A Structural Interpretation Model and Restoration of the Mesozoic Proto-basin for the Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin

A thrust-fold belt consisting of a series of thrusts and buckling folds developed in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata within the Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin.In this study,a structural interpretation model of the Kuqa Depression is established and the Mesozoic proto-basin is reconstructed on the basis of outcrop geology along the basin margin,seismic,well-log and CEMP data.The model is called‘delaminate contractional deformation',which emphasizes the decoupling between the Cenozoic,Mesozoic,pre-Mesozoic and the basin-basement within the Kuqa Depression,but there is no unified detachment.The model has a shortening amount ranging from 12 km to 16 km and the depth involved in contractional deformation ranges from 21 km to 28 km.A prototype of the Mesozoic basin reconstructed by interpretation model is a subbasin superposed on the transitional zone between the uplift at the northern edge of the Tarim Craton and the southern Tianshan orogenic wedge formed in the Hercynian orogeny.Lithospheric thermal and crustal isostatic activity after the Hercynian orogeny maybe the controlling dynamic factors of basin subsidence during the Mesozoic and early Cenozoic,the difference in rock mechanical properties between different levels,craton and orogenic wedge being the major cause of the‘delaminate contractional deformation'during the Himalayan orogeny.

Thick-skinned Contractional Salt Structures in the Kuqa Depression,the Northern Tarim Basin:Constraints from Physical Experiments

Thick-skinned contractional salt structures are widely developed in the western Kuqa depression, northern Tarim basin. To understand the mechanisms that govern the development of these structures, physical experiments are conducted and the results show that they are largely governed by the activities of basement faults and the forming of paleo-uplifts and basement slopes. The model materials in this study are dry sand, vaseline and plasticene （or hard foam）, simulating the suprasalt, salt, and subsalt layers respectively. The experiments show that, due to the activities of basement faults and the forming of the paleo-uplifts, salt bodies usually accumulate and thicken significantly on the middle top of the paleo-uplifts which are constrained by the pre-exiting boundary faults. The development of large-scale thrust faults and salt nappes is favored by the basement slops with larger dips. The experiments also conclude that differential structural deformation could occur between the subsalt and suprasalt layers because of the presence of salt layers. Their geometries and the locations of structural highs are different, despite of the great similarities in the uplifted areas. The pierced salt diapir is not observed in the experiments, which indicates that the contractional shortening does not effectively accelerate the development of the salt diapir.

Analysis of Reservoir Forming Conditions and Prediction of Continuous Tight Gas Reservoirs for the Deep Jurassic in the Eastern Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin

The exploration targets in the Kuqa Depression at present are mainly structure traps in Cretaceous-Tertiary.Due to the complexity of mountain distribution and reservoir forming conditions, the exploration of Jurassic in the eastern Kuqa Depression has been in a state of semi-stagnation since the discovery of the Yinan-2 gas reservoir.According to the concept and theory of 'continuous petroleum reservoirs' and the re-analysis of the forming conditions of the Yinan-2 gas reservoir and regional natural gas in the eastern Kuqa Depression,it is believed that the deep Jurassic has good natural gas accumulation conditions as well as geological conditions for forming continuous tight gas reservoirs.The boundary of the Yinan-2 gas reservoir is not controlled by a structural spillpoint.The downdip part of the structure is dominated by gas,while the hanging wall of the fault is filled by water and forming obvious inverted gas and water.The gas reservoir has the normal temperature and ultrahigh pressure which formed in the near source or inner-source.All of these characteristics indicate that the Yinan-2 gas reservoir is different from conventional gas reservoirs.The deep Jurassic in the eastern Kuqa Depression has multisets of source-reservoir-cap assemblages,which comprise interbedded sandstones and mudstones.These assemblages are characterized by a self-generation,self-preserving and self-coverage model.Reservoir sandstones and coal measure mudstones are interbedded with each other at a large scale.As the source rocks,Triassic-Jurassic coal measure mudstones distribute continuously at a large scale and can generate and expel hydrocarbon.Source rocks contact intimately with the overlying sandstone reservoirs.During the late stage of hydrocarbon expulsion,natural gas charged continuously and directly into the neighboring reservoirs.Petroleum migrated mainly in a vertical direction over short distances.With ultra-high pressure and strong charging intensity,natural gas accumulated continuously.Reservoirs are dominated by sandstones of braided delta facies.The sand bodies distribute continuously horizontal.With low porosity and low permeability,the reservoirs are featured by strong heterogeneity.It is hypothesized that the sandstones of the interior depression tend to be relatively tight with increasing depth and structure stress weakness.Thus,it is predicted that continuous tight gas reservoirs of ultra-high pressure may exist in the deep formations of the eastern and even the whole Kuqa Depression.So,it is worth evaluating the exploration potential.

Sedimentary Response of Different Fan Types to the Paleogene-Neogene Basin Transformation in the Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin,Xinjiang Province

A group of alluvial fans formed in the early Paleogene represent marginal sedimentary facies at the foot of the South Tianshan Mountain, Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, Xinjiang province. Two types of fans occurred in the middle-late Paleogene Kumugeliemu and Suweiyi formations： one alluvial, and the other fan delta deposited in a lacustrine setting. Within the early Neogene Jidike Formation, coastal subaqueous fans developed, probably in a deeper water lacustrine setting. The three types of fans are stacked vertically in outcrop with the sequence in ascending order： bottom alluvial, middle fan-delta, and top suhaqueous. The subaqueous is a typical coarse-fan deposit occurring in the glutinite member of the Jidike Formation in some wells. Laterally, from the foreland to the lacustrine settings, the distribution pattern of sedimentary facies represents the same three fan types sequentially. The spatial distribution of these fans was controlled by the Paleogene-Neogene Basin transformation, and evolution with different types of fans developed in the Kuqa Depression in response. In the Paleogene, the Kuqa Depression was a rift basin where an alluvial fan was deposited in the foreland setting, which, by early Neogene, became a foreland basin when the lake level changed. With any rise in lake level, fan-deltas migrated from lacustrine to foreland settings, whereas when the lake level fell, fan migration was reversed. In the early Neogene, with increasing slope and rising lake level, fans progressed and covered the previous fan-delta and lacustrine mudstone. Eventually, subaqueous fans developed, forming the present spatial configuration of these three fan types.

New Apatite Fission-Track Ages of the Western Kuqa Depression:Implications for the Mesozoic–Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of South Tianshan,Xinjiang

The Mesozoic–Cenozoic uplift history of South Tianshan has been reconstructed in many ways using thermochronological analyses for the rocks from the eastern Kuqa Depression. The main difference in the reconstructions concerns the existence and importance of Early Cretaceous and Paleogene tectonic activities, but the existence of a Cenozoic differential uplift in the Kuqa Depression remains enigmatic. Here, we present new apatite fission-track ages obtained for 12 sandstone samples from the well-exposed Early Triassic to Quaternary sequence of the Kapushaliang section in the western Kuqa Depression. The results reveal that there were four pulses of tectonic exhumation, which occurred during the Early Cretaceous（peak ages of 112 and 105 Ma）, Late Cretaceous（peak age of 67 Ma）, Paleocene–Eocene（peak ages at 60, 53, and 36 Ma）, and early Oligocene to late Miocene（central ages spanning 30–11 Ma and peak ages of 23 and 14 Ma）, respectively. A review of geochronological and geological evidence from both the western and eastern Kuqa Depression is shown as follows.（1） The major exhumation of South Tians Shan during the Early Cretaceous was possibly associated with docking of the Lhasa block with the southern margin of the Eurasian plate.（2） The Late Cretaceous uplift of the range occurred diachronically due to the far-field effects of the Kohistan-Dras Arc and Lhasa block accretion.（3） The Paleogene uplift in South Tianshan initially corresponded to the far-field effects of the India–Eurasia collision.（4） The rapid exhumation in late Cenozoic was driven by the continuous far-field effects of the collision between India and Eurasia plates. The apatite fission-track ages of 14–11 Ma suggest that late Cenozoic exhumation in the western Kuqa Depression prevailed during the middle to late Miocene, markedly later than the late Oligocene to early Miocene activity in the eastern segment. It can be hypothesized that a possible differential uplift in time occurred in the Kuqa Depression during the late Cenozoic.

Calculation of Depth to Detachment and Its Significance in the Kuqa Depression

The depth to detachment level is a critical factor affecting the quality of structural modeling in fold and thrust belts. There are several detachment levels developed in the Kuqa depression. Based on the excess-area diagram, this paper concerns mainly the calculation of the depth to detachment in the Kuqa depression. The result demonstrates that the detachment levels are situated in different strata in varying zones, such as the Paleogene Kugeliemu Formation, the Paleozoic and the crystalline basement. The calculated depth to detachment level is very helpful for testing whether a structural interpretation is reasonable and for defining the depth of deeper detachment levels which were not discerned in seismic profiles.

Kinetic Model of Gaseous Alkanes Formed from Coal in a Confined System and Its Application to Gas Filling History in Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin,Northwest China

Based on the pyrolysis products for the Jurassic low-mature coal under programmed temperature,and chemical and carbon isotopic compositions of natural gas from the Kuqa Depression, the genetic origin of natural gas was determined,and then a gas filling model was established,in combination with the geological background of the Kuqa Depression.The active energy of CH_4,C_2H_6 and C_3H_8 was gotten after the data of pyrolysis gas products under different heating rates（2℃/h and 20℃/h）were fitted by the Gas Oil Ratio（GOR）Isotope Model soft.When the frequency factor（Af）was chosen as 1×10^（14）,the active energy of CH_4,C_2H_6 and C_3H_8 was 58 kcal/mol,57 kcal/mol and 54 kcal/ mol,respectively.The distributive ranges of theδ^（13）C_1,δ^（13）C_2 andδ^（13）C_3 values for the pyrolysis gas products are-35.9‰to-30.7‰,-26.2‰to-21.3‰and-26.4‰to-22.7‰,respectively.All of the natural gases from the Kuqa Depression are dominated by hydrocarbon gases,with the high gas dryness（C_1/C_（1-4））at the middle and northern parts of the depression and the low values at both east and west sides and the southern part.The carbon isotopes of methane and its homologs as a typical coal-type gas are enriched in ^（13）C,and the distributive range of theδ^（13）C_1,δ^（13）C_2 andδ^（13）C_3 value is-32‰to -38‰,-22‰to-24‰and-20‰to-22‰,respectively,with the carbon isotopes of gaseous alkanes being less negative with the carbon number.With the ethane being enriched in ^（13）C the increasing tendency of the geological reserve of natural gas in the Kuqa Depression is observed.This observed change is consistent with the results of pyrolysate gas yield of coal as a potential gas source in the Kuqa Depression,suggesting natural gas was thermally derived from the humic organic matters and the carbon isotopes of gaseous alkanes would coarsely predict the geological reserve of gas in the Kuqa Depression.Through the simulation of kinetic processes of gas generation for the Jurassic coal in the Kuqa Depression,the gas in the Kela 2 gas field would get the threshold of gas expulsion after 27 Ma,be expelled out of source rocks as＂pulse action＂,and then filled in the gas reservoir.The peak gas-filling history took place during the past 2 Ma.

Kinetic Parameters of Methane Generated from Source Rocks in the Kuqa Depression of Tarim Basin and Their Application

In a thermal simulation experiment of gold tubes of closed-system, calculating with the KINETICS and GOR-ISOTOPE KINETICS software, kinetic parameters of gas generation and methane carbon isotopic fractionation from Triassic-Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks in the Kuqa depression of Tarim Basin are obtained. The activation energies of methane generated from Jurassic coal, Jurassic mudstone and Triassic mudstone in the Kuqa Depression are 197-268 kJ/mol, 180-260 kJ/mol and 214-289 kJ/mol, respectively, and their frequency factors are 5.265×10^13 s^-1, 9.761×10^11 s^-1 and 2.270×10^14 s^-1. This reflects their differences of hydrocarbon generation behaviors. The kinetic parameters of methane carbon isotopic fractionation are also different in Jurassic coal, Jurassic mudstone and Triassic mudstone, whose average activation energies are 228 kJ/mol, 205 kJ/mol and 231 kJ/mol, respectively. Combined with the geological background, the origin of natural gas in the Yinan-2 gas pool is discussed, and an accumulation model of natural gas is thus established. The Yinan- 2 gas is primarily derived from Jurassic coal-bearing source rocks in the Yangxia Sag. Main gas accumulation time is 5-0 Ma and the corresponding Ro is in the range from 1.25 %-1.95 %. The loss rate of natural gas is 25 %-30 %.

Calculation of depth to detachment and its significance in the Kuqa Depression:A discussion

We analyze the excess area and depth to detachment method developed by Epard and Groshong （1993）, and apply it to the sand box model of Ge et al （2004） to illustrate that inadequate consideration will affect the calculation of true depth to detachment. Using the data of Yu et al （2006） to fit linear regression lines, we obtain the depths to detachment of Kela-2, Misikantage anticline and Dongqiu-8 structures, 115.74km, 14.17km, and 75.48km below the reference level （Cretaceous bottom） respectively with the excess area intercept equal to zero. However, the calculation results of depth to detachment in Yu et al （2006） are based on excess area intercept unequal to zero.

Discovery of Potassium-Bearing Cuttings from the Well Yangta 4 in the Kuqa Depression and Seam Division

The world petroleum exploration suggests that,about70%of the world’s potash resources were discovered during oil and gas exploration(Zheng et al.,2007).The Kuqa depression in the Tarim basin is abundant with petroleum exploration data,and

Genesis of Abnormally High Abundant Rearranged Hopanes in Condensates from the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin

Objective The Tarim Basin is China＇s largest ore-bearing interior basin, and contains mainly marine oils. The Kuqa depression, a secondary structural unit within the northem Tarim Basin, is composed of Mesozoic and Cenozoic clastic sedimentary rocks dominated by continental oil. Previous research suggests that the crude oils especially condensates in the Kuqa depression are rich in abnormally high abundant rearranged hopanes. On the basis of 41 condensate samples and five oil samples from the Kuqa depression, this work systematically discussed the relationship between biomarker parameters and rearranged hopanes and deeply investigated the influence of depositional environment, original source,

Reply to ‘Calculation of depth to detachment and its significance in the Kuqa Depression:A discussion’

This paper mainly replies to the discussion by Li et al （2009） on the calculation of the detachment depths in the Kuqa Depression. We think that viscous material flowing into or out of the cross section can affect the validity of the calculation method, yet the number of detachment levels does not bring any drawbacks to the calculation. In the Kuqa Depression, the salt flow influenced the structural deformation to some extent, and affected slightly the accuracy of the calculated depths of the true detachment levels. However, it does not mean that the calculation method loses effectiveness in the study area. Therefore, the calculation results are still relatively believable.

Geological Characteristics of Potassium-Bearing Salt Layers in the Well Block Quele of the Kuqa Depression and their Significance

Potash is one of the long-term scare deposits in China,and potash prospecting has long been listed as a key brainstorm project for our nation and geological prospecting units.There have been considerable studies in search for potash deposits in the Kuqa depression of the Tarim basin(Jackson et al.,1991;Gemmer et al.,2004;Vendeville,2005;Vendeville and Jackson,1992a,1992b),

Genesis and Accumulation of Paleo-Oil Reservoir in Dabei Area,Kuqa Depression,Northwest China:Implications for Tight-Gas Accumulation

Paleo-oil reservoir is of great importance to understand hydrocarbon enrichment mechanism and hydrocarbon exploration potential,but is yet poorly investigated in Kuqa Depression.The occurrence of the paleo-oil reservoir in Dabei area was proved by quantitative grain fluorescence(QGF)and fluid inclusion petrography.Development history of the paleo-oil reservoir was reconstructed through:(1)oil-source correlation;(2)time coupling of source rock maturation,porosity evolution and migration pathways.The impact of paleo-oil reservoir on tight-gas accumulation was consequently discussed.Results suggest that considerable oil was accumulated in the K_(1)bs reservoir with paleo oil-water contact in Dabei 2 Well and Dabei 201 Well at 5800 and 6040 m,respectively.Crude oil was primarily sourced from Triassic source rocks with Jurassic source rocks of secondary importance,which was at oil generation window(0.7%–1.1%Ro)during 9–6 and 7.5–5 Ma,respectively.The occurrence of K_(1)bs tight reservoir(porosity<12%)was about 25 Ma,while faults and associated fractures at Kelasue structural belt were developed approximately from 8 to 3.5 Ma.Therefore,the tight oil accumulation was formed during 8–5 Ma.The paleo-oil reservoir in Dabei 1 gas field was destroyed by the evaporation fractionation in later stage.

Late Triassic Intracontinental Deformation of South Tianshan,Central Asia:Evidence from Syn-tectonic Sedimentation and Detrital Zircon Provenances of the Kuqa Depression

The Tianshan range,a Paleozoic orogenic belt in Central Asia,has undergone multiple phases of tectonic activities characterized by the N-S compression after the early Mesozoic,including the far-field effects of the Cenozoic Indian-Asian collision.However,there are limited reports on the tectonic deformation and initiation of Triassic intracontinental deformation in the Tianshan range.Understanding this structural context is crucial for interpreting the early intracontinental deformation history of the Eurasian continent during the early Mesozoic.Growth strata and syn-tectonic sediments provide a rich source of information on tectonic activities and have been extensively used in the studies of orogenic belts.Based on detail fieldwork conducted in this study,the middle-late Triassic Kelamayi Formation of the northern Kuqa Depression in the southern Tianshan fold-thrust belt has been identified as the typical syn-tectonic growth strata.The youngest detrital zircon component in two lithic sandstone samples from the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata yielded U-Pb ages of 223.4±3.1 and 215.5±2.9 Ma,respectively,indicating that the maximum depositional age of the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata is 226-220 and 218-212 Ma.The geochronological distribution of detrital samples from the Early-Middle Triassic and Late Triassic revealed abrupt changes,suggesting a new source supply resulting from tectonic activation in the Tianshan range.The coupling relationship between the syn-tectonic sedimentation of the Kelamayi Formation and the South Tianshan fold-thrust system provides robust evidence that the Triassic intracontinental deformation of the South Tianshan range began at approximately 226-220 Ma(during the Late Triassic)and ended at approximately 218-212 Ma.These findings provide crucial constraints for understanding the intraplate deformation in the Tianshan range during the Triassic.

Origin of abnormal high pressure and its relationship with hydrocarbon accumulation in the Dina 2 Gas Field, Kuqa Depression

Based on distribution of formation pressure by indirect estimation and formation testing,this study investigates origin of abnormal high pressure in the Dina 2 Gas Field in the Kuqa Depression in combination with the latest research findings.Contribution of major overpressure mechanisms to this gas field is estimated,and generation of the abnormal high pressure as well as its relationship with natural gas accumulation is explored.Disequilibrium compaction,tectonic stress,and overpressure transfer are the major overpressure mechanisms.Overpressure transfer resulted from vertical opening of faults and folding is the most important cause for the overpressure.Gas accumulation and abnormal high pressure generation in the reservoirs of the Dina 2 Gas Field show synchroneity.During the early oil-gas charge in the Kangcun stage,the reservoirs were generally normal pressure systems.In the Kuqa deposition stage,rapid deposition caused disequilibrium compaction and led to generation of excess pressure(approximately 5-10 MPa)in the reservoirs.During the Kuqa Formation denudation stage to the Quaternary,reservoir overpressure was greatly increased to approximately 40-50 MPa as a result of vertical pressure transfer by episodic fault activation,lateral overpressure transfer by folding and horizontal tectonic stress due to intense tectonic compression.The last stage was the major period of ultra-high pressure generation and gas accumulation in the Dina 2 Gas Field.

Study on sedimentation distribution based on cooperative analysis of geologic-geophysical in less well area: A case study of Suweiyi sandstone in the DB area, Kuqa Depression in Tarim Basin

The Kuqa Depression in Tarim Basin develops fan deltaic,braided river deltaic,and lacustrine sedi-mentation,espeially extensive braided river deltaic sedimentation,in the Cretaceous-Paleogene Sys-tems.However,fine sedimentary pattern of the Kuqa Depression and North Tarim Uplift belt since the Middle Cenozoic still needs to be studied.As a combination zone of the Kuqa Depression and North Tarim Uplift,the sedimentary characteristics of the DB area in the southern margin of the east of the Kuqa depression have been paid more attention.To better understand the sedimentary framework in the Kuqa Depression and North Tarim Uplift in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic,through joint geologic-geophysical study,sedime ntation of sandstone at the bottom of the Paleogene Suweiyi Formation in the DB area and its peripheral area is investigated.Sedimentary facies and sandstone distribution in the area are identified through core observation,component analysis,logging interpretation and seismic inversion.Based on seismic facies analysis,sedimentary facies distribution in the area is delineated.Results show that sandstone at the bottom of the Paleogene Suweiyi Fommation in the DB area and its peripheral area is developed in shore shallow lacustrine beach-bar facies.The beach-bar arenaceous sediments are mainly distnibuted in the southern DB area and the shallow lacustrine mudstone is developed in northern DB area,showing obvious north south di ferentiation charactenistics.

Geometry and kinematics of tugerming structural belt in the east of Kuqa Depression,Tarim Basin

Accurate interpretation of clutter seismic reflection is of great significance to make clear the structural geometry and kinematics characteristics.Based on field investigations,boreholes and seismic data,forward modeling is carried out under the trishear model of fault-propagated fold principle,and the activity characteristics of the main faults in the study area are quantitatively analyzed using the balanced restoration technique,which may provide important indication for the potential petroleum exploration and development.The results show that separated by Tuziluoke and Tugerming fault,the structural style of the study area can be divided into the deeply buried forelimb,the kink band and the tiny anticline backlimb section.The Tuziluoke fault has been active with strong intensity since the sedimentary period of the Kuqa Formation and,which controls the formation of the growth strata in the deep buried forelimb of the Tuziluoke anticline.The Tugerming fault has been active intermittently since the end of the Jurassic,causing the strata denudation of the Late Jurassic to Paleogene in varying degrees and the development of series of regulating faults.The multi-stage tectonic activities caused the structural high of the anticline migrated from east to west.

Water-sensitive characterization and its controlling factors in clastic reservoir:A case study of Jurassic Ahe Formation in Northern tectonic zone of Kuqa depression

Water-sensitivity is a factor that must be paid attention to in the reservoir development stage of oil and gas fields.As a clastic reservoir,the water effect of Ahe formation in the northern structural belt of Kuqa is strong as a whole,but the mechanism analysis of medium and strong water-sensitivity effect is restricted by the evaluation method with permeability damage rate as the main parameter.Taking the shape of water-sensitivity test curve as the starting point,combined with the analysis of microscopic pore throat and clay minerals,the difference of permeability change rate measured by samples is characterized.The strong to medium water-sensitivity effects in the study layer are divided into three types:The permeability gradually decreases in the early stage-the rapid decrease in the late stage,the continuous decrease in the permeability,and the rapid decrease in the early stage-the slow decrease in the later stage.As awidely developed reservoir space in the study section,the micropore not only has the characteristics of fine pore size and easy blockage,but also serves as the occurrence space of the main water-sensitive mineral illite-smectite mixed layer.Therefore,the change types of the above different water sensitivity test curves are mainly controlled by the difference of micropore content.When the micropore content is low,the permeability decreases slowly in the early stage and decreases rapidly in the later stage(type Ⅰ),while when the micropore content is high,the permeability decreases rapidly in the early stage and slowly decreases in the later stage(type Ⅱ),while when the micropore content is medium,the permeability decreases continuously,and there is no obvious rate change(type Ⅲ)before and after the micropore content.The results show that the structural characteristics and relative content differences of micropores in the samples are the internal mechanism of the difference of water sensitivity effect types.