New model of linkage evolution for the transtensional fault systems in the Nanpu Sag of Bohai Bay Basin:Insight from seismic interpretation and analogue modelling

The evolution of faults within the same stress field is frequently influenced by numerous factors,involving the reactivation of pre-existing structures,stress transmission through ductile detachment layers,and the growth,interaction,as well as linkage of new fault segments.This study analyses a complex multi-phase oblique extension fault system in the Nanpu Sag(NPS)of the Bohai Bay Basin(BBB),China.High-resolution three-dimensional(3D)seismic data and analogue modelling indicate that the oblique extensional reactivation of pre-existing structures governs the sequential arrangement of fault segments in the caprock,and they dip synthetically to the reactivated fault at depth.During the NW-SE extension in the Eocene,the predominant movement of the pre-existing fault is strike-slip.Subsequently,during the N-S extension since the Oligocene,inclined at 20.to the pre-existing fault,forming splay fault segments and ultimately creating large en-echelon arcuate faults linked by relay ramps.Using fault throw-distance(T-D)and laser scanning,we reconstructed the fault evolution model of oblique extension reactivation in the presence of a ductile detachment basement.Our study illustrates that the arcuate faults can be categorized into linear master fault segments controlled by pre-existing structures,bending splay faults in the termination zone,and normal fault segments responding to the regional stress field.The interaction between faults occurs among normal faults and strike-slip faults,and the kinematic unification of the two fault systems is accomplished in the intersection zone.As the faults continue to evolve,the new fault segments tend to relinquish the control of pre-existing structures and concentrate more on the development of planar and continuous major faults.The ductile detachment layer significantly contributes to the uniform distribution of strain,resulting in narrow shear zones and discontinuous normal faults in its absence.

Three-dimensional structural models,evolution and petroleum geological significances of transtensional faults in the Ziyang area,central Sichuan Basin,SW China

With drilling and seismic data of Transtensional(strike-slip)Fault System in the Ziyang area of the central Sichuan Basin,SW China plane-section integrated structural interpretation,3-D fault framework model building,fault throw analyzing,and balanced profile restoration,it is pointed out that the transtensional fault system in the Ziyang 3-D seismic survey consists of the northeast-trending F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones dominated by extensional deformation,as well as 3 sets of northwest-trending en echelon normal faults experienced dextral shear deformation.Among them,the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones cut through the Neoproterozoic to Lower Triassic Jialingjiang Formation,presenting a 3-D structure of an“S”-shaped ribbon.And before Permian and during the Early Triassic,the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones underwent at least two periods of structural superimposition.Besides,the 3 sets of northwest-trending en echelon normal faults are composed of small normal faults arranged in pairs,with opposite dip directions and partially left-stepped arrangement.And before Permian,they had formed almost,restricting the eastward growth and propagation of the F_(I)19 fault zone.The F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones communicate multiple sets of source rocks and reservoirs from deep to shallow,and the timing of fault activity matches well with oil and gas generation peaks.If there were favorable Cambrian-Triassic sedimentary facies and reservoirs developing on the local anticlinal belts of both sides of the F_(I)19 and F_(I)20 fault zones,the major reservoirs in this area are expected to achieve breakthroughs in oil and gas exploration.

Structure kinematics of a transtensional basin:An example from the Linnan Subsag, Bohai Bay basin,Eastern China

The Linnan subsag is a petroliferous, secondary tectonic unit of the Huimin sag that is located in the western part of the Jiyang depression in the Bohai Bay basin, eastern China. In this study, the authors calculated basin extensional rate and slipping displacement of boundary faults in the dip and strike directions, using seismic and drilling data. The evolution of the Linnan transtensional basin from the Eogene through the Quaternary is quantitatively described, and a dynamic model is established. The Linshan and Xiakou boundary faults of the Linnan subsag are used as a case study to describe a method to calculate the strike and dip slipping displacements of active faults under oblique extension. The results quantitatively illustrate the behavior of the Linnan subsag boundary faults over time. The Linnan subsag transtensional basin experienced four stages of evolution: weak extension during the Kongdian Formation, rapid extension and fault depression during the fourth member of the Shahejie Formation,intensive transtension and fault depression during the third member of the Shahejie Formation-Dongying Formation, and weakening fault depression during the Guantao Formation-Pingyuan Formation.The results of this study provide further understanding of the processes of petroleum migration and accumulation in the region.

Deformation characteristics and analog modeling of transtensional structures in the Dongying Sag,Bohai Bay Basin

Hydrocarbon exploration in the Dongying Sag is constrained by the development of many Cenozoic transtensional structures with complex patterns and dynamic mechanisms.This study uses seismic interpretation and analog modeling to investigate these transtensional structures.Significant results include dividing these transtensional structures into boundary fault,oblique rifting,and deep strike-slip fault controlled structures,according to the relationships between main and secondary faults.They developed in the steep slope zone,the central sag zone,and the slope zone,respectively.In profile,the transtensional structures formed appear to be semi-flower-like,step-like,or negative-flower-like.In plan-view,they appear to be broom-like,soft-linked,or en-echelon structures.Further,these transtensional structures are controlled by the oblique normal slip of boundary faults,by the oblique extension of sub-sags,and by the later extension of deep strike-slip faults.The geometric deformation of these transtensional structures is controlled by the angles between the regional extension direction and the strike of boundary faults,deep faults,or sub-sags,where a larger angle corresponds to less developed transtensional structures.Further,the transtensional structures in the Dongying Sag were created by multi-phase and multi-directional extensions in the Cenozoic—which is also controlled by pre-existing structures.The strike of newborn secondary faults was determined by the regional extension direction and pre-existing structures.

Nanpu Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin:A Transtensional Fault-Termination Basin

The Nanpu（南堡） sag has previously been modeled as（1） a pull-apart basin,（2） a rift ba-sin,without significant strike-slip deformation,and（3） a transtensional basin.We present a new model for the Nanpu sag in which the basin is a transtensional fault-termination basin.Although transten-sional fault-termination basins is an important basin type,it is not as well studied as other classic basin types.On the base of 3D seismic data interpretation,the faults geometries and kinematics and their controls on depocenters are presented.The Nanpu sag is developed in the context of dextral transten-sion of the Bohai（渤海） Bay basin and attributed to a transtensional fault-termination basin.During deposition of the Es3-Es2 members,the basin border Xi＇nanzhuang（西南庄） fault and Baigezhuang（柏各庄） fault linked to a mixed normal and strike-slip fault system,or a linked fault system controlled the basin by dominant extension and weak strike-slip and created fan-shaped depocenters surrounded by the two faults.From Es1 Member to Dongying（东营） Formation,two major depocenters controlled by two mixed normal and sinistral strike-slip fault systems are located on the Linque（林雀） and Caofeidian（曹妃甸） subsags.During deposition of the Guantao（馆陶）-Minghuazhen（明化镇） Forma-tion,the Nanpu sag successively developed and significantly expanded.

Two Types of Strike-Slip and Transtensional Intrabasinal Structures Controlling Sandbodies in Yitong Graben

Recently,the researches on structure controls on sandbodies have provided a new method for predicting petroleum reservoirs.The Yitong（伊通） graben is situated in the northern section of the Tan-Lu（郯-庐） fault system in eastern China.It was characterized by dual properties of strike-slip and extension in Cenozoic.Two types of intrabasinal structures were identified as oblique fault and trans-verse uplift in the graben.The oblique faults arranged en echelon in plain and locally presented nega-tive rosette structures on seismic profile,so they were closely derived from strike-slip movement of the northwestern boundary faults.Moreover,these oblique faults were divided to five zones.The three transverse uplifts,located corresponding to flattened southeast boundary faults,were mainly originated by displacement-gradient folding due to segmental extensional activities of southeast boundary faults.The large-scale sandbodies of subaqueous fan facies and fan delta facies had developed at the two types of intrabasinal structure zone.Based on analyzing the seismic facies,logging facies and seismic attrib-ute extractions,and on discovering many incised valleys at the oblique fault zones,the two types of in-trabasinal structures were revealed to have conducted drainage entering basin and further dispersing,and to have consequently controlled the development and distribution of sandbodies.

TWO TYPES OF CENOZOIC HIGH-K MAGMATINSM IN EASTERN TIBET:IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NATURE OF MANTLE SOURCES

Cenozoic high\|K igneous rocks are widely distributed in eastern Tibet. These rocks are exposed as flows, dykes and small intrusions along a narrow north\|south trending zone, which follows Tertiary fold belts and the Batang—Lijiang and Ailao Shan—Red River strike\|slip systems. Although several models were proposed to interpret their petrogenesis (Deng, 1989; Arnaud et al., 1991; Turner et al., 1996; Yin et al., 1995; Miller et al., 1999), their origin still remains hotly debated. Moreover, the published results were only focused on the high\|K igneous rocks resulted from partial melting of an enriched lithospheric mantle. Here, we present the detailed documents to testify the existence of a new kind of high\|K igneous rocks in eastern Tibet.Our new 39 Ar/ 40 Ar age data (Wang et al., 1999) and published age data for high\|K rocks in eastern Tibet show two distinctive magmatic episodes: one between 42Ma and 24Ma, and the other since ca.16Ma. They correspond to two types of high\|K magmatism in eastern Tibet. We name the older and younger groups as types Ⅰ and Ⅱ, respectively.

Differences of Polygonal Faults with Irregularly Polygonal Geometries: A Case Study from the Changchang Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin, Northern South China Sea

Polygonal faults(PFs)generally have a classic polygonal geometry in map view.However,under the influence of tectonic faults,diapirs,channels,and slopes,the classic polygonal geometry of PFs is not preserved,demonstrating differences(different characters)in map-view 3D seismic data covering an area of 334km^(2) of the Changchang(CC)sag,are used to document the mapview and cross-sectional characteristics of PFs.These data also help investigate the irregularly polygonal geometries of PFs due to the presence of influence factors,such as transtensional faults,submarine fans,channels,diapirs/gas chimneys,and the basal slope within the lower-middle Miocene strata.Results show that various irregularly polygonal geometries of PFs can be classified into enechelon and arcuate PFs,channel-segmenting and-bounding PFs,radial PFs,and rectangular PFs in map-view.En-echelon and arcuate PFs are induced by transtensional faults and exhibit a unique‘flower’structure in NE-and SE-trending cross-sections in the NW area of the study area.This finding is documented for the first time.Channel-segmenting PFs occur in the(northwest)low-amplitude muddy channel and are inhibited in the(southeast)high-amplitude sandy channel in the SW area.Radial PFs are radially aligned around a gas chimney/diapir containing some high-amplitude anomalies(HAAs)in the middle area.The presence of intrusive sandstones with HAAs along the periphery of the diapirs restricts the occurrence of PFs.Two high-amplitude submarine fans act as a mechanical barrier to the propagation of PFs.Meanwhile,the(moderate)slope in the NE area induces rectangular PFs.Additionally,the geneses of the PFs in the current study are comprehensively discussed.This study adds to our understanding of the differences between PFs with irregularly polygonal geometries.

Structural control on uranium mineralization in South China: Implications for fluid flow in continental strike-slip faults

South China is the most important uranium producer in the country. Much of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic geology of this area was dominated by NNE-trending intracontinental strike-slip faulting that resulted from oblique subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate underneath the eastern China continent. This strike-slip fault system was characterized by transpression in the early-mid Jurassic and by transtension from the latest Jurassic through Cretaceous to early Tertiary. Most uranium ore deposits in South China are strictly fault-hosted and associated with mid-late Mesozoic granitic intrusions and volcanic rocks, which formed under transpression and transtension regimes, respectively. Various data demonstrate that the NNE-trending strike-slip faults have played critical roles in the formation and distribution of hydrothermal uranium deposits. Extensive geochronological studies show that a majority of uranium deposits in South China formed during the time period of 140-40 Ma with peak ages between 87-48 Ma, coinciding well with the time interval of transtension. However, hydrothermal uranium deposits are not uniformly distributed along individual strike-slip fault. The most important ore-hosting segments are pull-apart stepovers, splay structures, extensional strike-slip duplexes, releasing bends and fault intersections. This non-uniform distribution of ore occurrences in individual fault zone reflects localization of hydrothermal fluids within those segments that were highly dilational and thus extremely permeable. The unique geometric patterns and structural styles of strike-slip faults may have facilitated mixing of deeply derived and near-surface fluids, as evidenced by stable isotopic data from many uranium deposits in South China. The identification of fault segments favorable for uranium mineralization in South China is important for understanding the genesis of hydrothermal ore deposits within continental strike-slip faults, and therefore has great implications for exploration strategies.