-Moxi area of the Sichuan Basin.Firstly,core data are used to calibrate different types of facies/microfacies,with the aim to systematically clarify the conventional and electrical image log responses for each type of facies/microfacies.Secondly,through the pair wise correlation analysis of conventional logs,GR,RT and CNL,are selected as sensitive curves to establish the microfacies discrimination criteria separately.Thirdly,five well logging response models and identification charts of facies/microfacies are established based on electrical image log.The sedimentary microfacies of 60 exploratory wells was analyzed individually through this method,and the microfacies maps of 4 layers of the Deng 4 Member were compiled,and the plane distribution of microfacies in the Gaoshiti-Moxi area of the Sichuan Basin was depicted.The comparative analysis of oil testing or production results of wells reveals three most favorable types of microfacies and they include algal psammitic shoal,algal agglutinate mound,and algal stromatolite mound,which provide a reliable technical support to the exploration,development and well deployment in the study area.

Control of facies/potential on hydrocarbon accumulation:a geological model for lacustrine rift basins

The formation and distribution of hydrocarbon accumulations are jointly controlled by ＂stratigraphic facies＂ and ＂fluid potential＂, which can be abbreviated in ＂control of facies/potential on hydrocarbon accumulation＂. Facies and potential control the time-space distribution of hydrocarbon accumulation macroscopically and the petroliferous characteristics of hydrocarbon accumulation microscopically. Tectonic facies and sedimentary facies control the time-space distribution. Lithofacies and petrophysical facies control the petroliferous characteristics. Favorable facies and high porosity and permeability control hydrocarbon accumulation in the lacustrine rift basins in China. Fluid potential is represented by the work required, which comprises the work against gravity, pressure, interfacial energy and kinetic energy. Hydrocarbon migration and accumulation are controlled by the joint action of multiple driving forces, and are characterized by accumulation in the area of low potential. At the structural high, low geopotential energy caused by buoyancy control anticlinal reservoir. The formation oflithological oil pool is controlled by low interfacial energy caused by capillary force. Low compressive energy caused by overpressure and faulting activity control the formation of the faulted- block reservoir. Low geopotential energy of the basin margin caused by buoyancy control stratigraphic reservoir. The statistics of a large number of oil reservoirs show that favorable facies and low potential control hydrocarbon accumulation in the rift basin, where over 85% of the discovered hydrocarbon accumulations are distributed in the trap with favorable facies and low potentials. The case study showed that the prediction of favorable areas by application of the near source-favorable facies-low potential accumulation model correlated well with over 90% of the discovered oil pools＇ distribution of the middle section of the third member of the Shahejie Formation in the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin.

Favorable lithofacies types and genesis of marine- continental transitional black shale: A case study of Permian Shanxi Formation in the eastern margin of Ordos Basin, NW China

Based on core description,thin section identification,X-ray diffraction analysis,scanning electron microscopy,low-temperature gas adsorption and high-pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry,the shale lithofacies of Shan23 sub-member of Permian Shanxi Formation in the east margin of Ordos Basin was systematically analyzed in this study.The Shan23 sub-member has six lithofacies,namely,low TOC clay shale(C-L),low TOC siliceous shale(S-L),medium TOC siliceous shale(S-M),medium TOC hybrid shale(M-M),high TOC siliceous shale(S-H),and high TOC clay shale(C-H).Among them,S-H is the best lithofacies,S-M and M-M are the second best.The C-L and C-H lithofacies,mainly found in the upper part of Shan23 sub-member,generally developed in tide-dominated delta facies;the S-L,S-M,S-H and M-M shales occurring in the lower part of Shan23 sub-member developed in tide-dominated estuarine bay facies.The S-H,S-M and M-M shales have good pore struc-ture and largely organic matter pores and mineral interparticle pores,including interlayer pore in clay minerals,pyrite inter-crystalline pore,and mineral dissolution pore.C-L and S-L shales have mainly mineral interparticle pores and clay mineral in-terlayer pores,and a small amount of organic matter pores,showing poorer pore structure.The C-H shale has organic mi-cro-pores and a small number of interlayer fissures of clay minerals,showing good micro-pore structure,and poor meso-pore and macro-pore structure.The formation of favorable lithofacies is jointly controlled by depositional environment and diagen-esis.Shallow bay-lagoon depositional environment is conducive to the formation of type II2 kerogen which can produce a large number of organic cellular pores.Besides,the rich biogenic silica is conducive to the preservation of primary pores and en-hances the fracability of the shale reservoir.

Reconstruction and petroleum geological significance of lithofacies paleogeography and paleokarst geomorphology of the Middle Permian Maokou Formation in northwestern Sichuan Basin,SW China

Based on analysis of outcrop,drilling,logging and seismic data,and geotectonic background,the lithofacies paleogeography and paleokarst geomorphology of the Middle Permian Maokou Formation in the northwestern Sichuan Basin were reconstructed,and the petroleum geological significance of the lithofacies paleogeography and paleokarst geomorphology were discussed.The Maokou Formation is divided into 3 long-term cycles,namely LSCl,LSC2 and LSC3,which correspond to the Member 1,Member 2 and Member 3 of the Maokou Formation,respectively.Controlled by the extensional structure caused by opening of the Mianlue Ocean in the north margin of the upper Yangtze blocks and basement faults produced by mantle plume uplifting,the area had tectonic differentiation in NWW and NE,and sedimentary basement took on episodic settlement from north to south,as a result,the sedimentary systems of Member 1 to Member 3 gradually evolved from carbonate platform to platform-slope-continental shelf.According to the residual thickness,paleokarst geomorphologic units such as karst highland,karst slope and karst depression at different stages were reconstructed.The karst geomorphological units were developed successively on the basis of sedimentary geomorphology.Sedimentary facies and paleokarst geomorphology are of great significance for oil and gas accumulation.The Maokou Formation in northwestern Sichuan has two kinds of most favorable reservoir zone combinations:high energy grain shoal and karst monadnock,platform margin slope and karst slope.Based on this understanding,the planar distribution of the two kinds of reservoir zones were predicted by overlapping the favorable reservoir facies belt with paleokarst geomorphology.The study results provide a new idea and reference for the exploration deployment of the Middle Permian Maokou Formation in the Sichuan Basin.

Process-facies Types and Sequences of Devonian Volcanic Sedimentary Successions in Northern Xinjiang and Their Relation to Plate Tectonics

The process-facies types of the Devonian volcanic sedimentary successions in northern Xinjiang include explosive facies, effusive facies, pyroclastic-calcareous-terrigenous tempestite facies, and coarse^-, medium^- and fine-grained pyroclastic turbidite facies, volcanic eruption tsunamite facies, syndepositional and soft-deformed seismite facies, sandy and silt-muddy contourite facies. This paper presents their characteristics and diagnostic indicators, and discusses the temporal and spatial structures of both the process-facies and the environment-facies of the Zhifang section, east Junggar, and the Mount Sarburti section, west Junggar, and their relation to plate tectonism. The author holds that the facies analysis dominated by process-facies is the facies analysis' nucleus in an orogenic belt and active continental margin.

Depositional Controls on the Ichnology of Ordovician Wave-dominated Marine Facies：New Evidence from the Shirgesht Formation,Central Iran

The Lower Ordovician Shirgesht Formation in central Iran is composed of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks deposited in diverse coastal and marine shelfal environments（tidal flat,lagoon,shoreface,offshore-shelf and carbonate ramp）.Five facies associations contain diverse ichnofossil assemblages that show distinct proximal to distal trends formed in a wide range of physical-chemical conditions.The ethological groups of trace fossils in the Shirgesht Formation reflect a gradient of depositional stress conditions across a wave-influenced shoreline and shelf.Deposits of waveinfluenced environments make up a significant component of the geological record of shallow marine settings,and the ability to determine paleoenvironments in detail in such successions is critical for reconstruction of depositional histories and sequence-stratigraphic interpretation.The Cruziana ichnofacies of the study shows highly diverse suites that record the establishment of a benthic community under stable conditions and a long-term colonization window.The Skolithos ichnofacies recognized is a low diversity opportunistic ichnocommunity suite that resulted from colonization after tempestite deposition in a stressed environment.The strata record an onshore to offshore replacement of the Cruziana ichnofacies（with abundant feeding traces of deposit-feeders） by the Skolithos ichnofacies（dominated by suspension-feeders and predators）.A transitional zone between the two ichnofacies coincides with the offshore-transition/distal lower-surface deposits.The distribution of ichnofacies,the diversity and range of ethological characteristics reflected by the ichnogenera,and the wide range of wave-dominated coastal facies demonstrate the potential to use individual trace fossils and ichnofacies for significantly refined palaeoenvironmental analysis of wavedominated coastal settings,particularly in Ordovician successions.

Pre-stack-texture-based reservoir characteristics and seismic facies analysis

Seismic texture attributes are closely related to seismic facies and reservoir characteristics and are thus widely used in seismic data interpretation.However,information is mislaid in the stacking process when traditional texture attributes are extracted from poststack data,which is detrimental to complex reservoir description.In this study,pre-stack texture attributes are introduced,these attributes can not only capable of precisely depicting the lateral continuity of waveforms between different reflection points but also reflect amplitude versus offset,anisotropy,and heterogeneity in the medium.Due to its strong ability to represent stratigraphies,a pre-stack-data-based seismic facies analysis method is proposed using the selforganizing map algorithm.This method is tested on wide azimuth seismic data from China,and the advantages of pre-stack texture attributes in the description of stratum lateral changes are verified,in addition to the method＇s ability to reveal anisotropy and heterogeneity characteristics.The pre-stack texture classification results effectively distinguish different seismic reflection patterns,thereby providing reliable evidence for use in seismic facies analysis.

Generating geologically realistic 3D reservoir facies models using deep learning of sedimentary architecture with generative adversarial networks

This paper proposes a novel approach for generating 3-dimensional complex geological facies models based on deep generative models.It can reproduce a wide range of conceptual geological models while possessing the flexibility necessary to honor constraints such as well data.Compared with existing geostatistics-based modeling methods,our approach produces realistic subsurface facies architecture in 3D using a state-of-the-art deep learning method called generative adversarial networks(GANs).GANs couple a generator with a discriminator,and each uses a deep convolutional neural network.The networks are trained in an adversarial manner until the generator can create "fake" images that the discriminator cannot distinguish from "real" images.We extend the original GAN approach to 3D geological modeling at the reservoir scale.The GANs are trained using a library of 3D facies models.Once the GANs have been trained,they can generate a variety of geologically realistic facies models constrained by well data interpretations.This geomodelling approach using GANs has been tested on models of both complex fluvial depositional systems and carbonate reservoirs that exhibit progradational and aggradational trends.The results demonstrate that this deep learning-driven modeling approach can capture more realistic facies architectures and associations than existing geostatistical modeling methods,which often fail to reproduce heterogeneous nonstationary sedimentary facies with apparent depositional trend.

Sedimentary facies and depositional model of shallow water delta dominated by fluvial for Chang 8 oil-bearing group of Yanchang Formation in southwestern Ordos Basin,China

A systematic analysis of southwestern Ordos Basin's sedimentary characteristics,internal architectural element association styles and depositional model was illustrated through core statistics,well logging data and outcrop observations in Chang 8 oil-bearing group.This analysis indicates that shallow water delta sediments dominated by a fluvial system is the primary sedimentary system of the Chang 8 oil-bearing group of the Yanchang Formation in southwestern Ordos Basin.Four microfacies with fine grain sizes are identified: distributary channels,sheet sandstone,mouth bar and interdistributary fines.According to the sandbody's spatial distribution and internal architecture,two types of sandbody architectural element associations are identified: amalgamated distributary channels and thin-layer lobate sandstone.In this sedimentary system,net-like distributary channels at the delta with a narrow ribbon shape compose the skeleton of the sandbody that extends further into the delta front and shades into contiguous lobate distribution sheet sandstone in the distal delta front.The mouth bar is largely absent in this system.By analyzing the palaeogeomorphology,the palaeostructure background,sedimentary characteristics,sedimentary facies types and spatial distribution of sedimentary facies during the Chang 8 period,a distinctive depositional model of the Chang 8 shallow water fluvial-dominated delta was established,which primarily consists of straight multi-phase amalgamated distributary channels in the delta plain,net-like distributary channels frequently diverting and converging in the proximal delta front,sheet sandstones with dispersing contiguous lobate shapes in the distal delta front,and prodelta or shallow lake mudstones.

Neoproterozoic Molar-tooth Structure and Constraint of Depositional Facies and Environment in the North China Platform in Jiangsu, Anhui and Liaoning, Eastern China

Molar tooth structure （MTS） represented by complex ptygmatical shapes is widely distributed in the Proterozoic of the world. MTS filled by fine, equant sparry calcite （or dolomite） displays an abrupt contact with hosting rocks, which are mainly composed of carbonaceous micrites and fine-grained carbonates with local silts and stormdominated deposits with graded, cross or wave beddings, numerous erosional surfaces and truncated and fills or guttered bases. Occurrence of MTS suggests a result of the constraint of sedimentary facies, and the storm-base in ramp settings is the maximum depth for the formation of MTS. Vertical succession of MTS-bearing carbonates shows a deposition stacked by high-frequency shallow subtidal and peritidal cycles. An individual cyclic MTS-bearing sequence is characterized by thinning, shallowing and dynamic decreasing-upward, and peritidal caps of purple red iron and organic carbonaceous sediments with more complicated shapes of MTS are common on the top of individual MTS-bearing sequences.

Genetic Types of Meter-Scale Cyclic Sequences and Fabric Natures of Facies Succession

Different genetic types of meter-scale cyclic sequences in stratigraphic records result from episodic accumulation of strata related to Milankovitch cycles. The distinctive fabric natures of facies succession result from the sedimentation governed by different sediment sources and sedimentary dynamic conditions in different paleogeographical backgrounds, corresponding to high-frequency sea-level changes. Naturally, this is the fundamental criterion for the classification of genetic types of meter-scale cyclic sequences. The widespread development in stratigraphic records and the regular vertical stacking patterns in long-term sequences, the evolution characters of earth history and the genetic types reflected by specific fabric natures of facies successions in different paleogeographical settings, all that show meter-scale cyclic sequences are not only the elementary working units in stratigraphy and sedimentology, but also the replenishment and extension of parasequence of sequence stratigraphy. Two genetic kinds of facies succession for meter-scale cyclic sequence in neritic-facies strata of carbonate and clastic rocks, are normal grading succession mainly formed by tidal sedimentation and inverse grading succession chiefly made by wave sedimentation, and both of them constitute generally shallowing upward succession, the thickness of which ranges from several tens of centimeters to several meters. The classification of genetic types of meter-scale cyclic sequence could be made in terms of the fabric natures of facies succession, and carbonate meter-scale cyclic sequences could be divided into four types: L-M type, deep-water asymmetrical type, subtidal type and peritidal type. Clastic meter-scale cyclic sequences could be grouped into two types: tidal-dynamic type and wave-dynamic type. The boundaries of meter-scale cyclic sequences are marked by instantaneous punctuated surface formed by non-deposition resulting from high-frequency level changes, which include instantaneous exposed punctuated surface, drowned punctuated surface as well as their relative surface. The development of instantaneous punctuated surface used as the boundary of meter-scale cyclic sequence brings about the limitations of Walter's Law on the explanation of facies distribution in time and space, and reaffirm the importance of Sander's Rule on analysis of stratigraphic records. These non-continuous surface could be traced for long distance and some could be correlative within same basin range. The study of meter-scale cyclic sequences and their regularly vertical stacking patterns in long-term sequences indicate that the research into cyclicity of stratigraphic records is a useful way to get more regularity from stratigraphic records that are frequently complex as well as non-integrated.