Sedimentary evolution of the Central Canyon System in the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea

This study elucidates sedimentary evolution history of the Central Canyon System(CCS),a large axial submarine canyon in the Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB),northern South China Sea.Thegeomorphological characteristics and infill architectures of the CCS are summarized based on theanalysis of two-and three-dimensional seismic data.Based on a comparative analysis of the CCS indifferent segments and evolutionary stages and in consideration of the tectono-sedimentary conditionsof the QDNB four stages of the sedimentary evolution of the CCS can be divided,i.e.initialdevelopment stage in the Late Miocene(11.6-5.7Ma),erosion-infilling stage in the Early Pliocene(5.7-3.7 Ma),tranquil infilling stage in the Late Pliocene(3.7-1.81 Ma),and rejuvenation stage sincethe Pleistocene(1.81 Ma to present).In the 1ate Middle Miocene(~11.6 Ma),the rudiment of CCswas developed by a regional tectonic transformation in the eastern part of the basin.In the EarlyPliocene,the CCS was further developed from west to east and restrained in the central depressionbelt of the basin due to abundant sediment supplies from the northwestern and northem provenances,the blocking effect of the southern uplift belt,and the restrictive geomorphological features of theeastern part of the basin.In the Late Pliocene,changes in the sedimentary environment resulted in thedevelopment of the CCS in the eastern part of the basin only.Since the Pleistocene,the joint action ofclimatic factors and geomorphological features of the eastern part of the basin led to the rejuvenationof the CCS.

Difference in full-filled time and its controlling factors in the Central Canyon of the Qiongdongnan Basin

Based on the interpretation of high resolution 2D/3D seismic data, sedimentary filling characteristics and full- filled time of the Central Canyon in different segments in the Qiongdongnan Basin of northwestern South China Sea have been studied. The research results indicate that the initial formation age of the Central Canyon is traced back to 11.6 Ma （T40）, at which the canyon began to develop due to the scouring of turbidity currents from west to east. During the period of 11.6-8.2 Ma （T40-T31）, strong downcutting by gravity flow occurred, which led to the formation of the canyon. The canyon fillings began to form since 8.2 Ma （T31） and were dominated by turbidite deposits, which constituted of lateral migration and vertical superposition of turbidity channels during the time of 8.2-5.5 Ma. The interbeds of turbidity currents deposits and mass transport deposits （MTDs） were developed in the period of 5.5-3.8 Ma （T30-T28）. After then, the canyon fillings were primarily made up of large scale MTDs, interrupted by small scale turbidity channels and thin pelagic mudstones. The Central Canyon can be divided into three types according to the main controlling factors, geomorphology-controlled, fault-controlled and intrusion- modified canyons. Among them, the geomorphology-controlled canyon is developed at the Ledong, Lingshui, Songnan and western Baodao Depressions, situated in a confined basin center between the northern slope and the South Uplift Belt along the Central Depression Belt. The fault-controlled canyon is developed mainly along the deep-seated faults in the Changchang Depression and eastern Baodao Depression. Intrusion-modified canyon is only occurred in the Songnan Low Uplift, which is still mainly controlled by geomorphology, the intrusion just modified seabed morphology. The full-filled time of the Central Canyon differs from west to east, displaying a tendency of being successively late eastward. The geomorphology-controlled canyon was completely filled before 3.8 Ma （T28）, but that in intrusion-modified canyon was delayed to 2.4 Ma （T27） because of the uplifted southern canyon wall. To the Changchang Depression, the complete filling time was successively late eastward, and the canyon in eastern Changchang Depression is still not fully filled up to today. Difference in full-filled time in the Central Canyon is mainly governed by multiple sediment supplies and regional tectonic activities. Due to sufficient supply of turbidity currents and MTDs from west and north respectively, western segment of the Central Canyon is entirely filled up earlier. Owing to slower sediment supply rate, together with differential subsidence by deep-seated faults, the full-filled time of the canyon is put off eastwards gradually.

南海北部琼东南盆地中央峡谷体系沉积演化

基于琼东南盆地二维和三维地震资料,对中央峡谷体系的形态特征和内部充填结构进行了描述和解剖,指出中央峡谷体系的"分段性"和"多期次性"特征。通过对该大型轴向峡谷体系在不同部位和不同演化阶段的差异性对比,结合晚中新世以来琼东南盆地构造—沉积条件的变化,将琼东南盆地中央峡谷体系的沉积演化划分为4个阶段,分别是晚中新世的峡谷蕴育阶段、上新世早期峡谷的侵蚀-充填阶段、上新世晚期峡谷的平静充填阶段和更新世以来峡谷的"回春"阶段。研究表明,晚中新世早期(11.6 Ma)盆地东部的区域性构造变革事件促使了峡谷雏形的形成;上新世早期西北部和北部充足的沉积物供给、南部隆起的遮挡和东部地貌特征等因素控制了中央峡谷体系自西向东的发育,并将该峡谷限制在琼东南盆地的中央坳陷带内;上新世晚期沉积条件的变化,导致峡谷只在盆地东部发育;更新世以来的气候因素和盆地东部的地貌特征共同控制了中央峡谷体系在更新世的"再次繁盛"。

琼东南盆地中央峡谷体系东段形态-充填特征及其地质意义

通过对琼东南盆地东部水深数据和高精度地震资料的综合分析,对盆地东段中央峡谷体系的形态特征和内部充填结构进行了详细的描述和刻画。研究结果显示:琼东南盆地中央峡谷体系东段呈NEE向分布于长昌凹陷中央,峡谷具有相对笔直的通道,较为狭窄,剖面上表现为明显的"V型"形态,两侧发育陡峭的峡谷侧壁;东段峡谷的内部充填沉积物由滞留沉积体、块体流-席状砂复合体、浊流沉积体和垮塌沉积体构成,垂向上显示出多期的形成演化过程。形态特征和充填结构表明,盆地东段峡谷主要受到该区域古地貌特征的影响和控制,形成于晚中新世早期的长条状负地形为中央峡谷的形成提供了有利的空间,限制了盆地东段峡谷的形态特征,该地貌特征将持续影响峡谷内部的沉积物输送和堆积样式。更新世以来充分的沉积物供给在陆架坡折处形成了大量的陆坡峡谷,沉积物以垂向输送的方式沿着坡降向下运移,在下陆坡位置形成现代深水扇,并被现今中央峡谷的头部区域所捕获,在地貌特征的限制下,沉积物将发生转向输送,沿着盆地东段峡谷的走向,自西向东发生轴向运移。盆地东段构造控制型峡谷是造成琼东南盆地东西部中央峡谷体系在形态和充填上具有明显差异的原因。研究区内3种不同的现代沉积物输送方式,对于更好地理解盆地西部沉积物运移和西段峡谷的形成过程也具有一定的指示和对比意义。

琼东南盆地中央峡谷西段充填体系沉积演化与砂体分布

依据三维地震资料和钻井资料，通过分析地震剖面反射特征和均方根振幅属性，对琼东南盆地中央峡谷充填体系西段沉积演化和砂体分布进行了研究。结果表明：①中央峡谷主要充填时期为距今5．5～1．8Ma，可划分为三个阶段，分别为峡谷轴向充填期（LST30）、低弯度水道发育期（LST29）和块状搬运复合体沉积（MTCs）充填期（I—ST28和LST27）；②峡谷充填体系主要受峡谷走向物源、海南岛物源和峡谷南部物源控制，并在峡谷充填过程中呈现单一物源与双物源相互转化的复杂变化过程；③中央峡谷西段发育峡谷轴向充填砂体、水道砂体、朵叶状砂体以及堤岸砂体，其中峡谷轴向充填砂体主要分布于LST30之内，水道砂体在研究区东部发育于LST30晚期，并在LST29时期最为发育，朵状砂体发育于LST29，主要集中分布于研究区的东部，堤岸砂体主要发育于LST30晚期水道沉积的两侧；④峡谷轴向充填砂体、朵叶状砂体以及堤岸砂体分布较广，可作为该区的有利储层。

Geology and hydrocarbon accumulations in the deepwater of the northwestern South China Sea——with focus on natural gas

The deepwater of the northwestern South China Sea is located in the central to southern parts of the Qiongdongnan Basin （QDN Basin）, which is a key site for hydrocarbon exploration in recent years. In this study, the authors did a comprehensive analysis of gravity-magnetic data, extensive 3D seismic survey, cores and cuttings, paleontology and geochemical indexes, proposed the mechanism of natural gas origin, identified different oil and gas systems, and established the model of hydrocarbon accumulations in the deep-water region. Our basin tectonic simulation indicates that the evolution of QDN Basin was controlled by multiple-phased tectonic movements, such as Indochina-Eurasian Plate collision, Tibetan Uplift, Red River faulting and the expansion of the South China Sea which is characterized by Paleogene rifting, Neogene depression, and Eocene intensive faulting and lacustrine deposits. The drilling results show that this region is dominated by marine- terrestrial transitional and neritic-bathyal facies from the early Oligocene. The Yacheng Formation of the early Oligocene is rich in organic matter and a main gas-source rock. According to the geological-geochemical data from the latest drilling wells, Lingshui, Baodao, Changchang Sags have good hydrocarbon-generating potentials, where two plays from the Paleogene and Neogene reservoirs were developed. Those reservoirs occur in central canyon structural-lithologic trap zone, Changchang marginal trap zone and southern fault terrace of Baodao Sag. Among them, the central canyon trap zone has a great potential for exploration because the various reservoir- forming elements are well developed, i.e., good coal-measure source rocks, sufficient reservoirs from the Neogene turbidity sandstone and submarine fan, faults connecting source rock and reservoirs, effective vertical migration, late stage aggregation and favorable structural-lithological composite trapping. These study results provide an important scientific basis for hydrocarbon exploration in this region, evidenced by the recent discovery of the significant commercial LS-A gas field in the central canyon of the Lingshui Sag.

Evolution of deepwater sedimentary environments and its implication for hydrocarbon exploration in Qiongdongnan Basin, northwestern South China Sea

Over the past several years, a number of hydrocarbon reservoirs have been discovered in the deepwater area of Qiongdongnan Basin, northwestern South China Sea. These oil/gas fields demonstrate that the evolution of the deepwater sedimentary environment are controlling the formation and distribution of large-scale clastic reservoirs. Integration between seismic and borehole data were necessary to best clarify the distribution and quality of these deepwater reservoirs. Geochemical and paleobiological evidence from discrete samples was also applied to document specific information regarding the sedimentary environment. Results show that the Qiongdongnan Basin has existed as a thriving marine environment since Oligocene, when several rifting depressions developed throughout the entire Qiongdongnan Basin. Triggered by the faults activities, several distinct provenances supplied the coarse sediments, transporting and depositing them in deep parts of the rifting depressions. A fan delta system then formed nearby the source in the deeper area of these rifting depressions. The sedimentary environment of Qiongdongnan gradiationally became deepwater since early Miocene. Consequently, abundances of sediments were transported from Hainan Island and Southern Uplift, and then sunk into the basin center. The submarine fans revealed by many boreholes in this area verified them as good reservoir. Because the area reached its lowest sea level at late Miocene and the Southern Uplift subsidenced under sea level, not providing any sediment, so that the carbonate mesa and biorhythms characteristic of this area also developed during this period. In the west part of Qiongdongnan Basin, sediments transported from Vietnam increased in response to the Tibetan Uplift. Consequently, a central canyon developed along the center of Qiongdongnan Basin, which has been confirmed by several boreholes as a favorable hydrocarbon reservoir. The clarification of the deepwater sedimentary environment’s evolution is potentially highly beneficial to future hydrocarbon exploration in the deepwater area of Qiongdongnan Basin.

Provenance of Central Canyon in Qiongdongnan Basin as evidenced by detrital zircon U-Pb study of Upper Miocene sandstones

Deep-water canyon systems can provide important sandstone reservoirs for deep-water oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea;however,the sedimentary provenance of the Central Canyon in the Qiongdongnan Basin remains controversial.In this work,detrital zircon grains from three drilling sandstones in the Upper Miocene Huangliu Formation in the western part of the Central Canyon were analysed by LA-ICP-MS for U-Pb ages,in order to constrain their provenance.One hundred and ninety-one zircon grains yield concordant U-Pb ages ranging from 28.6 to 3285 Ma.Most of them show oscillatory or linear zoning in CL-images and high Th/U ratios(>0.1),suggesting that they are magmatic zircons.Three major age clusters at about30 Ma(N=6),220–270 Ma(N=29),and 420–440 Ma(N=13),and five minor age clusters at 70–110 Ma(N=7),150–170 Ma(N=4),800–850 Ma(N=11),1800–2000 Ma(N=16),and 2400–2600 Ma(N=7),can be identified in the age spectrum,which are very similar to those of the Upper Miocene sandstones and modern river sands in the Red River area,but different from those of other nearby regions(e.g.,Hainan Island,the Pearl River area,and the Mekong River area)in Southeast Asia.The major age peak at about 30 Ma in our samples is consistent with the timing of tectonothermal events in the Red River Fault Zone.Therefore,we suggest that the provenance of the western part of the Central Canyon,in the Qiongdongnan Basin,was fed dominantly by the Paleo-Red River system during the Late Miocene.

莺琼盆地区中央峡谷源头沉积特征及油气勘探前景

深水油气勘探是近些年油气勘探取得重大发现的主要领域,我国已在琼东南盆地深水区中央峡谷体系中发现并成功开发了首个深水大气田——陵水17-2气田。为进一步扩大油气勘探成果,急需阐明中央峡谷源头区沉积特征及其油气勘探前景。基于在多口钻井约束下覆盖整个研究区的三维地震资料综合解释建立的等时地层格架,系统总结了中央峡谷体系的形成演化过程,及各演化阶段中央峡谷源头区的沉积体系类型、空间展布和沉积模式,进而结合研究区天然气成藏条件和成藏模式分析,讨论了中央峡谷源头区油气勘探前景。研究结果表明,中央峡谷源头区在黄流组发育了深水水道、陆架边缘三角洲和水道化扇等沉积体系,来源于印支地块、红河和海南岛等多物源区的沉积体系总体以重力流方式呈汇聚型向盆地深水区搬运,并最终汇聚于中央峡谷体系内。在中央峡谷源头区沉积的轴向水道、陆坡水道和水道化扇内发育了优质储层,因此,来自深部的天然气在具有以泥-流体底辟构造作为天然气输导通道的区域,有望聚集形成大型整装天然气藏。该研究成果不但丰富和完善了中央峡谷沉积体系的认识,而且对南海北部深水油气勘探具有重要实际价值。

琼东南盆地深水区重力流沉积体系及油气勘探前景

我国深水油气勘探还处于起步阶段,对于深水沉积重力流理论的研究亟待加强。为此,利用地震、新钻井岩心、壁心、岩屑化验分析及测井等资料,综合分析了琼东南盆地深水区重力流发育条件、沉积特征,并围绕烃源、储层、运移等制约深水油气成藏的关键因素对深水区中央坳陷重力流领域成藏条件进行了研究。结果表明:①深水区大型储集体发育,主要发育了中央峡谷黄流组浊积水道砂沉积体系、乐东陵水凹陷梅山组莺歌海组海底扇沉积体系和长昌宝岛凹陷陵水组、三亚组海底扇沉积体系等三大重力流沉积体系;②该盆地早渐新统崖城组海陆过渡相煤系地层和半封闭浅海相泥岩地层是深水区重要的烃源岩,渐新统上新统深水区发育的陵水组海底扇、三亚组海底扇、梅山组海底扇、黄流组峡谷水道、莺歌海组海底扇砂岩与上覆半深海、深海泥岩形成了5套区域性储盖组合,近源底辟、近源断裂是深水区两种垂向高效通源模式;③中央峡谷陵水17-2气田的勘探成功,揭示了以中央峡谷为代表的琼东南盆地中央坳陷重力流领域具有良好的油气勘探前景。结论认为,乐东一陵水凹陷和宝岛一长昌凹陷海底扇领域同样具有良好的油气成藏条件和勘探潜力,是深水区下一步油气勘探的突破方向。

琼东南盆地中央峡谷天然气水合物成藏模式

琼东南盆地是天然气水合物勘查开发先导示范区。选取琼东南盆地中央峡谷为研究对象,基于地球化学分析、地震资料解释和天然气水合物成藏条件等资料,分析天然气水合物成藏模式。结果表明:琼东南盆地天然气水合物的气源具有“热成因气为主、混合成因气为辅”的特征,主力气源岩具备充足的供烃能力。研究区发育的“通源连储”断裂、气烟囱—泥底辟—麻坑、海底滑塌体构成主要运移输导体系和储集体,在水合物形成聚集过程中具有重要控制作用,其中气烟囱为高效运移输导体,是有利勘查目标。琼东南盆地中央峡谷气田天然气水合物成藏模式为热成因气型渗漏型、渗漏—砂体复合型和生物成因气型扩散型3种。该结果为琼东南盆地天然气水合物资源评价和勘查提供参考。

琼东南盆地第四纪中央峡谷体系沉积演化与油气前景

基于琼东南盆地中央峡谷已有钻井和高品质新地震资料,对第四纪中央峡谷体系的外部形态、内部构成、沉积演化过程及其主控因素等进行了系统梳理和研究,明确中央峡谷体系经历了晚中新世侵蚀充填期(Ⅰ期),早上新世平静充填期(Ⅱ期)和第四纪早期回春充填期(Ⅲ期)3期演化阶段,提出控制中央峡谷体系前两期形成的负地貌和物源供给在第四纪峡谷西段仍然存在.进一步研究表明西段早期多物源体系在第四纪变为昆嵩隆起秋盆河单物源,进积型陆坡控制了半限制型负地貌和砂质沉积逐渐向南东迁移,并在第四纪早期(S14)填平峡谷.在此认识指导下首次在峡谷西段浅层发现了3期第四纪半限制型海底扇群,具备"深浅双源供烃-优势通道复合输导-浅层水合物地层封盖-海底扇成藏"的成藏模式,是下一步深水区浅层寻找大中型气田的有利新领域.

Reservoir forming conditions and key exploration technologies of Lingshui 17-2 giant gas field in deepwater area of Qiongdongnan Basin

On September 15,2014,China National Offshore Oil Co.,Ltd announced that a high production of oil and gas flow of 1.6
106 m3/d was obtained in Well LS17-2-1 in deepwater area in northern South China Sea,which is the first great oil and gas discovery for self-run deepwater exploration in China sea areas,and a strategic breakthrough was made in natural gas exploration in deepwater area of Lingshui sag in Qiongdongnan Basin.Under the combined action of climax of international deepwater exploration,high oil prices,national demands of China,practical needs of exploration,breakthroughs in seismic exploration and testing technologies,innovations in geological cognition and breakthroughs in deepwater operation equipment,Lingshui 17-2 gas field is discovered.Among these factors,the innovation in reservoir forming geological cognition directly promotes the discovery.The quality of seismic data in the early time is poor,so key reservoir forming conditions such as effective source rocks,high quality reservoirs and oil-gas migration pathways are unable to be ascertained;with support of new seismic acquisition and processing technology,some researches show that Lingshui sag is a successive large and deep sag with an area of 5000 km2 and the maximum thickness of Cenozoic stratum of 13 km.In the Early Oligocene,the Lingshui sag was a semi-closed delta-estuarine environment,where the coalmeasure and marine mudstones in Lower Oligocene Yacheng Formation were developed.The Lingshui sag is a sag with high temperature,and the bottom temperature of source rocks in Yacheng Formation can exceed 250C,but the simulation experiment of hydrocarbon generation at high temperature indicates that the main part of this set of source rock is still in the gas-generation window,with resources of nearly 1 trillion cubic meters,so the Lingshui sag is a hydrocarbon-rich generation sag.In the Neogene,the axial canyon channel from the Thu Bon River in Vietnam passed through the Lingshui sag,and five stages of secondary channels were developed in the axial canyon channel,where four types of reservoirs with excellent physical properties including the axial sand,lateral accretion sand,natural levee sand as well as erosion residual sand were developed,and lithologic traps or structural-lithologic traps were formed.The diapiric zone in the southern Lingshui sag connects deep source rocks in Yacheng Formation and shallow sandstones in the channels,and the migration pattern of natural gas is a T-type migration pattern,in other words,the natural gas generated from Yacheng Formation migrates vertically to the interior of the channel sandbody,and then migrates laterally in the channel reservoirs and forms the reservoirs.Innovations of geophysical exploration technologies for complicated geological conditions of deepwater areas are made,such as the detuning comprehensive quantitative amplitude hydrocarbon detection technology,which greatly improves the success rate of deepwater exploration;key technologies of deepwater safety exploratory well testing represented by the platform-dragged riser displacement technology are developed,which greatly reduces the drilling test cost.The above key exploration technologies provide a strong guarantee for the efficient exploration and development of Lingshui gas field.