Characteristics of hydrocarbon accumulation and exploration potential of the northern South China Sea deepwater basins

Although the huge potential of the northern South China Sea deepwater basins has been proven by a series of discoveries that followed the exploration breakthrough of well LW 3-1-1, recent drilling and other studies have demonstrated the uniqueness and complicated nature of hydrocarbon accumulations of the deepwater basins there. Based on a review of previous work and the latest exploration activities and studies, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the critical controls for hydrocarbon accumulations in the deepwater basins of the northern South China Sea. A terrestrial-marine transitional coal-bearing source rock is proposed to be the primary source rock for the deepwater basins. A marine source rock, which was first identified as contributing to hydro-carbon generation in this region, probably plays a significant role in the deep-and ultra-deep water basins south to the Pearl River Mouth and Qingdongnan basins. The shelf margin delta depositional systems in the Baiyun Sag, sourced from the Pearl River, are currently primary exploration targets in the deepwater part of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, whereas the western Red River delta-ic-submarine fan depositional systems, initially proven by drilling, are the possible major exploration reservoirs in the Qing-dongnan deepwater areas. Current deepwater exploration targets at the large-sized structural traps and deep and ultra-deep areas in the south of the Pearl River Mouth and Qingdongnan basins will be the future exploration focus. Deepwater exploration activities and relevant fundamental studies, supporting and promoting each other, are of great importance to the national energy supply of China, the basic regional studies of the South China Sea, advancements in technology, and development of related deepwater industries, and will safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Reconstruction of surface ocean water pCO_(2(aq)) in Nansha area,the South China Sea during the last 30 ka

The reconstruction of pCO2 in the tropic ocean is one of the most important issues to understand global cli-matic changes. In this study, the high-resolution strati-graphic analysis of core 17962 was conducted, which is lo-cated in the southern South China Sea (SCS). The contents of sedimentary organic matter, the stable carbon isotopic composition of sedimentary organic matter, and the d 13C values of black carbon and terrigenous n-alkanes were de-termined. And the d 13Cwc value of carbon derived from aquatic was calculated. On the basis of d 13Corg-pCO2 equa-tion proposed by Popp et al. (1989), we estimated the pCO2 in the Nansha area, SCS, since the last glaciation using d 13Cwc instead of d 13Corg. The results show that the average pCO2 was estimated at 240 ppmV during the last glaciation, and at 320 ppmV in the Holocene. A comparison of surface sea pCO2 with the atmosphere CO2 recorded in the Vostok ice core, indicates that CO2 in surface water of the southern SCS could emit into atmosphere during the last 30 ka.