Search

The Liangshan and Qixia formations in the Sichuan Basin of central China were formed in the earlier middle Permian. Based on outcrop observation of the Changjianggou section at Shangsi, Guangyuan region and 3rd-order sequence division in typical drillings, one-dimensional spectrum analysis has been used to choose the better curve between the natural gamma ray spectrometry log(ln (Th/K)) in Well-Long17 and the gamma ray log(GR) in Well-Wujia1, respectively, for identifying Milankovitch cycles in Sequence PSQ1 which comprises the Liangshan and Qixia formations, and then to identify the variation in the Milankovitch cycle sequences. On this basis, the system tract and 4th-order sequence interfaces in Sequence PSQ1 were found via two-dimensional spectral analysis and digital filtering. Finally, a high-frequency sequence division program was established. Among these cycles, long eccentricity (413.0 ka) and short eccentricity (123.0 ka) are the most unambiguous, and they are separately the major control factors in forming 4th-order (parasequence sets) and 5th-order (parasequences) sequences, with the average thicknesses corresponding to the main cycles being 11.47 m and 3.32 m in Well-Long17, and 14.21 m and 3.79 m in Well-Wujia1, respectively. In other words, the deposition rate in the beach subfacies is faster than that of the inner ramp facies. The ln(Th/K) curve is more sensitive than the GR as the index of relatively ancient water depth in carbonate deposition. One-dimensional spectrum analysis of ln(Th/K) curve could distinguish the Milankovitch cycle sequences that arose from the Precession cycle (20.90 ka), with a much higher credibility. Sequence PSQ1 in Well-Long17 contains 10 4th-order sequences, and the growth span of Sequence PSQ1 consisting of the Liangshan and Qixia formations is about 4.13 Ma. The single deposition thickness of the long eccentricity cycle sequence has the characteristics of thinning and then thickening in the two-dimensional spectrum, which could be used to identify the system tract interface of the 3rd-order sequence. The precession sequence thickness remains stationary. As a result, the early deposition rate in the mid-Permian of the Sichuan basin was very slow, remaining nearly stationary, and this reflects a sustained depositional environment. Whole-rock carbon and oxygen isotope curves could also prove this point Milankovitch cycle sequence studies provide a basis for paleoenvironmental analysis and, as such, can be used to analyze ancient climate change, calculate deposition rate and deposition time, and carry out fine isochronous stratigraphic correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a cross-cutting relationship between the E-W trending structures and the NE-trending structures in the northern Longmen-Micang Mountains region, which reflects possible regional tectonic transition and migration. Apatite fission track (AFT) analyses of 15 samples collected from this area yield apparent ages varying from 30.3±4.2 Ma to 111.7±9.0 Ma and confined-track-lengths ranging from 10.6±0.3 μm to 12.4±0.1 μm. Four specific groups were identified on the basis of the Track Age Spectrum Calculation (TASC) patterns, i.e., 143-112 Ma, 93.6-88 Ma, 42-40 Ma and ∼25.6 Ma. These age groups correspond to the spatial distributions of datasets and may represent four tectonic events. Together with the regional deformation patterns, the four age groups are interpreted to indicate tectonic superposition, transition and migration during the Meso-Cenozoic with the following possible order: (1) the Micang Mountains belt was dominated by the E-W trending structure during 143-112 Ma; (2) the contraction of the Longmen Mountains belt from the NW to the SE during 93.6-88 Ma led to the superposition of the NE-trending structures over the E-W trendinding structures; (3) dextral strike-slip shear dominated the Longmen Mountains belt at 42-40 Ma; (4) westward migration of the active tectonic belt occurred from 93.6-25.6 Ma in a break-back sequence in the northern Longmen Mountains belt. The Late Cenozoic tectonics in the northern Longmen Mountains belt are characterized by the dextral strike-slip shear and the occurrence of westward break-back sequence of deformations. As a result, north-south differences in deformations along the Longmen Mountains belt were intensified since the Miocene time and strains were mainly accumulated in the hinterland of the Longmen Mountains instead of being propagated to the foreland basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanic rocks are distributed widely in China, which are important exploration targets. By analyzing many discovered volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs all over the world, the authors summarized the geologic characteristics of the formation of volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs in China, and gave further exploration directions and advices. (1) There are mainly Carboniferous-Permian, Jurassic-Cretaceous, Paleogene-Neogene volcanic rocks in oil- and gas-bearing basins in China, which are mainly distributed in the Junggar Basin, Songliao Basin, Bohai Bay Basin, etc. There are mainly intermediate rocks and acidic rocks in east China, and intermediate rocks and basic rocks in west China. They primarily develop in intracontinental rift settings and island are environments. (2) Porefissure reservoirs are distributed widely in basins, which are volcanic rocks mainly in explosive and effusive facies. (3) Volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs are chiefly near-source lithostratigraphic hydrocarbon reservoirs, and the oil and gas accumulation is predominantly controlled by lithotypes, faults and structural positions. (4) Deep-seated oil and gas reservoirs in the Songliao Basin and Carboniferous volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Junggar Basin are potential giant volcanic gas provinces, the volcanic hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Bohai Bay Basin and Santanghu Basin are favorable for oil and gas reserves increase, and volcanic rocks in the Turpan Basin, Sichuan Basin, Tarim Basin have exploration potentiality. (5) The technology series of oil and gas exploration in volcanic rocks have been preliminarily formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]