Oil and gas source and accumulation of Zhongqiu 1 trap in Qiulitage structural belt, Tarim Basin, NW China

Well Zhongqiu 1 obtained highly productive oil-gas stream in the footwall of Zhongqiu structure, marking the strategic breakthrough of Qiulitag structural belt in the Tarim Basin. However, the oil and gas sources in Zhongqiu structural belt and the reservoir formation process in Zhongqiu 1 trap remain unclear, so study on these issues may provide important basis for the next step of oil and gas exploration and deployment in Qiulitage structural belt. In this study, a systematic correlation of oil and gas source in Well Zhongqiu 1 has been carried out. The oil in Well Zhongqiu 1 is derived from Triassic lacustrine mudstone, while the gas is a typical coal-derived gas and mainly from Jurassic coal measures. The oil charging in Well Zhongqiu 1 mainly took place during the sedimentary period from Jidike Formation to Kangcun Formation in Neogene, and the oil was mainly contributed by Triassic source rock;large-scale natural gas charging occurred in the sedimentary period of Kuqa Formation in Neogene, and the coal-derived gas generated in the late Jurassic caused large-scale gas invasion to the early Triassic crude oil reservoirs. The Zhongqiu 1 trap was formed earlier than or at the same period as the hydrocarbon generation and expulsion period of Triassic-Jurassic source rocks. Active faults provided paths for hydrocarbon migration. The source rocks-faults-traps matched well in time and space. Traps in the footwall of the Zhongqiu structural fault have similar reservoir-forming conditions with the Zhongqiu 1 trap, so they are favorable targets in the next step of exploration.

Origin and circulation of saline springs in the Kuqa Basin of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

It is widely accepted that hydrogeochemistry of saline springs is extremely important to understand the water circulation and evolution of saline basins and to evaluate the potential of potassium-rich evaporites.The Kuqa Basin,located in the northern part of the Tarim Basin in Northwest China,is a saline basin regarded as the most potential potash-seeking area.However,the origin and water circulation processes of saline springs have yet to be fully characterized in this saline basin.In this study,a total of 30 saline spring samples and 11 river water samples were collected from the Qiulitage Structural Belt(QSB)of the Kuqa Basin.They were analyzed for major(K^+,Ca2^+,Na^+,Mg2^+,SO42-,Cl-and HCO3-)and trace(Sr2^+and Br-)ion concentrations,stable H-O-Sr isotopes and tritium concentrations in combination with previously published hydrogeochemical and isotopic(H-O)data in the same area.It is found that the water chemical type of saline springs in the study area belonged to the Na-Cl type,and that of river water belonged to the Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4 type.The total dissolved solid(TDS)of saline springs in the QSB ranged from 117.77 to 314.92 g/L,reaching the brine level.On the basis of the general chemical compositions and the characteristics of the stable H-O-Sr isotopes of saline springs,we infer that those saline springs mainly originated from precipitation following river water recharging.In addition,we found that saline springs were not formed by evapo-concentration because it is unlikely that the high chloride concentration of saline springs resulted in evapo-concentration and high salinity.Therefore,we conclude that saline spring water may have experienced intense evapo-concentration before dissolving the salty minerals or after returning to the surface.The results show that the origin of salinity was mainly dominated by dissolving salty minerals due to the river water and/or precipitation that passed through the halite-rich stratum.Moreover,there are two possible origins of saline springs in the QSB:one is the infiltration of the meteoric water(river water),which then circulates deep into the earth,wherein it dissolves salty minerals,travels along the fault and returns to the surface;another is the mixture of formation water,or the mixture of seawater or marine evaporate sources and its subsequent discharge to the surface under fault conditions.Our findings provide new insight into the possible saltwater circulation and evolution of saline basins in the Tarim Basin.

Influence of Salt Beds on the Segmentation of Structure and Hydrocarbon Accumulation in Qiulitag Structural Belt,Tarim Basin,China

Seismic information and balanced profile technology were used to reveal the influence of the salt bed in segmentation of structure and hydrocarbon accumulation in Qiulitag structural belt in Tarim basin. From west to east, the shortening of strata above the salt beds gradually decreases, while, the shortening below the salt beds gradually increases, which shows that the segmentation of structure integrated the seismic profile. There is great difference of the deformation of strata below and above the salt beds between the west segment and the east segment. The analysis of the distribution of oil/gas fields and the hydrocarbon properties indicates the similar segmentation to the structure segmentation. The salt beds in relatively shallow layers change the stress condition from basement of Kuqa foreland basin, which leads to the segmentation of Qiulitag structural belt. Because the salt beds in the west segment came into being earlier than those in the east segment, the west segment captures hydrocarbon from two sets of source rock, while the east segment can only capture hydrocarbons from one set of source rock. So, the salt beds play an important role in the segmentation of structure and hydrocarbon accumulation.

Two conceptual models of displacement transfer and examples

This paper presents two conceptual models of displacement transfer, reverse sym- metry model and infinitely equal division model, based on the fault-bend folding theory. If the fault shape is held constant in the trend, then the distribution of slip magnitude, geometry of imbricate structures and its axial surface map all display reverse symmetry on the process of displacement transfer, as called reverse symmetry model in this paper. However, if the ramp height of thrust fault decreases gradually along its strike, the displacement is postulated to be equally and infinitely divided to every thrust that is formed subsequently, this kinematic process is described using infinitely equal division model. In both models, displacement transfer is characterized by the regular changes of imbricate thrusting in the trend. Geometric analysis indicates that the displacement transfer grads can be estimated using the tangent of deflective angle of hinterland structures. Displacement transfer is often responsible for the distortion and branching of the surface anticlines, especially in the region where the multi-level detachment structures is developed. We also present some examples from the frontal structures of the Southern Tianshan fold-and-thrust belt, Xinjiang, China. Displacement transfer between deep imbricate thrusts in the middle segment of Qiulitag anticline zone causes the Kuqatawu and Southern Qiulitag deep an- ticlines left-lateral echelon. The region, where these two deep anticlines overlap, is characterized by duplex structures, and extends about 18 km. The shallow anticline is migrated southward displaying obvious “S” form in this area.