Sequence stratigraphy, paleogeography, and coal accumulation regularity of major coal-accumulating periods in China

There are 9 major coal-accumulating periods during geological history in China,including the Early Carboniferous,Late Carboniferous-Early Permian,Middle Permian,Late Permian,Late Triassic,Early-Middle Jurassic,Early Cretaceous,Paleogene and Neogene.The coal formed in these periods were developed in different coal-accumulating areas(CAA)including the North China,South China,Northwest China,Northeast China,the Qinghai–Tibet area,and China offshore area.In this paper,we investigated depositional environments,sequence stratigraphy,lithofacies paleogeography and coal accumulation pattern of five major coal-accumulating periods including the Late Carboniferous to Middle Permian of the North China CAA,the Late Permian of the South China CAA,the Late Triassic of the South China CAA,the Early-Middle Jurassic of the North and Northwest China CAA,and the Early Cretaceous in the Northeast China CAA.According to distribution of the coal-bearing strata and the regional tectonic outlines,we have identified distribution range of the coal-forming basins,sedimentary facies types and coal-accumulating models.The sequence stratigraphic frameworks of the major coal-accumulating periods were established based on recognition of a variety of sequence boundaries.The distribution of thick coals and migration patterns of the coal-accumulating centers in the sequence stratigraphic framework were analyzed.The lithofacies paleogeography maps based on third-order sequences were reconstructed and the distribution of coal accumulation centers and coal-rich belts were predicted.

Resource types, formation, distribution and prospects of coal-measure gas

Coal-measure gas is the natural gas generated by coal, carbonaceous shale, and dark shale in coal-measure strata. It includes resources of continuous-type coalbed methane (CBM), shale gas and tight gas reservoirs, and trap-type coal-bearing gas reservoirs. Huge in resources, it is an important gas source in the natural gas industry. The formation and distribution characteristics of coal-measure gas in San Juan, Surat, West Siberia and Ordos basins are introduced in this paper. By reviewing the progress of exploration and development of coal-measure gas around the world, the coal-measure gas is confirmed as an important strategic option for gas supply. This understanding is mainly manifested in three aspects. First, globally, the Eurasian east-west coal-accumulation belt and North American north-south coal-accumulation belt are two major coal-accumulation areas in the world, and the Late Carboniferous–Permian, Jurassic and end of Late Cretaceous–Neogene are 3 main coal-accumulation periods. Second, continuous-type and trap-type are two main accumulation modes of coal-measure gas;it is proposed that the area with gas generation intensity of greater than 10×10^8 m^3/km^2 is essential for the formation of large coal-measure gas field, and the CBM generated by medium- to high-rank coal is usually enriched in syncline, while CBM generated by low-rank coal is likely to accumulate when the source rock and caprock are in good configuration. Third, it is predicted that coal-measure gas around the world has huge remaining resources, coal-measure gas outside source is concentrated in Central Asia-Russia, the United States, Canada and other countries/regions, while CBM inside source is largely concentrated in 12 countries. The production of coal-measure gas in China is expected to exceed 1000×10^8 m^3 by 2030, including (500–550)×10^8 m^3 conventional coal-measure gas,(400–450)×10^8 m^3 coal-measure tight gas, and (150–200)×10^8 m^3 CBM.

High-Resolution Sequence Stratigraphy and Coal Accumulating Models of the Permo-Carboniferous Coal Measures in Southwestern Shanxi

The Qinshui Basin in southeastern Shanxi Province is an important base for coalbed methane exploration and production in China.The methane reservoirs in this area are the Carboniferous and Permian coals and their thickness are strongly controlled by the depositional environments and the sequence stratigraphic framework.This paper analyzes the high-resolution sequence stratigraphy of the Permo-Carbo-

DIVISION OF CARBONIFEROUS COAL-ACCUMULATING AGES, REGIONS AND ZONES IN NORTH CHINA

During the middle-late Carboniferous, the Yumengou Group, a series of the paralic coal-bearing deposits, was formed in North China gigantic subsidence between the Yinshan and the Qinling gigantic latitudinal tectonic zones. In the Yumengou Group the coal-forming actions occurred many times, in which the coal-accumulating actions forming industrial high seams repeatedly occurred, too.