Characteristics and genesis of clay minerals in the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin

In order to develop appropriate reservoir protection measures in the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin and improve its oil and gas recovery efficiency,characteristics of clay minerals from eleven clay rock samples from the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin were investigated using X-ray diffraction analysis,the Scanning Electron Microscope（SEM）and energy spectrum analysis.Clay mineral composition and distribution characteristics of the main hydrocarbon reservoirs,i.e.,from the Jurassic and Paleogene-Neogene,were explored.We analyzed the main factors which affected these attributes.The results show that the major clay minerals in the northern margin are chlorite,kaolinite,illite,smectite and illite/smectite inter-stratified minerals.Illite is the most widely spread clay mineral in this area. Chlorite is mainly found in the entire Neogene and in shallow horizons of the Paleogene.Smectite is enriched in the shallow Paleogene-Neogene.There are large amounts of kaolinite and illite/smectite inter-stratified minerals in the Jurassic.The major factors affecting the different development of clay minerals in the region are properties of parent rocks,paleoclimate and paleowater media conditions, diagenesis transformation,tectonic and terrain conditions.

The distribution characteristics of clay minerals in the northern South China Sea

The clay minearals are composed of illite, chlorite, kaolinite, montmorillonite and mixed-layer minerals in the submarine sediments of the northern South China Sea. Three types of clay mineral zone can be recognized on the basis of the distributive regularity of clay minerals, submarine relief, hydrodynamic conditions and depositional characteristics in this region. Apart from the northern mainland source, kaolinites carried from the Philippines volcanic arc in the east and Malaysia in the south are also assumed to be one of the sources of the clay minerals in the deep sea. The increase of chlorites to the abyssal direction in the west of 116° E might be associated with the residual chlorites carried from the ancient Zhujiang River during the glacial period and the conversion of kaolinite into chlorite submarine volcanoes appear to be one of the sources of the increment of montmorillonite and chlorite around the Huangyan Island. From the distribution pattern of clay minerals in the whole area, it is known that the types of clay mineral assemblage in the study area are mainly controlled by climate and rock types of the source are-