Triassic deep-marine sedimentation in the western Qinling and Songpan terrane

Triassic sequences in both the western Qinling and Songpan terrane are composed mostly of deep-marine sediments. A detailed study was carried out on main sedimentary facies of Triassic successions, showing that they resulted from diverse sedimentary processes, such as submarine debris-flows, turbidity currents, bottom-flows, suspension fallout, and fluidized sediment flows. Debris-flows are dividable into two types, gravelly and sandy debris-flows, respectively, and the sandy debris-flow deposits make up considerable portion of the Triassic successions concerned. Turbidite is characterized by occurrence of normal grading, and the whole Bouma sequences, though widely developed, are not totally attributed to true turbidity currents. The non-graded Ta division is thought to originate from sandy debris flows, whereas the rest divisions result from low-density currents or from bottom-current modification if they contain sedimentary structures related to traction currents. Four types of facies associations are distinguished within Triassic deep-marine successions: massive and thick-bedded coarse-grained facies association, medium- and thick-bedded sandstone with interlayered fine-grained facies association, interlayered thin-bedded fine-grained facies association, and syn-sedimentary slump/breccia facies association. Spatial distribution of the different facies associations suggests that Lower Triassic sedimentation occurred primarily in continental slope, submarine channels, and base-of-slope aprons in the Hezuo-Jianzha region of the western Qinling, whereas the Middle Triassic consists mainly of sedimentary facies of base-of-slope aprons and submarine incised valleys. The counterparts in the Dangchang-Diebu region, in contrast, are characterized by platform carbonates. The shallow-marine carbonates evolved into deep-marine facies since the Ladinian, indicative of rapid drowning of the Carnian carbonate platform in Middle Triassic times. Depositional history of Lower Triassic and lower portion of Middle Triassic successions in the northern Songpan terrane is similar to that of the Dangchang-Diebu region of the western Qinling, as manifested by development of Lower-early Middle Triassic shallow-marine carbonate and a rapid shift to base-of-slope apron sediments since the Ladinian.

Thickening-upward cycles in deep-marine and deep-lacustrine turbidite lobes:examples from the Clare Basin and the Ordos Basin

Deep-marine and deep-lacustrine reservoirs have been targets for conventional and unconventional oil and gas exploration and development for decades. Thickening-upward cycles in the deep-marine Carboniferous Ross Sandstone Formation outcrops in western Ireland and the deep-lacustrine Triassic Yanchang Formation outcrops in southeast Ordos Basin have been investigated and correlated in this study. Typical thickening-upward cycles consisting of, from bottom to top:(1) laminated shales/shales with interbedded siltstone beds;(2) interbedded sandstones/siltstones and mudstones;(3) structureless massive sandstones, are well recognized in these outcrops and are interpreted as turbidite lobes. A continuously prograding lobe-element model is proposed to explain the repeated stacking of thickening-upward cycles. Thickening-upward cycles developed within deep-marine and deeplacustrine environments are highly comparable in many aspects, such as sedimentary structures, sheet-like geometries and amalgamation features. A frequent and strong degree of amalgamation is developed within the massive sandstone at the top of each thickening-upward cycle, suggesting a layer-by-layer depositional manner.Field observations and comparison with deep-marine counterparts support the occurrence of turbidity flows in the Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin.