Characteristics and Dolomitization of Upper Cambrian to Lower Ordovician Dolomite from Outcrop in Keping Uplift, Western Tarim Basin, Northwest China

Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician sedimentary rocks in the western Tarim Basin, Northwest China, are composed of shallow-marine platform carbonates. The Keping Uplift is located in the northwest region of this basin. On the basis of petrographic and geochemical features, four matrix replacement dolomites and one type of cement dolomite are identified. Matrix replacement dolomites include （1） micritic dolomites （MD1）; （2） fine-coarse euhedral floating dolomites （MD2）; （3） fine-coarse euhedral dolomites （MD3）; and （4） medium-very coarse anhedral mosaic dolomites （MD4）. Dolomite cement occurs in minor amounts as coarse saddle dolomite cement （CD1） that mostly fills vugs and fractures in the matrix dolomites. These matrix dolomites have δ18O values of ？9.7‰ to ？3.0‰ VPDB （Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite）; δ13C values of ？0.8‰ to 3.5‰ VPDB; 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.708516 to 0.709643; Sr concentrations of 50 to 257 ppm; Fe contents of 425 to 16878 ppm; and Mn contents of 28 to 144 ppm. Petrographic and geochemical data suggest that the matrix replacement dolomites were likely formed by normal and evaporative seawater in early stages prior to chemical compaction at shallow burial depths. Compared with matrix dolomites, dolomite cement yields lower δ18O values （？12.9‰ to ？9.1‰ VPDB）; slightly lower δ13C values （？1.6‰-0.6‰ VPDB）; higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios （0.709165-0.709764）; and high homogenization temperature （Th） values （98°C-225°C） and salinities （6 wt%-24 wt% NaCl equivalent）. Limited data from dolomite cement shows a low Sr concentration （58.6 ppm） and high Fe and Mn contents （1233 and 1250 ppm, respectively）. These data imply that the dolomite cement precipitated from higher temperature hydrothermal salinity fluids. These fluids could be related to widespread igneous activities in the Tarim Basin occurring during Permian time when the host dolostones were deeply buried. Faults likely acted as important conduits that channeled dolomitizing fluids from the underlying strata into the basal carbonates, leading to intense dolomitization. Therefore, dolomitization, in the Keping Uplift area is likely related to evaporated seawater via seepage reflux in addition to burial processes and hydrothermal fluids.

Silurian hydrocarbon exploration breakthrough and its implications in the Shajingzi structural belt of Tarim Basin,NW China

The Silurian hydrocarbon exploration in the northwest Tarim Basin had long been fruitless, till Well XSD1 drilled in 2018 in the Shajingzi structural belt, northwest Tarim Basin tapped industrial gas flow from the Silurian for the first time. The reservoir-forming model and resource extent need to be made clear urgently. Based on the comprehensive research of drilling,formation testing, geochemical data, and sedimentary and accumulation history, in combination with field surveys, experiments, structure interpretation and reconstruction of structure evolution, it is found that:(1) The northwest Tarim Basin had widespread tidal deltaic deposits in the Silurian period, which contain good reservoir-cap combinations;(2) the Shajingzi fault and associated faults connected the Cambrian-Ordovician source rocks in the Awati sag, and controlled the formation of Silurian structural traps, hence, the traps turned up along the structural belt in an orderly pattern and came together into contiguous tracts;(3) the Silurian petroleum in Shajingzi structural belt was dominated by gas, and the major accumulation period was the Himalayan period when the traps fixed in shape;(4) the Silurian gas resources in the Shajingzi belt were estimated at around 2.018×10^(11)m^(3), and Silurian gas resources of the northwest Tarim Basin were estimated at 2.03×10^(12)m^(3), implying huge exploration potential, so this area will become a major area for reserve and production increase from clastic strata in the basin;(5) with the Shajingzi fault of large scale and long active time connecting deep source rock layers, multiple formations in Lower Paleozoic of Shajingzi structural belt may have breakthroughs in hydrocarbon exploration.