Genesis, evolution and reservoir identification of a Neogene submarine channel in the southwestern Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

A rarely reported middle-late Miocene-Pliocene channel(incised valley fill),the Huaguang Channel(HGC),has been found in the deep-water area of the southwestern Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB).This channel is almost perpendicular to the orientation of another well-known,large,and nearly coeval submarine channel in this area.Based on the interpretation of high-resolution 3D seismic data,this study describes and analyzes the stratigraphy,tectonics,sedimentation,morphology,structure and evolution of HGC by means of well-seismic synthetic calibration,one-and two-dimensional forward modeling,attribute interpretation,tectonic interpretation,and gas detection.The HGC is located on the downthrown side of an earlier activated normal fault and grew northwestward along the fault strike.The channel is part of a slope that extends from the western Huaguang Sag to the eastern Beijiao Uplift.The HGC underwent four developmental stages:the(1)incubation(late Sanya Formation,20.4–15.5 Ma),(2)embryonic(Meishan Formation,15.5–10.5 Ma),(3)peak(Huangliu Formation,10.5–5.5 Ma)and(4)decline(Yinggehai Formation,5.5–1.9 Ma)stages.The channel sandstones have a provenance from the southern Yongle Uplift and filled the channel via multistage vertical amalgamation and lateral migration.The channel extended 42.5 km in an approximately straight pattern in the peak stage.At 10.5 Ma,sea level fell relative to its lowest level,and three oblique progradation turbidite sand bodies filled the channel from south to north.A channel sandstone isopach map demonstrated a narrow distribution in the early stages and a fan-shaped distribution in the late stage.The formation and evolution of the HGC were controlled mainly by background tectonics,fault strike,relative sea level change,and mass supply from the Yongle Uplift.The HGC sandstone reservoir is near the Huaguangjiao Sag,where hydrocarbons were generated.Channel-bounding faults and underlying faults link the source rock with the reservoir.A regionally extensive mudstone caprock overlies the channel sandstone.Two traps likely containing gas were recognized in a structural high upstream of the channel from seismic attenuation anomalies.The HGC will likely become an important oil and gas accumulation setting in the QDNB deep-water area.

Geochemistry of lower Silurian shale of Longmaxi Formation,southeastern Sichuan Basin,China:Implications for provenance and source weathering

Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale(SLS) in southeastern Sichuan Basin, China, was analyzed for major and selected trace elements, and their provenance, intensity of palaeoweathering of the source rocks were analyzed based on these elements. The results show that SiO_2, Al_2O_3 and Fe_2O_3, are dominant major elements with average contents of 60.59%, 15.91% and 5.87% in Upper Silurian Longmaxi Shale(USLS), and 65.14%, 13.24% and 4.68% in Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale(LSLS). The TiO_2-Zr plot, Hf(ppm) versus La/Th discriminant diagram, and abundance of Cr and Ni suggest a dominantly felsic source for the Longmaxi sediments. Average chemical index of alteration(CIA), plagioclase index of alteration(PIA) values(64.05% and 72.86%, respectively) imply low-degree chemical weathering of the source material in early Longmaxi time, and average CIA, PIA values(68.44% and 80.35%, respectively) imply moderate chemical weathering of the source material in late Longmaxi time.

Mineralogy and fracture development characteristics of marine shale-gas reservoirs: A case study of Lower Silurian strata in southeastern margin of Sichuan Basin, China

Mineral contents and fractures of shale from well Yuye-1 and outcrops were examined mainly based on systematic description of the cores and outcrops, and data from experimental analyses. The data enabled us to thoroughly explore the mineralogy and developmental features of shale of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the study area. The results show that,the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale(SLS) in the southeastern margin of Sichuan Basin, China, is primarily characterized by a high content of brittle minerals and a relatively low content of clay minerals. The total content of brittle minerals is approximately 57%,including 27% quartz, 12.2% feldspar, 11.2% carbonate and 2.4% pyrite. The total content of clay minerals reaches 41.6%,composed of illite(23.8%), mixed-layer of illite and smectite(I/S)(10.8%) and chlorite(7.0%). The SLS accommodates the widespread development of various types of fractures, including tectonic fractures, diagenetic fractures, inter-layer fractures and slip fractures. The developmental level of the fracture in the SLS is mainly influenced by faults, lithology, mineral contents and total organic carbon content(TOC) in study area.

Modeling of ratcheting accumulation of secondary deformation due to stress-controlled high-cyclic loading in granular soils

An objective of this work is to develop a validated computational model that can be used to estimate ratcheting accumulation behavior of granular soils due to high-cyclic loading. An accumulation model was proposed to describe only the envelope of the maximum plastic deformations generated during the cyclic loading process, which can calculate the accumulated deformation by means of relatively large load cycle increments. The concept of volumetric hardening was incorporated into the model and a so-called overstress formulation was employed to describe the evolution of the accumulated volumetric deformation as a state parameter. The model accounted for ratcheting shakedown and accumulation such as a pseudo-yield surface(a shakedown surface) associated with loading inside the current virgin yield surface which was implemented into the well-known modified Cam-clay model. Finally, the model was calibrated using data from the stress-controlled drained cyclic triaxial tests on homogeneous fine grained sands. It is seen that the model can successfully represent important features of the ratcheting accumulation of both volumetric and deviatoric deformation caused by repeated drained loading over a large number of cycles.

Distribution characteristics of delta reservoirs reshaped by bottom currents:A case study from the second member of the Yinggehai Formation in the DF1-1 gas field,Yinggehai Basin,South China Sea

The Dongfang1-1 gas field(DF1-1)in the Yinggehai Basin is currently the largest offshore self-developed gas field in China and is rich in oil and gas resources.The second member of the Pliocene Yinggehai Formation(YGHF)is the main gas-producing formation and is composed of various sedimentary types;however,a clear understanding of the sedimentary types and development patterns is lacking.Here,typical lithofacies,logging facies and seismic facies types and characteristics of the YGHF are identified based on high-precision 3D seismic data combined with drilling,logging,analysis and testing data.Based on 3D seismic interpretation and attribute analysis,the origin of high-amplitude reflections is clarified,and the main types and evolution characteristics of sedimentary facies are identified.Taking gas formation upper II(IIU)as an example,the plane distribution of the delta front and bottom current channel is determined;finally,a comprehensive sedimentary model of the YGHF second member is established.This second member is a shallowly buried“bright spot”gas reservoir with weak compaction.The velocity of sandstone is slightly lower than that of mudstone,and the reflection has medium amplitude when there is no gas.The velocity of sandstone decreases considerably after gas accumulation,resulting in an increase in the wave impedance difference and high-amplitude(bright spot)reflection between sandstone and mudstone;the range of high amplitudes is consistent with that of gas-bearing traps.The distribution of gas reservoirs is obviously controlled by dome-shaped diapir structural traps,and diapir faults are channels through which natural gas from underlying Miocene source rocks can enter traps.The study area is a delta front deposit developed on a shallow sea shelf.The lithologies of the reservoir are mainly composed of very fine sand and coarse silt,and a variety of sedimentary structural types reflect a shallow sea delta environment;upward thickening funnel type,strong toothed bell type and toothed funnel type logging facies are developed.In total,4 stages of delta front sand bodies(corresponding to progradational reflection seismic facies)derived from the Red River and Blue River in Vietnam have developed in the second member of the YGHF;these sand bodies are dated to 1.5 Ma and correspond to four gas formations.During sedimentation,many bottom current channels(corresponding to channel fill seismic facies)formed,which interacted with the superposed progradational reflections.When the provenance supply was strong in the northwest,the area was dominated by a large set of delta front deposits.In the period of relative sea level rise,surface bottom currents parallel to the coastline were dominant,and undercutting erosion was obvious,forming multistage superimposed erosion troughs.Three large bottom current channels that developed in the late sedimentary period of gas formation IIU are the most typical.

Comparisons on Mineralogy and Lithology between Paleozoic Marine and Lacustrine Dolostones, Northern China

1 Introduction Dolomite[Ca Mg(CO3)2],a common mineral in carbonate rocks,can be found in various geological settings from Precambrian to modern age,and is widely reported in almost all sedimentary and digenetic

Tectonic thermal history and its significance on the formation of oil and gas accumulation and mineral deposit in Ordos Basin

The analyzing data on stratigraphic temperature measurement , thermal conductivity of the strata and radioactive heat production rate show that the present average geothermal gradient in the Ordos Basin is 2.93℃/100 m, and the average heat flow value is 61.78 mW/m2, which belongs to the mesothermal basin, and the value of the present geothermal gradient and heat flow in the east is higher than that in the west. The sandstone radioactive heat production rate of Zhiluo Group in Dongsheng Uranium deposits of Yimeng uplift is obviously higher in the mudstone, indicating that there exists a uranium anomaly. Based on studies of the present thermal field of the basin, the late-Mesozoic paleotemperature and paleogeothermal gradient are determined by using different kinds of paleotemperature methods. According to the anomaly of the late-Mesozoic paleotemperature gradient and magmatic event age, there was a tectonic thermal event in the early Cretaceous epoch of late-Mesozoic. This article rebuilds tectonic thermal history of different tectonic units by thermal history simulation using basin simulating software. The evolution of oil-gas and coal, and accumulation (mineralization) of mineral uranium are all controlled by the tectonic thermal history in the Ordos basin, especially by the tectonic thermal event that happened in the late Mesozoic. For both the gas source rocks of upper Paleozoic group and lower paleozoic group, the gas was largely generated in the early Cretaceous epoch of the late Mesozoic. The main petroleum generation period for Yanchang Group in Triassic system is the early Cretaceous epoch too, and the highest thermal maturity of the coal of Permo-Carboniferous, Triassic, and Jurassic reaches is the early Cretaceous epoch also. Early Cretaceous epoch is still one of the most important mineralizing periods of uranium.

Characteristics and dynamic settings of the Central-east Asia multi-energy minerals metallogenetic domain

That more than 82 percent of proved sandstone-type uranium deposits coexist with proved oil-gas or coalfields in the world reflects the fact of coexistence and accumulation of multi-energy minerals including oil, gas, coal and uranium in the same basin. Especially, this phenomenon is most typical in the Central-east Asia energy basins. Across China, Mongolia and some central Asian countries, the giant Central-east Asia metallogenetic domain (CEAMD) stretches more than 6,000 km from Songliao Basin of China in the east to the Caspian Sea in the west. The multi-energy minerals distribution characteristics of the domain include: their spatial distribution is complicated and ordered; the ore-bearing horizon relates closely to the geographical region; the accumulation/mineralization and localization time is the same or close; the occurrence setting and accumulation/mineralization have close correlation; and they have rich provenance for all the minerals. All of these imply that they have close relations between each other under a unified geodynamic background. The exogenetic uranium mineralization process in CEAMD can be divided into five phases using time limits of 100 Ma, (50±2) Ma, 20±(2―4) Ma, 8―5 Ma. The major mineralization periods and their differences in each primary uranium-bearing basin are identical to the oil-gas accumulation and localization periods and phases in the same basin, and are also in response to regional tectonics and controlled in general by the regional geodynamic environment. For industrial application and commercial exploitation, it is suggested that an important period for coexistence, accumulation and localization of oil, gas, coal and uranium and their interaction mainly occur in the late/last and post basin evolution. Through generalized analysis and comparison of accumulation/mineralization environment of the energy basins in CEAMD, the authors propose that the relatively stable regional tectonic background and moderate (weaker) structural deformation probably are necessary for formation, coexistence and preservation of large and medium-scaled sandstone-type uranium ore deposits, oil-gas fields and coalfields, while basins in favor of coexistence and accumulation are those intracratonal, intermediary massif basins and corresponding reformed basins.

Basical characteristics of fluid geologic process of interlayer oxidation zone sandstone-typeuranium deposit

This paper reveals the physicochemical properties such as component, formulation, genesis, tem- perature, pH, Eh, salinity and pressure of all main alteration fluid of interlayer oxidation zone sand- stone-type uranium deposits after studying the geologic process and geochemistry of internal typical sandstone-type uranium deposits such as Shihongtan deposit in the Turpan-Hami basin, 512 deposit in the Yili basin, Dongsheng deposit in the Ordos basin. The composition of fluid can be divided into two parts based on the analysis of inclusion: one can be affirmed as atmospheric water with ordinary temperature epigenesist according to the character of hydrogen and oxygen isotope of inclusion, the other is natural gas containing gaseous hydrocarbon like CH4, and CO2 as well as a little H2S, CO, H2, N2 and so on, it always contains a small quantity of hydrocarbon liquid in petroliferous basins. The fluid property of oxidation alteration zone is always oxidation alkaline, and neutrality or weak acid-weak alkaline and reducibility during the metallizing process, but at secondary reduction or deoxidization zone it becomes strong reduction alkaline. Oxygenic groundwater in the fluid is the activate and mig- ratory medium of uranium element, but the gaseous hydrocarbon like CH4 as well as H2, H2S, CO from natural gas is the important sedimentary reducer of uranium mineral; the transformation of pH,Eh in fluid environment is the main reason for the formation of uranium metallization.

Uplift and evolution of Helan Mountain

The Helan Mountain lies in the northwest margin of Ordos Basin and its uplift periods have close relations with the tectonic feature and evolution of the basin. There are many views on the uplift time of Helan Mountain, which is Late Triassic and Late Jurassic. It is concluded by the present strata, magmatic rock and hot fluid distribution that the Helan Mountain does not uplift in Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic but after Middle Jurassic. Through the research of the sedimentary strata and deposit rate in Yinchuan Graben which is near to the Helan Mountain, it is proved that the Helan Mountain uplifts in Eocene with a huge scale and in Pliocene with a rapid speed. The fission track analysis of apatite and zircon can be used to determine the precise uplift time of Helan Mountain, which shows that four stages of uplifting or cooling: Late Jurassic to the early stage of Early Cretaceous, mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous and since Eocene. During the later two stages the uplift is most apparent and the mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous is a regional cooling course. Together with several analysis ways, it is considered that the earliest time of Helan Mountain uplift is Late Jurassic with a limited scale and that Late Cretaceous uplift is corresponding to the whole uplift of Ordos Basin, extensive uplift happened in Eocene and rapid uplift in Pliocene.

Evolution of the Ordos Plateau and environmental effects

Based on the analysis of temporary-spatial distribution, geomorphic position, contact relationship with underlying strata and grain size of red clay, we studied the formation and environmental background of red clay. During late Miocene-Pliocene, the Ordos Block finished the transformation from the basin to the plateau, which had an obvious environmental effect on the topography, indicated by the formation of highland undergoing wind erosion and lowland receiving red clay deposits. The red clay materials were sourced from dusts carried by wind energy and covered on the initial topography. Unlike Quaternary loess dust covering the overall the Loess Plateau, red clay deposited on the highland would be transported to the lowlands by wind and fluvial process. As a result, there was no continuous "Red Clay Plateau" in the Ordos region and red clay was only preserved in former lowlands. However, red clay was discontinuously distributed through the Loess Plateau and to some extent modified the initial topography. The differential uplift in interior plateau is indicated by the uplift of northern Baiyushan, central Ziwuling and southern Weibeibeishan. The Weibeibeishan Depression formed earlier and became the sedimentary center of red clay resulting in the thicker red clay deposits in Chaona, Lingtai and Xunyi. Since Quaternary the aridity in the northern plateau enhanced and accelerated loess accumulation caused the formation of the Loess Plateau. During the late Pleistocene the rapid uplift led to the enhancement of erosion. Especially after the cut-through of Sanme Lake by the Yellow River, the decline of base level caused the falling of ground water level and at the same time the increase of drainage density resulting in the enhancement of evaporation capacity, which enhanced the aridity tendency of aridity in the Loess Plateau region.

Sequence framework of two different kinds of margins and their response to tectonic activity during the Middle-Late Triassic, Ordos Basin

Two kinds of margin respectively occur in the Ordos Basin during the Middle-Late Triassic (Yanchang Age), one is foreland margin developed under the background of flexural subsidence by thrusting intensively in the southwest margin, and the other is intracratonic basin margin by stable subsidence in northern and central parts of the basin. The Middle-Late Triassic Yanchang Formation can be divided into four regional third-order sequences, which are separated by gentle angular unconformity or regional erosion surface, made up of lowstand system tract (LST), expanding system tract (EST) and highstand system tract (HST) from lower to upper within a sequence. But there are distinct differences of the sequence framework between the southwest margin and northern and central parts of the basin. The southwest margin develops heavy conglomerate layer and unconformity as a result of orogeny by thrusting, and the intracratonic basin margin by stable subsidence in the northern and central parts grows aggradational sandstone, conglomerate in fluvio-delta system and parallel unconformity. The depositional framework of southwest margin reflects the tectonic evolution from flexural subsidence by thrusting to rebounded uplift. The formation of sequence boundary is related to the resilient uplift and erosion. The sequence stratigraphic framework and depositional system tract configuration in the foreland basin are controlled by structural activity of the fold and thrust belt, and the sequence succession reflects episodic thrusting of the Middle-Late Triassic toward the foreland basin. The sequence evolution in northern and central parts reflects the depositional succession of fluvio-delta system under intracratonic background, composed of coarse-grained sediment in braided channel deposit at the lower, meandering channel deposit in the middle and fine-grained sediment in the flood plain at the upper, dominated by lake level fluctuation. During the deposit of the LST in the intracraton basin, accommodation space is limited, and results in abundant fluvial sediment migration laterally, erosion and transport, forming laterally sandstone composite and aggradational deposit on the alluvial plain, which constitutes specific erosion unconformity boundary.

The radioactive abnormality characteristics of typical regions in Ordos Basin and its geological implications

There are many results of single mineral enrichment characteristic, such as oil, gas, coal and uranium, but little is known about the synergistic research of these important minerals and the study of uranium enrichment features in the deep basin. So, the study on the paragenesis regularity and coexisting relation of many minerals in the basin will promote the integrated forecast and cooperative exploitation of the basin. Based on the plentiful logging data and geological data, this paper studies the distributing feature of higher Gamma abnormality. The analysis on 33 core samples' test results indicates that the increasing of Gamma abnormality is due to the increasing of the uranium element, and the enrichment of uranium is a result of the activation and conglomeration of uranium. On the basis of the recognization of radioactive abnormality and the study about the reality of oil,gas,coal or uranium coexisting in a basin and its mechanism, the paper shows that there is a certain mutual promotion in oil, gas, coal and uranium in the basin, which provides an important theory basis for cooperative exploitation of energy resources.

Provenance for the Chang 6 and Chang 8 Member of the Yanchang Formation in the Xifeng area and in the periphery Ordos Basin: Evidence from petrologic geochemistry

Study indicates that the major paleocurrent and source direction for the Chang 8 Member of the Yangchang Formation, Upper Triassic in the Xifeng area of the southwestern Ordos Basin derived from the southwest direction with the southeast source as the subordinate one. While the Chang 6 Member was influenced not only by the same source as that of the Chang 8 Member from the southwest and the southeast direction, but also affected by the northeast and the east provenance around the Ordos Basin, based upon measurement of paleocurrents on outcrops located in the periphery Ordos Basin, analysis of framework grains and heavy minerals in sandstones of the Chang 6 and Chang 8 Members and their spatial distribution in the study area, combined with characteristics of trace elements and rare-earth elements of mudstones and of a small amount of sandstones in the Xifeng area and outcrops in margin of the Ordos Basin. The Yuole-Xuanma-Gucheng-Heshui-Ningxia region located in the northeastern and the eastern Xifeng area was the mixed source area where the southwest, southeast, northeast and the east sources were convergent till the Chang 6 Member was deposited. The rare earth elements of the Chang 6 and Chang 8 Members are characterized by slight light rare earth-elements (LREE) enrichment and are slightly depleted in heavy rare earth-elements (HREE) with weak to moderate negative abnormal Eu, resulting in a right inclined REE pattern, which implies that the source rocks are closely related with better differential crust material. Analysis on geochemical characteristics of the mudstones and sandstones, features of parent rocks in provenance terranes and tectonic settings shows that source rocks for the Chang 8 Member mainly came from metamorphic and sedimentary rocks in transitional continental and basement uplift terranes with a small amount of rocks including metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks coming from mixed recycle orogenic belt located in the southwest margin of the Ordos basin. Rocks in the crystalline basement and the overlying sedimentary cover in a basement uplift setting in the northeast periphery of the basin also contributed a part of the sources for the Chang 6 Member, in addition to the sources deriving from transitional continental and basement uplift terranes in the southwest margin of the basin. Parent rocks of the provenance terrane in the northeast margin of the Ordos Basin are characterized by having more felsic rocks.

Characteristics of bleaching of sandstone in northeast of Ordos Basin and its relationship with natural gas leakage

Bleaching of sandstone has significant applications to tracing hydrocarbon pathways and evaluating the scale of natural gas seepage. Bleaching of sandstones in the northeast of Ordos Basin is mainly distributed in the Mesozoic Yan'an Formation. Studying on petrology, major elements, REEs and trace elements of bleached sandstones and comparing with adjacent sandstones, combining with geologic-geochemical evidences of gas seepage in the northeast of the basin, the bleached sandstones are formed in the acid environment and reducing fluids. Characteristics of petrology show that the contents of kaolinite are high and the color of margin of ferric oxide minerals is lighter than that of the center. Major elements of sandstone samples show high contents of Al2O3 and low ratio of Fe3+/Fe2+. The TFe2O3 content of the bleached sandstone is lower than that of red rock. REE data show that bleached sandstones have low ∑REE contents and Eu-depleted and slightly Ce-enriched. Trace elements show that the bleached sandstones enrich in Co, deplete in Sr, and slightly enrich in Zr and Hf which are close to the values for the green alteration sandstones, and slightly lower than ore-bearing sandstones. Geochemical characteristics of oil-bearing sandstone in the northern basin suggest that the oil-shows are formed by matured Carboniferous-Permian coal bed methane escaping to the surface, and natural gas in field could migrate to the north margin of the basin. The δ13C (PDB) andδ18O(PDB) values of calcite cement in the study area range from -11.729‰ to -10.210‰ and -14.104‰ to -12.481‰, respectively. Theδ13C (PDB) values less than -10‰ imply the carbon sources part from organic carbon. Comprehensive study suggests that the gas leakage has occurred in the northeastern basin, which is responsible for bleaching of the sandstone on top of the Yan'an Formation.

Geological significance of the former Xiong'er Volcanic Belt on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton

The rock association of low-grade metasedimentary rocks and greenschists located within the Meso- Cenozoic Liupanshan Fault system on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton (NCC)is regarded as part of the Paleoproterozoic Xiong'er Group.These low- grade rocks are separated by normal faults,with the greenschist located in the hanging wails.Zircon LA-ICP- MS U-Pb ages of the greenschists range from 2455 to 423 Ma,suggesting that they are not Paleoproterozoic in age. The protolith ages (206-194 Ma)of the greenschists were determined by LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircons from two siltstone inteflayers.The petrology and geochemistry of the greenschists reveal that their protolith was continental tholeiitic basalt that formed in an extensional environment such as a continental rift.Thus,it is proposed that the protolith of the greenschists was a mafic volcanic rock of Late Triassic-Early Jurassic age and was metamorphosed during the Jurassic due to tectonism within the Liupanshan tectonic belt.These results show that the greenschists should be reclassified and removed from the Xiong'er Group,and explains why they differ so much from those of typical Xiong'er Group successions in other areas.The formation of the mafic volcanic rocks under conditions of continental rifting differs from that of coeval granitic rocks in the western Qinling Orogen,where the extension occurred during a post-collisional stage in the Late Triassic,which further suggests that the southwestern margin of the NCC became an extensional setting after the Late Triassic.