Geochemical Properties and StratigraphicalCorrelation of Frasnian-Famennian TransitionalStrata in Wuzhishan Section

The qualities of petrology and paleobiology in Wuzhishan Section are studied. Several geo-chemical anomalies are recognized, such as: high rare earth element content, high pyrite content and Ni anomalies. It could be correlated with Nandong Section in Xiangzhou County and the F/F boundary could be determined according to Ni anomalies. The results of the study indicate that the geochemical anomaly plays an important role in stratigraphic correlation in non-fossil stratum.

Stratigraphical Time——Correlation and Mass Extinction Event Near Permian——Triassic Boundary in South China

Shaw's method used to correlate 40 sections across the Permo-Triassic boundary in South China is applied in the paper. Two steps are adopted to get an Integral Composite Section (ICS) by synthesizing these data : First , South China is divided into five areas and composite section developed for each area . Then the second step . the Changxing composite section is regarded as a composite standard (CSRS) while the ICS is produced by matching the CSRS with composite sections of the other areas. Three biozones in the Changxingian and two biozones in the Griesbachian can be discerned on the basis of computing Z values in the ICS. These biozones are marked by the Z values which quantitatively represent their time ranges ; therefore , they may increase accuracy of stratigraphic time correlation . The mass extinction at the end of the Permian is an abrupt event that is supported by the relative rate of extinction near the P/T boundary . About 90% of invertebrate species died out by the end of the Permian . The duration of the mass extinction is rather short ,approximately 0.018Ma .

ENVIRONMENTAL EVOLUTION OF ORDOS DESERT IN CHINA SINCE 1.1MA B. P. AS INDICATED BY YULIN STRATIGRAPHICAL SECTION AND ITS GRAIN-SIZE ANALYSIS RESULTS

Yulin section is a typical sedimentary record for reflecting the environmental evolution of Ordos Desert, China in the past 1.1Ma. By analyzing its sequence and grain-size composition some views have been put forward in this paper as follows. The layers of sand, loess and palaeosol in Yulin section were respectively formed by wind and the pedogenesis on parent material of the sand and loess. Since 1.1Ma B. P., Ordos Desert has alternately experienced 11 stages of shifting dunes under extreme cold-dry climatic environment, 7 stages of fixed and semi-fixed dunes and 8 stages of dust (loess) under cold-dry climatic condition; and the pedogenesis environment under 15 times of warm-humid climate and 3 times of temperate-humid climate (brownish-drab soils and black soils formed respectively). The aeolian sand had already existed in Ordos Desert at latest by 1.1Ma B. P., and from that time on it has undergone a series of alternative processes of shifting sands, fixed and semi-fixed dunes, loess and soils. Ordos Desert has been situated in the transitional belt of the Mongolian High Pressure and margin of the southeast summer monsoon since 1.1Ma B. P., and influenced repeatedly by migration of the lithofacies belts of shifting sands, fixed and semi-fixed dunes, loess and soils, which have been caused by the climatic fluctuations of glacial and interglacial periods.

The Low Lake-Level Record according to the Selin Co Stratigraphical Basis and Multi-Proxies during the Last Glacial Maximum in the Central Tibetan Plateau

Objective The lake levels in the eastern and southern Asia are regarded as low lake-level owing to precipitation decreasing based on the records of lake-level fluctuation in the continental interior lakes since the last glacial maximum（LGM）（14C 18±1 kaBP,since 20 kaBP）in the Central Asia.Higher lake-level appeared in the transition belt between western Kunlun Mountain and the central Tibetan Plateau.

An intelligent automatic correlation method of oilbearing strata based on pattern constraints:An example of accretionary stratigraphy of Shishen 100 block in Shinan Oilfield of Bohai Bay Basin,East China

Aiming at the problem that the data-driven automatic correlation methods which are difficult to adapt to the automatic correlation of oil-bearing strata with large changes in lateral sedimentary facies and strata thickness,an intelligent automatic correlation method of oil-bearing strata based on pattern constraints is formed.We propose to introduce knowledge-driven in automatic correlation of oil-bearing strata,constraining the correlation process by stratigraphic sedimentary patterns and improving the similarity measuring machine and conditional constraint dynamic time warping algorithm to automate the correlation of marker layers and the interfaces of each stratum.The application in Shishen 100 block in the Shinan Oilfield of the Bohai Bay Basin shows that the coincidence rate of the marker layers identified by this method is over 95.00%,and the average coincidence rate of identified oil-bearing strata reaches 90.02% compared to artificial correlation results,which is about 17 percentage points higher than that of the existing automatic correlation methods.The accuracy of the automatic correlation of oil-bearing strata has been effectively improved.

Resource Potential and Exploration Techniques of Stratigraphic and subtle Reservoirs in China

The onshore oil and gas exploration has stepped into a new stage in China, with equal attention paid to both stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs and structural reservoirs. In the past few years, the increases in oil reserves in most basins were found mainly in the stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs. Latest resource evaluation shows that the onshore stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs in China account for 42% of the total remaining resource, the highest in the four major exploration regions. Therefore, these reservoirs will be the most practical, potential and prevalent fields for long-lasting oil and gas exploration in onshore China. Among PetroChina's annual oil geologic reserves of 4.3 × 108t^4.6× 108t, the stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs account for more than 50%. In such basins as Songliao, Ordos, Bohai Bay, Junggar, Tarim, Sichuan and Erlian basins, stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs with geologic reserves ranging from 5×107t to 3×108t were discovered, including Ansai, Jing'an, Daqingzijing, Liuxi, well-21 area in Shinan, and Hadexun. Stratigraphic and subtle reservoirs in the four types of inland basins differ from each other in the formation conditions and the distribution patterns. While continental basins are controlled by unconformity surface, maximum flooding surface and fracture surface, the Paleozoic marine basins are influenced by paleouplift, unconformity surface, and fluctuation of the sea level. Through exploration practices and research, PetroChina has formed its own technique series focused on 3-D seismics and sequence stratigraphy.

Carboniferous-Permian Stratigraphy and Sedimentary Environment of Southeastern Inner Mongolia,China:Constraints on Final Closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean

In this paper we discuss the timing of final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean based on the field investigations of the Carboniferous-Permian stratigraphic sequences and sedimentary environments in southeastern Inner Mongolia combined with the geology of its neighboring areas. Studies show that during the Carboniferous-Permian in the eastern segment of the Tianshan-Hinggan Orogenic System, there was a giant ENE-NE-trending littoral-neritic to continental sedimentary basin, starting in the west from Ejinqi eastwards through southeastern Inner Mongolia into Jilin and Heilongjiang. The distribution of the Lower Carboniferous in the vast area is sparse. The Late Carboniferous or Permian volcanic-sedimentary rocks always unconformably overlie the Devonian or older units. The Upper Carboniferous-Middle Permian is dominated by llttoral-neritic deposits and the Upper Permian, by continental deposits. The Late Carboniferous-Permian has no trace of subduction-collision orogeny, implying the basin gradually disappeared by shrinking and shallowing. In addition, it is of interest to note that the Ondor Sum and Hegenshan ophiolitic melanges were formed in the pre-Late Silurian and pre-Late Devonian respectively, and the Solonker ophiolitic melange formed in the pre-Late Carboniferous. All the evidence indicates that the eastern segment of the Paleo-Asian Ocean had closed before the Late Carboniferous, and most likely before the latest Devonian （Famennian）.

Sequence Stratigraphy of the Jurassic Coal Measures in Northwestern China

The sequence stratigraphy of the Jurassic coal measures of northwestern China has been studied based on data from outcrop and borehole sections. Because of the geological background and the diversity of basin types, such as isochronisms of coal seams and recognition of key sequence boundaries, it is rare to summarize and correlate sequence structure and framework. The types and recognition characteristics of the sequence boundaries of the Jurassic coal measures are revealed by comparing climatic characteristics, structural styles and the base level cycle. A total of five third-order sequences and 15 systems tracts have been subdivided and the sequence stratigraphic framework has been reconstructed confirming that the thick coals accumulated in the late stage of transgression system tracts of sequence I （SQ I） and sequence III （SQ III）. This idea is of important academic significance for instructing coal resources exploration, and enhancing geological effects of prospecting engineering. It is also of practical significance for guaranteeing construction of the large-scale coal production base in northwestern China, accelerating the westward development of the coal industry stratagem.

Similarity measure of sedimentary successions and its application in inverse stratigraphic modeling

This paper presents a unique and formal method of quantifying the similarity or distance between sedimentary facies successions from measured sections in outcrop or drilled wells and demonstrates its first application in inverse stratigraphic modeling. A sedimentary facies succession is represented with a string of symbols, or facies codes in its natural vertical order, in which each symbol brings with it one attribute such as thickness for the facies. These strings are called attributed strings. A similarity measure is defined between the attributed strings based on a syntactic pattern-recognition technique. A dynamic programming algorithm is used to calculate the similarity. Inverse stratigraphic modeling aims to generate quantitative 3D facies models based on forward stratigraphic modeling that honors observed datasets. One of the key techniques in inverse stratigraphic modeling is how to quantify the similarity or distance between simulated and observed sedimentary facies successions at data locations in order for the forward model to condition the simulation results to the observed dataset such as measured sections or drilled wells. This quantification technique comparing sedimentary successions is demonstrated in the form of a cost function based on the defined distance in our inverse stratigraphic modeling implemented with forward modeling optimization.

Geochemical Stratigraphy and Microvertebrate Assemblage Sequences across the Silurian/Devonian Transition in South China

Carbon isotope （δ13Corg） analyses of non-marine clastic rocks and neritic carbonates and black shales spanning the Silurian/Devonian transition are compared from two richly fossiliferous sequences in Qujing of East Yunnan and Zoige of Sichuan, South China. The two sections, Xishancun and Putonggou sections in South China, reveal positive δ13Corg shifts happening in the Upper Pridoli and Lower Devonian and reaching peak values as heavy as -25.2‰ （Xishancun） and -19.9‰（Putonggou） in the lowermost Lochkovian following the first occurrence of the thelodont Parathelodus and the conodont Icriodus woschmidti woschmidti （only in Putonggou Section and together with Protathyris-Lanceomyonia brachiopod fauna）. These results replicate a globally known positive shift in δ13Corg from the uppermost Silurian to the lowermost Devonian. The δ13Corg variations across the Silurian/Devonian Boundary （SDB） at the two sections in South China exhibit a shift in carbon isotopic composition similar to the detailed SDB curves from the borehole Klonk-1 drilled at top of the Klonk Global Standard Stratotype-Section and Point （GSSP） in the Prague Basin, Czech Republic. In addition, four microvertebrate assemblages, including the Liaojiaoshan, Xishancun, Yanglugou and Xiaputonggou assemblages, are recognized from the Silurian/Devonian transition exposed in the Xishancun and Putonggou sections, respectively. The results from both carbon isotope stratigraphy and microvertebrate assemblage sequences suggest that the SDB in South China is located at the base of the Xishancun Formation （between sample QX-20 and sample QX-21） in the Xishancun Section and the lower part of the Xiaputonggou Formation （between sample ZP-09 and sample ZP-10） in the Putonggou Section. The isotopic trend for organic carbon together with the changes of microvertebrate remains across the SDB can offer an approach to a potential correlation of the SDB from different sedimentary facies, which help to correlate the marine with non-marine deposits.

Chronostratigraphy and Stratigraphic Classification of the Cretaceous of the Songliao Basin

Isotopic ages of synsedimentary clay minerals were directly determined with the ultrasonicscattering-settlement separation-K-Ar dilution technique. The apparent age of black mudstoneis 123 Ma for the Quantou Formation, 111.9-89.0 Ma for the Qingshankou Formation and77.6-76.8 Ma for the upper part of the Nenjiang Formation. The Rb-Sr isochrone age of themuddy limestone-mudstone sequence of the lower part of the Nenjiang Formation is 81 Ma andthat of the muddy evaporite of the middle part of the Quantou Formation is 122.2 Ma. On thebasis of the above isotopic ages, the authors propose a modified scheme of stratigraphic classifi-cation of the Cretaceous of the Songliao basin.

Sequence Stratigraphic Modeling of Sedimentary Basin: Conceptual Model and Application to Erlian and Yinggehai Basins, China

A quantitative two-dimensional model of sequence stratigraphy is formulated to simulate the development of sequence architecture in sedimentary basins. The model takes into account sea level change, tectonic subsidence, compaction of sediments, flexural isostatic compensation, erosion and sedimentation. It may be used to test sequence stratigraphic model, to analyze the development of sequence architecture and sequence boundaries, and to predict facies distribution in basins. The computer model, combined with backstripping technique, is cali- brated to model the sedimentary filling of the Early Cretaceous Erlian basin and the Tertiary Yinggehai basin. The study shows that the development of high order sequences in the basins was closely related to the multiple stretching and inversion. The development of the progradational sequence set of the Yinghuang Formation in Yinggehai basin formed in synrift period was mainly controlled by a large amount of sediment input high fluctuation of sea level and gradual subsidence of the basin.

Sedimentary Patterns and Stratigraphic Trap Models of Deeply Buried Intervals in the Baxian Depression, North China

The Baxian depression is a typical half-graben located in the Jizhong sub-basin, north China. Commercial petroleum traps have been discovered in the Jizhong sub-basin. However, the 3rd and 4th members of the Shahejie Formation in this sub-basin have been poorly explored. These two members, belonging to the Lower Paleogene age, are buried deeply in the depression. Favorable petroleum reservoir conditions exist in such deep intervals of the half-graben due to the presence of different types and extent of deltas and turbidity fans in various areas. In fact, three types of turbidite fans are developed in the sag below the transitional belt on the eastern gentle slope. This work summarized three stratigraphic trap belts, i.e., the steep slope, gentle slope, and sag. On the steep slope, structural- stratigraphic traps with small-scale delta fronts and turbidite sandbodies are well developed. On the gentle slope, hydrocarbons generally accumulate in the large-scale delta front, onlapping beds and those sandbodies adjacent to unconformities. In the sag, petroleum trap models are typically characterized by pinched-out turbidite sandbodies. Stratigraphic traps were easily formed in turbidite fans below the eastern transitional belt. The petroleum traps that have already been discovered or predicted in the study area indicate that stratigraphic traps have favorable petroleum exploration potential in deeply buried areas （depth 〉5000 m） in a half-graben basin or depression.

Carbon Isotope Features of the Sugetbrak Section in the Aksu-Wushi Area, Northwest China: Implications for the Precambrian/Cambrian Stratigraphic Correlations

The upper Qigeblaq Formation （Fm） dolostones and the Yurtus Fm phosphatic cherts, black shales, limestones, and dolostones are widely distributed in the Precambrian/Cambrian transitional succession of the Aksu-Wushi area. Negative δ13C excursion above the Yurtus Fm/ Qigeblaq Fm boundary was determined in this study. The pronounced negative carbon isotope excursion occurs in the phosphatic chert layers at the bottom of the Cambrian Yurtus Fm, below which the first appearance of the Asteridium- Heh＇osphaeridium-Comasphaeridium （AHC） acritarch assemblage zone. The δ13C curve of the lower part of the Yurtus Fm in the Aksu-Wushi area was found to be correlated with the early Cambrian δ13C curves of the Zhujiaqing Fm （Daibu Member）, the lower part of the Yanjiahe Fm on the Yangtze Platform in China, the lower Tal Fm in India, the Sukharikha Fm in Siberia, and the upper part of the Tsagaan Oloom Fm in Mongolia through biostigraphy. The lower part of the Yurtus Fm in the Tarim Basin is at the Nemakit-Daldynian stage, and the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary of the Aksu-Wushi area may be located in the phosphatic chert unit which just below the first appearance AHC acritarch assemblage zone. The negative δ13C excursion （N1） across the Precambrian/Cambrian boundary in the studied section may have resulted from oceanic overturning and sea level rise.

Devonian Frasnian-Famennian Transitional Milankovitch Cycles and High-Resolution Stratigraphic Correlation

Four hierarchical cyclothems, superbundlesets, bundlesets, bundles and laminae, have been identified from the Devonian Frasnian-Famennian carbonate strata in Guangxi, South China. Their hierarchical structures, ratio relationships and sequence in conodont zones are continuous and stable and can be traced across different facies zones and sedimentary basins. Our data show that hierarchically organized superbundlesets, bundlesets, bundles and laminae correspond to the long eccentricity, eccentricity, obliquity or precession and sub-Milankovitch cycles respectively. Their periods were 400,000, 100,000, 33,333, 16,667 and 8,000–17,000 a, respectively. The ratios of long eccentricity to eccentricity, eccentricity to obliquity, and eccentricity to precession in the Devonian are 1:4, 1:3 and 1:6 respectively. Using these hierarchical Milankovitch cyclothems, chronostratigraphical division and correlation can be realized at a resolution of 100 ka or 10 ka at the Frasnian-Famennian transition. The time intervals of the Upper rhenana Zone, linguiformis Zone, and the Lower, Middle and Upper triangularis Zone are 0.6, 0.8, 0.3, 0.3 and 0.3 Ma, respectively. Sea-level changes of the Frasnian-Famennian transition were not coherent and synchronous at the resolution of 100 ka or 10 ka in the basin-slope carbonate sequences of Guangxi, South China.

A Climatic Sequence Stratigraphic Model in the Terrestrial Lacustrine Basin:A Case Study of Green River Formation,Uinta Basin,USA

In recent years, with the development of terrestrial sequence stratigraphy, more attention has been focused on the study of the terrestrial lacustrine sequence stratigraphic model globally. Different viewpoints are preferred by researchers. Under the guidance of the theory of sequence stratigraphy, the findings of this paper indicate that climate is a major factor controlling the formation of the fourth-order sequence, based upon the study of the sequence stratigraphy in the Green River Formation of the Uinta basin in the USA. It also divides the fourth-order sequence in the terrestrial lacustrine basin into two system tracts： the wet （rising） half-cycle and the dry （falling） half- cycle, establishing a new-style fourth-order sequence stratigraphic model for the terrestrial lacustrine basin, that is, the climate-genetic sequence stratigraphic model. As a result, the theory of sequence stratigraphy is greatly enriched.

Tertiary Sea Level Changes and Sequence Stratigraphic Framework in East China Sea Shelf Basin

The East China Sea shelf basin is a key area for setting up the sea level changes of Cenozoic in the West Pacific. Based upon the characteristics of seismic reflection, the analysis of sequence stratigraphy and depositional system, the high resolution chronostratigraphic framework has been set up by using the data of micropaleontologic biozone fossils. The relative sea level change curve has been set up by combining analysis of paleoecology, genetic facies, specific sedimentary structures and on lap recognized from the seismic profiles with study of geochemical characteristics. There are 4 2nd order basin cycles showing the long term sea level changes, and 22 3rd order cycles showing short term ones with relative changing ranges of 0-150 m. Transgression and regression showing long term sea level changes bear asymmetric feature, which indicates that the speed of transgression is faster than that of regression. There are a lot of differences when compared with Haq ’s curve. The sequence stratigraphic framework has also been set up and 3 tectonic sequences, 7 supersequences and 19 sequences have been subdivided for Tertiary in the East China Sea shelf basin. On the basis of detailed analysis of genetic facies and log facies, 9 sedimentary systems, 20 depositional assemblages and many genetic facies have also been recognized and investigated. Based on the studies mentioned above, the favorable source and reservoir facies of gas and petroleum are indicated.

Why Terrestrial Stable Carbon-isotope Stratigraphy Works: a Review

Carbon-isotope stratigraphy launched since the early technological development of carbon- isotope measurement in 1950s, however, the emergence and advance of terrestrial carbon-isotope stratigraphy took quite a long way. At early stage the exploration of carbon-isotope stratigraphy based on the marine biological shell carbonates was verified by repeatable carbon-isotope stratigraphic data, laboratory chemical experiments and the later laboratory foraminiferal culture experiments. The breakthrough for testifying the fundamentals of terrestrial carbon-isotope stratigraphy lies on the synchronous fluctuations between the carbon-isotope stratigraphic curves derived from marine biological shell carbonates and those derived from terrestrial C3 plants. The character that carbon-isotope stratigraphic curves can be globally synchronously correlated over the marine and terrestrial/atmospheric reservoir mainly excludes the potential biasing factors, such as diagenetic bias, carbon-isotope variations in intra/inter individual plant in same species or between species, ecological changes, changes in aridity, changes in source input and representative sampling. Therefore, the fundamentals of terrestrial carbon-isotope stratigraphy based on C3 plant successfully established. The terrestrial carbon-isotope stratigraphy can be used for global stratigraphic correlation, reconstructing the evolution of atmospheric CO2 and can further verify the published global carbon-cycle models. The terrestrial carbon-isotope stratigraphy based on the compound specific biomarkers and single-grained pollen may be a promising perspective in future.

Late Permian Sequence Stratigraphic Framework and Controlling Factors in Southern Yangtze Platform and Its Margin

Late Permian stratigraphic, sedimentary and paleotectonic studies along a corridor profile across the Yangtze paleocontinent and its southern margin reveal the sedimentary evolution, subdivide the depositional sequences, and reconstruct the stratigraphic framework based on lateral correlation and tracing of the bounding surfaces and depositional systems. This corridor profile transects the Yangtze craton and a molasse sag zone in its southern margin. It is demonstrated that the Late Permian sedimentary evolution along the investigated profile evidently resulted from the interplay of sea level change, differential subsidence and sediment supply within the given tectonic units. In the cratonic interior, high frequency sea level fluctuation exerts an important control on the formation of the third order and fourth order sequences, and is the basis for transfacies correlation. The evolution of sequence succession in the taphrogenic zone is so much affected by the intense tectonic subsidence that it is hardly correlatable to that in the cratonic interior.

Late Carboniferous-Early Permian Volcanic Event Deposits and Stratigraphic Correlation in Shandong Province and Its Adjacent Regions

Deposits of 10 volcanic events of 6 stages have been discovered by the authors after detailed field and lab studies of the Benxi and Taiyuan Formations in Shandong Province and its adjacent regions. They show certain temporal-spatial distribution characteristics. Volcanic fragments were probably derived from two different volcanic sources north and south of the North China Platform, while the magma of the two volcanic sources was probably derived from the lower crust. A new stratigraphic correlation scheme is put forward for the Benxi and Taiyuan Formations in this region on the basis of previous biostratigraphic work with the regionally widespread volcanic event layers as the marker bed for the isochronous stratigraphic correlation on a super-regional scale and in conjunction with the maximum transgressive event layers.