The Middle Miocene lobe-shaped and band-shaped submarine fans in the Lingshui Sag,Qiongdongnan Basin:source-to-sink system,genesis and implication

Deepwater oil and gas exploration is the key to sustainable breakthroughs in petroleum exploration worldwide.The Central Canyon gas field has confirmed the Lingshui Sag is a hydrocarbon-generating sag,and the deepwater reservoirs in the Lingshui Sag still have more fabulous oil and gas exploration potential.Based on drilling data and three-dimensional(3D)seismic data,this paper uses seismic facies analysis,seismic attribute analysis,and coherence slice analysis to identify the types of submarine fans(lobe-shaped and band-shaped submarine fans)that developed in the Lingshui Sag during the Middle Miocene,clarify the source-to-sink system of the submarine fans and discuss the genesis mechanism of the submarine fans.The results show that:(1)the deepwater source-to-sink system of the Lingshui Sag in the Middle Miocene mainly consisted of a“delta(sediment supply)-submarine canyon(sediment transport channel)-submarine fan(deepwater sediment sink)”association;(2)the main factor controlling the formation of the submarine fans developed in the Lingshui Sag was on the relative sea level decline;and(3)the bottom current reworked the lobe-shaped submarine fan that developed in the northern Lingshui Sag and formed the band-shaped submarine fan with a greater sand thickness.This paper aims to provide practical geological knowledge for subsequent petroleum exploration and development in the deepwater area of the Qiongdongnan Basin through a detailed analysis of the Middle Miocene submarine fan sedimentary system developed in the Lingshui Sag.

Characteristics and origins of middle Miocene mounds and channels in the northern South China Sea

Numerous elongated mounds and channels were found at the top of the middle Miocene strata using 2D/3D seismic data in the Liwan Sag of Zhujiang River Mouth Basin(ZRMB)and the Beijiao Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB).They occur at intervals and are rarely revealed by drilling wells in the deepwater areas.Origins of the mounds and channels are controversial and poorly understood.Based on an integrated analysis of the seismic attribute,palaeotectonics and palaeogeography,and drilling well encountering a mound,research results show that these mounds are dominantly distributed on the depression centres and/or slopes of the Liwan and Beijiao sags and developed in a bathyal sedimentary environment.In the Liwan and Beijiao sags,the mounds between channels(sub)parallel to one another are 1.0–1.5 km and 1.5–2.0 km wide,150–300 m and 150–200 m high,and extend straightly from west to east for 5–15 km and 8–20 km,respectively.Mounds and channels in the Liwan Sag are parallel with the regional slope.Mounds and channels in the Beijiao Sag,however,are at a small angle to the regional slope.According to internal geometry,texture and external morphology of mounds,the mounds in Beijiao Sag are divided into weak amplitude parallel reflections(mound type I),blank or chaotic reflections(mound type II),and internal mounded reflections(mound typeⅢ).The mounds in Liwan Sag,however,have the sole type,i.e.,mound type I.Mound type I originates from the incision of bottom currents and/or gravity flows.Mound type II results from gravity-driven sediments such as turbidite.Mound typeⅢis a result of deposition and incision of bottom currents simultaneously.The channels with high amplitude between mounds in the Beijiao and Liwan sags are a result of gravity-flow sediments and it is suggested they are filled by sandstone.Whereas channels with low-mediate amplitudes are filled by bottom-current sediments only in the Beijiao Sag,where they are dominantly composed of mudstone.This study provides new insights into the origins of the mounds and channels worldwide.

Distribution characteristics of delta reservoirs reshaped by bottom currents:A case study from the second member of the Yinggehai Formation in the DF1-1 gas field,Yinggehai Basin,South China Sea

The Dongfang1-1 gas field(DF1-1)in the Yinggehai Basin is currently the largest offshore self-developed gas field in China and is rich in oil and gas resources.The second member of the Pliocene Yinggehai Formation(YGHF)is the main gas-producing formation and is composed of various sedimentary types;however,a clear understanding of the sedimentary types and development patterns is lacking.Here,typical lithofacies,logging facies and seismic facies types and characteristics of the YGHF are identified based on high-precision 3D seismic data combined with drilling,logging,analysis and testing data.Based on 3D seismic interpretation and attribute analysis,the origin of high-amplitude reflections is clarified,and the main types and evolution characteristics of sedimentary facies are identified.Taking gas formation upper II(IIU)as an example,the plane distribution of the delta front and bottom current channel is determined;finally,a comprehensive sedimentary model of the YGHF second member is established.This second member is a shallowly buried“bright spot”gas reservoir with weak compaction.The velocity of sandstone is slightly lower than that of mudstone,and the reflection has medium amplitude when there is no gas.The velocity of sandstone decreases considerably after gas accumulation,resulting in an increase in the wave impedance difference and high-amplitude(bright spot)reflection between sandstone and mudstone;the range of high amplitudes is consistent with that of gas-bearing traps.The distribution of gas reservoirs is obviously controlled by dome-shaped diapir structural traps,and diapir faults are channels through which natural gas from underlying Miocene source rocks can enter traps.The study area is a delta front deposit developed on a shallow sea shelf.The lithologies of the reservoir are mainly composed of very fine sand and coarse silt,and a variety of sedimentary structural types reflect a shallow sea delta environment;upward thickening funnel type,strong toothed bell type and toothed funnel type logging facies are developed.In total,4 stages of delta front sand bodies(corresponding to progradational reflection seismic facies)derived from the Red River and Blue River in Vietnam have developed in the second member of the YGHF;these sand bodies are dated to 1.5 Ma and correspond to four gas formations.During sedimentation,many bottom current channels(corresponding to channel fill seismic facies)formed,which interacted with the superposed progradational reflections.When the provenance supply was strong in the northwest,the area was dominated by a large set of delta front deposits.In the period of relative sea level rise,surface bottom currents parallel to the coastline were dominant,and undercutting erosion was obvious,forming multistage superimposed erosion troughs.Three large bottom current channels that developed in the late sedimentary period of gas formation IIU are the most typical.

Hydrocarbon accumulation in the deep waters of South China Sea controlled by the tectonic cycles of marginal sea basins

The tectonic cycle of the marginal sea basins in South China Sea(SCS)includes two cycles,i.e.,the formation and contraction of Palaeo-SCS and Neo-SCS.The northern part of SCS is a rift basin on a passive continental margin,while the the Nansha Block is a drifting rift basin.The southern part is a compound compressional basin on an active continental margin;the western part is a shear-extensional basin on a transform continental margin;the eastern part is an accretionary wedge basin on a subduction continental margin.The deep-water basins are mainly distributed on the continental slope and the the Nansha Block.There are three sets of source rocks in the deep-water areas of the northern continental margin in SCS,i.e.,Eocene terrestrial facies,early Oligocene transitional facies and late Oligocene marine facies.A set of Late Cretaceous-Early Oligocene terrestrial marine facies source rocks are developed in the drift-rift basin of SCS.Three sets of Oligocene,early Miocene and Mid-Miocene marine-terrestrial transitional facies source rocks are developed in the deep-water areas of both the southern and western continental margins of SCS.Four sets of reservoirs developed in the northern deep waters of SCS are dominated by deep sea fans.Two sets of reservoirs developed in the the Nansha Block are dominated by delta and biogenic reef.The southern part of SCS is dominated by deep sea fan and biogenic reef.Reservoirs of large channels and other clastic facies were developed in front of the estuaries,while biogenic reef bank was formed in the uplift zone.The hydrocarbon accumulation assemblages are mainly presented as Oligocene-Pliocene in the deep waters on the northern continental margin of SCS,Eocene-Lower Oligocene in the the Nansha Block,Oligocene-Pliocene and Oligocene-Miocene in the deep waters on the southern and western continental margin of SCS,respectively.The major hydrocarbon reservoir types in the deep waters of SCS are related to structural traps,deep water fans and biogenic reefs.The formation of basin,hydrocarbon and reservoir in the deep waters of SCS are controlled by the tectonic cycles of the marginal sea basins,revealing a great potential for hydrocarbon exploration.