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Controls of tectonics on both sedimentary sequences and petroleum systems in Tarim Basin, northwest China

Controls of tectonics on both sedimentary sequences and petroleum systems in Tarim Basin,... VolA No.2 2007 Petroleum Science Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China Chen Shuping', Wang yF and Jin Zhijurr' 0. Department ofEarth Sciences, China University ofPetroleum, Beijing 102249, China) O. Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, Sinopec Company Ltd, Beijing 100083, China) Abstract: Various orders of sequences were recognized in the Tarim Basin from unconformities. Three mega-sequence groups, six mega-sequences, sixteen super-sequences and forty-two sequences were determined from the Sinian to the Quaternary. The mega-sequences and super-sequences were in accordance with the locally tectonic events occurring in both the north and the south margins of the Tarim plate. The global sea level changes only worked to control formations in the tectonically stable periods or in the low order sequences. The sequences had close relationship to the source rocks, reservoirs and cap rocks, and the tectonic events determined the migration, accumulation, and preservation of the hydrocarbon. The three mega-sequence group cycles, including the early cycle-the Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle cycle-the upper Devonian-Triassic, and the late cycle-the Jurassic-Quaternary, corresponded to three reservoir formation cycles. So, it can be concluded that the local tectonic events controlled both the sequences and the distribution of oil and gas in the Tarim Basin. Key words: Sequence stratigraphy, tectonics, petroleum geology 1. Introduction 2. Tectonic settings As a branch of geoscience, sequence stratigraphy The Tarim Basin is located in the northwest China. It has been accepted widely due to its high correctness in is surrounded by mountains such as the Tianshan fold forecasting the distribution of oil-generating layers, system to its north, the Kunlun fold system to its south, reservoirs, and cap rocks. On the other hand, various and the Altun fold system to its southeast (Fig. 1). It orders of sequences reflect various orders of tectonic underwent a long history from the Sinian to the events. This is of significance for the research of the Quaternary, and covers 560,000 km of area. The earth rhythm (W,ang, 1997). sedimentary succession in the basin consists of Sinian­ Based on the concept of stratigraphic sequence Lower Permian marine and marine-terrestrial (Sloss, 1949). Vail, et al. (1977) put forward the concept alternating sediments and Upper Permian-Quaternary of seismic stratigraphy, and emphasized global sea level terrestrial sediments with a total thickness of 15,000 m. The basement of the Tarim Basin is pre-Sinian changes to be the main controlling factors for the formations of sequences. The systematic concept of the metamorphic rocks. The basin can be further subdivided into seven first-order structural belts with trend E-W. sequence stratigraphy was developed by further research. The global tectonic movements, the global sea In terms of the plate tectonics, the Tarim Basin is a level changes, the depositions and the climate changes part of the Tarim-Sino Korea plate, or a separate plate were considered to be main controlling factors on existing in the Neoproterozoic, called the Tarim plate sequence formations, and high order sequences were (Jia, et aI., 1995; Jiang, et al., 1992; Xiao, et aI., 1992). mainly related to the plate movements. However, there The northeast of the Tarim plate was the Siberia plate, are some disagreements on the concept of the sequence the northwest the Kazakhstan plate, and the south the stratigraphy, for example, whether the sequences are of Qiangtang plate, the Lasa plate, and the Indian plate global comparability and what the main controlling (Fig. 2). The evolution of the Tarim Basin was closely related to the actions in the tectonic zones surrounding factors are. The research on the sequences of the Tarim Basin it, and the unconformities in the basin show a has got great achievements recently with the petroleum complicated history (Fig. 1). exploration in the basin (Jia, et al., 1995; Xu, et al., 3. Plate tectonic evolution 1997). Based on the seismic data, the sequences are delineated in the Tarim Basin, and the controlling During the evolution of the Tarim Basin from the factors of the sequences and their relations to oil and Sinian to the Quaternary, complicated plate tectonic gas are discussed in this paper. actions occurred both in the north and in the south 2 2007 Petroleum Science margins of the Tarim Plate. Middle Devonian closing. In the Sinian, the intra-continental rifting occurred in In the late Devonian-Carboniferous, the north of the both the south and the north boundary of the Tarim plate Tarim Basin was the remnant south Tianshan ocean, and (Jiang, et al., 1992; Xiao, et al., 1992; Jia, et al., 1995; the south of it was a passive margin connecting to the Li, et al., 1996; Zhai, et al., 2002) (Fig. 3). Subsequently Paleo-Tethys. At the end of the Permian, the north in the Cambrian and early Ordovician, oceanic crusts Tianshan-Junggar Ocean closed, making the Tarim plate and passive continental boundaries formed in the two part of the Eurasia plate. At the same time, the south of boundaries. In the middle and late Ordovician, the the Tarim plate changed from a passive margin into an previous passive boundaries turned to be active with active margin with volcanic arcs. The Tarim Basin was subduction. From the Silurian to the middle Devonian located at the back of the arcs, being a backarc intra­ collision occurred between the Kunlun-Qidam plate and continental rift basin. Collisions occurred between the the Tarim plate, leading the ocean between the two Tianshuihai terrain and the Tarim plate, and between the plates to close. The north boundary was still to be active Qiangtang terrain and the Eurasia plate in the early with the west part of the boundary being a passive Triassic and at the end of the Triassic, respectively margin. At this time, the south boundary of the Tarim (Hendrix, et al., 1992; Graham, et al., 1993; Pan, et al., plate accomplished a tectonic cycle from rifting to 1997). The compression related to the collisions led the closing. This stage can be called Sinian-Middle south of the Tarim Basin to be eroded so Triassic Devonian tectonic cycle, consisting of two secondary sediments are missing. This stage can be called the late cycles of the Sinian-Ordovician rifting and Silurian- Devonian-Triassic tectonic cycle. Fold o 50 100 150km ..... .> , ...""-'-'-'-'-'" Rise Faults A' Boundary of Tectonic Units Al R Southern Tarim tun rse Uplift Kuqa Depression Kunlun Fold lsoutheasternl System Depression Northern I Tianshan Central I I I I ISoutheastern I Northern Depression Tarim It I Fold I Tarim A Depression Uplift System A Uplift N-Q E 4000 4000 E .2 8000 " 8000 .~" ~ t 0, @ 12000 Z AnZ 16000 16000 40 80km ~~-~, Fig. 1 Tectonic units (a) and a typical cross-section (b) of Tarim Basin Y 2-Granite; Referencing to Table 1 for the implications of the formations VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 3 In the Jurassic, the Tethys ocean plate subducted local erosion. After the Qiangtang collision, although beneath the Qiangtang plate with a low velocity. The the other two collisions happened, the tectonic regimes Tarim Basin was apart away from the active continental of the Tarim Basin were not changed obviously because margin. The Lasa collision (140-125 Ma) made the Lasa their low tectonic intensities. With the Himalayan plate attach to the Qiangtang plate. This collision was collision in the middle-late Cenozoic (45Ma), the Indian weak and the related volcanic actions and deformations plate attached to the Euroasia plate, and the Tethys were weak, having a little effect on tectonics regionally. ocean closed. This collision caused an extensive north­ south compression, and changed the tectonic regime of In the late Cretaceous, collision occurred between the the Tarim Basin. The far-reaching stress associated with Kexisitan plate and the Lasa plate at the southwest the collision affected the evolution of the Tarim Basin. (Hendrix, et al., 1992; Graham, et al., 1993), causing Siberia Plate [SJ Main suture ~Secondary ~ suture China ~ Strike-slip Plate ~ fault )ll.tt Ia I Basin o 250 500km boundary Fig.2 Sketch map of geotectonic setting of the Tarim Basin (After Tang, 1996) distributed locally in the northeast of the basin. It has 4. Sequences in the Tarim Basin three sequences and its rocks are terrestrial clastic rocks and marine moraine conglomerates. The upper Sinian 4.1 Principles of the sequence division distributed widely in the basin with a thickness of 400­ Based on the types, ranges and erosions of the 1000 m, including seashore-shallow sea clastic rock, unconformities shown on the seismic profiles (Fig. 1), siliceous dolomite, dolomite, dolomite milestone and and the periodic changes of paleo-water depths shown interbedded volcanic rock and moraine. by the basin fills, the strata of the Tarim Basin can be 2) Super-sequence Irthe Cambrian: The lower divided into three orders of sequences. The fills can be Cambrian includes three sequences with a total thickness divided into six mega-sequences, sixteen super­ of 200-600 m. The rocks were gulf and wide-sea shelf sequences, and forty-two sequences (Table 1). Three sandstones and mudstones in the west of the basin, and mega-sequence groups can be recognized, including the deep-sea siliceous sandstones and carbonates in the east of lower group-the Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle the basin. The middle, together with the upper Cambrian, group-the upper Devonian-Triassic, and the upper assembled one sequence. The rocks of it were tableland group-the Jurassic-Quaternary. carbonate and clastic rock with a thickness of 500-1200 m in the west of the basin, and bathymetric-deep sea siliceous 4.2 Characteristics of the super-sequences sandstones and mudstone with a thickness of 200-600 m in 1) Super-sequences II and 1 : the Sinian. The Sinian of the basin. There were evaporites in the middle the east is the first set of sediments since the formation of the Cambrian in the east of the basin. basement of the Tarim Basin. The lower Sinian is 2007 4 Petroleum Science I'M)' N-Q ~---------~ SWTM TZ ENTM --- I'MP J-K-E ~ :r_>-~-YL-P-' -c=ZJ:::::2 G "" P - NTS mCD I' ~_S_W_T_M_' TMP =-_~ SWTM TMBAR NTM ANTS P TMP ~ / ,,\ Vtrrso~IlIIlM~K ...;Z~ f:\_~ ~ TMCD SWTM ~NTM I'J TMP ~ ~Ql"'PATT~MKPL_::::::====_____________ ~ 0' /':\ 1::\' YLP ~ JGP ETMBAFB ._ ..~ ~ TMP SoD, ~-------------~ AJ ETMBD ~ ~MT~A E~~NT-J~JGP EK~T'--~=---~ ~ TMD ETMCMD £-0, EK_CM0,i1.A.•10.~~ AJ ~_ KMR ENT.JGO~ TMB WTMCD ~_ _=======:::'\;:::=~:::3;::=:I;:::K;M~R ENT-JGO- ~ '\ r=:A Z, JGP EK·CMP TMP R\ I Volcanic arc k::::::::::::1 Basin tills I a&\ I Orogenic belt Fig. 3 Sketch map of the evolution of the Tarim Plate and its adjacent area Notes: AJ:Altun; AJO: Altun Ocean; AJR: Altun Rift; AJU:AltunUplift; ANKS: Paleo-north Kunhm Moontain; ANTS: Paleo-nonbem Tianshan; AITSO:Paleo-Teth)S Ocean; EK-eMP: EastKunhm-Qaidam Plate; ENT-JGO: Northeast Tianshan-Junggar Ocean; EIMBAFD: EastTarim Back-arc Foreland Basin; ETMCMD: Eastern Tarim Cootinental Marginal Basin; IDP: Indian Plate; JGP: Junggar Plate; KCFB: KuqaForeland Basin; KMR: KumanRift; LSP: LasaPlate; MKP: Middle Kunlun Plate; N1M: Northern Tarim Basin; QTP: Qiangtang Plate; STO: SouthTianshan Ocean; SWTM: Southwestern Tarim Basin; TMCD: Tarim Intra-cratonic Depression; TMP:Tarim Plate; U: Central Tarim Basin; WTMCD: West Tarim Intra­ cratonic Depression; YLP: Yili Plate, Notto scale VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 5 Table 1 Sequences of the Tarim Basin Stratum of North Tarim Basin Mega-sq Tectonic movement American Craton Erathem System Series Mega-Sq NumberofSq Super-Sq Quaternary N 4 VI VI Neogene Cenozoic Tejas Himalayan MY. Paleogene E 3 E) End Yanshan MY. Late Yanshan MY. Cretaceous V V 3 Zuni Middle Yanshan MY. Jurassic J 2 VI Mesozoic Indosinian MY. T I Triassic T N N) Absaroka T) End Hercynian MY. P III I 2 3 Permian Late Hercynian MY. p) III 2 Middle Hercynian MY. Upper C III Carbonife rous Paleozoic C) III) 5 Kaskaskia Devonian Early Hercynian MY. D _ lIz 1 Z End Caledonian MY. SZ_3 II Silurian III 8 Tippecanoe Late Caledonian MY. °Z_3 I 5 Ordovician Middle Caledonian MY. Lower I 4 Paleozoic Sauk E 4 Cambrian I I 3 E) Early Caledonian MY. Zz I z -, Sinian Pre-Sauk ZI I I Anti-Sinian Notes: The sequence boundaries are not included in this table. Sq=Sequence. MV=Movements 3) Super-sequence I lower Ordovician: The lower and the rocks were seashore-shallow sea red clastic 4-the Ordovician consisted of three sequences. The rocks were rocks with a thickness of 300-1300 m. tableland limestones and dolomites with a total thickness 7) Super-sequence IIIJ-the upper Devonian­ of 600-1500 m in the west, and deep sea trough and basin Carboniferous: The upper Devonian assembled a graptolite shalestones, mudstones and siltstones with a sequence, and the rocks are seashore-shallow sea gray­ total thickness of 200-600 m in the east. green and gray-white sandstones and mudstones with a 4) Super-sequence Is-the middle and upper Ordovician: total thickness of 100-300 m. The lower Carboniferous The middle and upper Ordovician consisted of three included two sequences, and the rocks were tableland­ sequences. The rocks were shallow sea shelf carbonates and evaporites, tableland limestones, sandstones and clastic rocks with a total thicknessof 400-1500 m in the west gypsum mudstones with a total thickness of 600-1100 m. of the basin, and deep sea gulf-basin rhytlunic sandstones and The upper Carboniferous assembled another sequence, mudstones with a total thickness of 800-1300 m. and the rocks were limited tableland-wide tableland 5) Super-sequence IIJ-the Silurian: The Silurian limestones, sandstones and gypsum salt with a total consisted of two sequences. It is seashore-shallow sea thickness of 200-900 m. gray-green sandstones and mudstones with a total 8) Super-sequence III lower Permian: The lower 2-the thickness of 200-2300 m. Permian consisted of two sequences, and the rocks were marine-terrestrial clastic rocks with basalts at the top 6) Super-sequence II lower and middle Devonian: 2-the with a total thickness of200-1200 m. The lower and middle Devonian assembled a sequence, 6 Petroleum Science 2007 9) Super-sequence Ill.-the upper Permian: The upper that the factors controlling the sequences occurred Permian assembled a sequence, and the rocks were periodically. The boundaries of the various order river-seashore-shallow sea brown sandstones and sequences in the Tarim Basin were not in agreement mudstone with a total thickness of 200-1400 m. with the global sea level changes (Sloss, 1963), instead 10) Super-sequence lVI-the lower and middle in sound agreement with the local tectonic regime Triassic: The lower and middle Triassic consisted of changes. three sequences, and the rocks were river-lake gray Generally, the Phanerozoic can be divided into two clastic rocks with a total thickness of 200-1200 m. mega-sequence groups, one of which is the Cambrian­ 11) Super-sequence IV2-the upper Triassic: The lower Carboniferous, and the other is the upper upper Triassic is a sequence, and the rocks were shallow Carboniferous-Quaternary (Vail, et al., 1977). The two lake-river clastic rock with interbedded coal layers with groups refer to the two highest order cycles of the sea a total thickness of 100-500 m. This supper sequence level changes in the Phanerozoic, with time intervals of distributed mainly in the inner basin. 200-350 Ma each. On the contrast, three mega-sequence 12) Supper-sequence VI-the Jurassic: The Jurassic groups can be determined in the Tarim Basin, which consisted of two sequences, and the rocks were lake­ were the lower Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle river-flood plain sandstones and mudstones with upper Devonian-Triassic, and the upper Jurassic­ interbedded coals with a total thickness of 200-1500 m. Quaternary. Each of the three mega-sequence groups This supper sequence distributed mainly around the consisted of the low-stand tract system, the margins of the basin. transgressive tract system, and the high-stand tract 13) Super-sequence V - the Cretaceous: The system, each showing a full period of sea level change. Cretaceous consisted of three sequences, and the rocks The three mega-sequence groups correspond to the were river-shallow lake red sandstones and mudstones three tectonic evolutionary stages, each of which with a total thickness of 200-2000m. The upper consists of three tectonic regimes, the early extension, Cretaceous is almost totally missing in the basin. the middle rift, and the late compression. It is can be 14) Super-sequence V Paleogene: The concluded that the factors controlling the mega­ 3-the Paleogene consisted of three sequences, and the rocks sequence groups are the tectonic actions of the north were terrestrial red clastic rocks with a total thickness of and south boundaries of the Tarim Basin. In each mega­ 200-1800 m. Gulf and lagoon sedimentation occurred sequence group, the lowstand and highstand tract both in the northwest and in the southwest of the basin. systems are controlled by the tectonic events occurring 15) Super-sequence VI-the Neogene and Quaternary: in the south and north margins of the Tarim Basin, and This supper sequence consisted of three sequences, and the transgressive tract system was controlled by the the rocks were river and intermittent lake clastic rocks global sea level changes. with a total thickness of 200-6000 m. The boundaries of the six mega-sequences were not In the lower mega-sequence group, the Sinian­ in accordance with the global mega-sequence middle Devonian, the Sinian was the low-stand tract boundaries but in accordance with the tectonic cycles of system, the Cambrian-lower Ordovician the the north and south margins of the Tarim plate. Mega­ transgressive tract system, and the middle-Ordovician­ sequence I, the Sinian- Ordovician corresponds to the middle Devonian the high-stand tract system. In the primary opening and closing of the paleo-Xinjiang­ middle mega-sequence group, the upper Devonian­ craton; Mega-sequence II, the Silurian-middle Devonian Triassic, the upper Devonian was the low stand tract to the initial closure after the primary opening; Mega­ system, the Carboniferous the transgressive tract system, sequence III, the upper Devonian-Permian, to the and the Permian-Triassic the high stand tract system. In second closure after the primary opening; Mega­ the upper mega-sequence group, the Jurassic­ sequence IV, the Triassic, to the Qiangtang collision; Quaternary, the Jurassic was the lower stand tract Mega-sequence V, the Jurassic-Paleogene, to the Lasa­ system, the Cretaceous-Paleogene the transgressive tract Kexisitan collision and Mega-sequence VI, the system, and the Neogene-Quaternary the high stand Neogene-Quaternary to the Himalayan collision. These tract system. Each of the lower order sequences can be showed that the local tectonic actions controlled the mega-sequence. Within each of the six mega-sequences, divided into lower stand tract system, transgressive tract global sea level changes controlled the transgressive system, and high stand tract system. tract systems. For the sixteen super-sequences, although 5. Controls of tectonics on sequences the boundaries were in sound correspondence to the tectonic events occurred in the south and north margins The sequence stratigraphy of the Tarim Basin shows VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 7 of the Tarim Basin, the number of the boundaries, which 6. Relationship of the sequences to petroleum were corresponding to the global sea level changes such systems as the super-sequences 14, II I and V3, increased. This Tectonic actions controlled the sequences and the showed that the controls of the global sea level changes sequences in turn controlled the formations of the on the lower order sequences increased. source rocks, reservoirs, cap rocks, and the formations The sequences of the Tarim Basin were mainly of the oil pools. controlled by local tectonic actions. The controls of the 6.1 Source rocks global sea level changes on the sequences showed two Petroleum mudstone and limestone source rocks aspects. One is that they played an important role in the have total organic carbon of above 0.4% and 0.2%, sequences forming in the stable tectonic stages such as respectively, according to our evaluation criteria. There in a passive continental margin or a craton, for example, are four sets of source rocks in the Tarim Basin, which the sedimentations of the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician are the Cambrian (Fig. 4), the Ordovician, the and Carboniferous. The other aspect is that they Carboniferous-Permian, and the Triassic-Jurassic (Gu, controlled some low order sequences. et al., 1995; Li, 2001; Zhao, et al., 2001). Hydrocarbon generating intensity of source rocks C-p °2_3 Deep depression I +­ N , , Third E I K I Second +- First +- I- - - --, I,r " I ........ I~I U. Source rock Reservoir Cap rock Oil Gas Fig.4 Petroleum features of the Tarim Basin (Summarized based on Zhou, 1995 and Zhao, et al., 2001) 8 Petroleum Science 2007 The former two were marine carbonate with wide Most of the accumulations formed in this cycle were distribution, the third the marine clastic rocks with wide destroyed by the subsequent extensive uplifting and erosion distribution, and the last one the terrestrial coal system whichhappened at the end of the MiddleDevonian. with distribution mainly along the margins of Tarim Oil/gas accumulation from the late Hercynian Basin. Expect for the Jurassic which was a low-stand movement to the Indosinian movement: Traps were tract system, the others were corresponding to the formed mainly by the late Hercynian movements and transgressive or high-stand tract system of the three then enhanced by Indosinian movements. They mega-sequence groups. The sets of the source rocks in comprised fault blocks of Lower Ordovician, the Tarim Basin determined the composite petroleum detached anticlines in the Ordovician and anticlines systems (Zhou, 1995; Li, et al., 1996; Lu and Hu, in the Upper Devonian and Carboniferous. 1998). Hydrocarbons include those generated by Cambrian 6.2 Assemblages of the reservoir-cap rock source rocks, those generated by Ordovician source There are five sets of regional cap rocks, forming rocks, and those generated by Carboniferous source five good reservoir-cap rock assemblages with the rocks (Fig. 4). overlain reservoirs as in Table 2 and Fig. 4. Oil/gas accumulation in the Himalayan movement: The traps consist of anticlines, faulted anticlines and Table 2 Assemblages of the reservoir-cap rock fault blocks formed by Yanshanian and late Himalayan Cap rock Reservoir movements, and those formed by earlier tectonic Middle Cambrian Overlain carbonate movements. The hydrocarbons came mainly from the salt-gypsum source rocks in the third hydrocarbon expulsion peak Middle-upper Overlain carbonate (Fig. 4). Part of the oil/gas accumulated also came from Ordovician mudstone the previous trapped oil/gas, which had migrated along Upper Devonian Donghe sandstone faults formed by the subsequent tectonic movements. or Carboniferous salt­ The formation of the reservoirs occurred mainly in the the buried mountains of the gypsum-mudstone Neogene. The reservoirs formed in this period were Ordovician and Cambrian characterized by multi-source rocks, traps formed in Carbonate several periods, reservoirs in several layers, a short Lower-middle Overlain clastic rock period of reservoir formation, good preservation Jurassic coal layer conditions, and high efficiency of reservoir formations. Paleogene salt­ Oil/gas reserves in the accumulations formed in this Overlain clastic rock gypsum layer' period make up a significant proportion of the total reserves in the Tarim Basin. 6.3 Periods of the reservoir formation Regarding the distribution of the reservoirs, the There were three hydrocarbon expulsion peaks in the reservoirs in the central Tarim were dominated by those Tarim Basin, which were the Silurian-Devonian, the formed in the late Hercynian movement, and enhanced Permian-Triassic, and the Cenozoic (Fig. 4). by the Himalayan movement. The reservoirs in the Geochemical analyses showed that there were three northern Tarim were dominated by those formed in the periods of reservoir formations, which were from the Cenozoic. The reservoirs around the margins of the late Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian basin were dominated by those formed in the Cenozoic, movement (from the Silurian to the Devonian), from the and were related to the distribution of the Paleogene late Hercynian movement to the Indosinian movement salt-gypsum layers. (from the Permian to the Triassic), and in the Himalayan movement (the Cenozoic)( Lu, et al., 1996; Lu and Hu, 7. Conclusions 1998). The periods of the reservoir formations were 1) The strata in the Tarim Basin can be divided into corresponding to the three hydrocarbon expulsion peaks, three mega-sequence groups, six mega-sequences, the three mega-sequence groups, and the three periods sixteen super-sequences, and forty-two sequences, of the uplift-subsidence. Oil/gas accumulation from the based on the unconformities of the basin. Due to the late Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian local tectonic events, the boundaries of the various movement: The traps were ones in the Cambrian and in the order sequences were not in agreement with those of the Ordovician and the Silurian anticlines. The hydrocarbons global sequences. were derived from the Cambrian-Ordovician limestone 2) In the various orders of sequences, the tectonic source rocks in the firsthydrocarbon expulsion peak (Fig. 4). VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 9 Lu X. X., Zhang Y. W. and Jin Z. J. (1996) Preliminary actions occurring in both the north and the south margin discussion on the reservoir-forming cycle of Tarim Basin. of the Tarim plate were the dominant factors controlling Chinese Science Bulletin-Series D, 41(22), 2064-2066 the sequences, and the global sea level changes were Pan G. T., Chen Z. L., Li X. Z., et al. (1997) Geological-tectonic secondary factors. The global sea level changes Evolution in the Eastern Tethys. Beijing: Geology Publishing determined the sequences either in the tectonically House, 1-218 stable periods such as passive continental margins or Sloss L. L. (1949) Integrated facies analysis. Geological Society cratons or in the low orders of sequences. ofAmerica Bulletin, 60(1), 91-124 3) Several sets of source rocks formed in the Tarim Sloss L. L. (1963) Sequences in the cratonic interior of North Basin, leading to composite petroleum systems. Several American. Geological Society ofAmerica Bulletin, 74(1), 93­ periods of tectonic movements and changes of the tectonic regime caused multi-periods of reservoir Tang L. J. (1996) Tectonic Evolution and Structural Styles of formations, There were three periods of reservoir Tarim Basin, Northwest China. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 20-40 (in Chinese) formations in the Tarim Basin, which were from the late Vail P. R., Mitchum R M. Jr., Todd R G., Widmier J. M., Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian Thompson S. III., Sangree J. B., Bubb J. N., and Hatlelid W. movement (from the Silurian to the Devonian), from the G. (1977) Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea late Hercynian movement to the Indosinian movement level. In Payton, C. E. (Ed.), Seismic stratigraphy­ (from the Permian to the Triassic), and in the Himalayan applications to hydrocarbon exploration. AAPG Mem., 26, movement (the Cenozoic). The three periods of the 49-212 reservoir formations were corresponding to the cycles Wang H. J. (1997) Speculations on earth's rhythms and of the three mega-sequences. The reservoirs formed in continental dynamics. Earth Science Frontiers, 4(3), 1-12 the former two periods, particularly those forming in the Xiao X. C., Tang Y. Q., Feng Y. M. Zhu B. Q., Li J. Z. and Zhao second period, mainly distributed in the inner basin, and M. (1992) Tectonic Evolution of the North Xinjiang and Its the reservoirs formed in the third period were mainly Adjacent Regions. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 1-169 around the margins of the Tarim Basin. Xu H. D., Fan T. L., Han G. H., Zeng X. L., Le C. S., Xu Y. L. and Liu J. H. (1997) Sequence Stratigraphic Characteristics of Tarim Basin. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 166-191 References Zhai G. M., Song J. G., Jin J. Q. and Gao W. L. (2002) Plate Graham S. A., Hendrix M. S., Wang L. B. and Carroll A. R Tectonic Evolution and Formation and Evaluation of (1993) Collisional successor basins of west em China: Impact Petroleum-bearing Basins. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, of tectonic inheritance on sand composition. Geological 3-63 Society ofAmerican Bulletin, 105(3), 323-344 Zhao M. J., Zeng Q. and Zhang B. M. (2001) The petroleum Gu J. Y. (1995) Book Series on Petroleum Exploration in the geological condition and prospecting orientation in Tarim Tarim Basin: Sedimentary Facies and Petroleum Basin. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 22(2), 93-96 Accumulations. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 275-307 Zhou X. X. (1995) Book Series on Petroleum Exploration in the Hendrix M. S., Graham S. A., Carroll A. R, Sobel E. R, Tarim Basin: Oil and Gas Reservoirs of the Tarim Basin. McKnight C. L., Schulein B. J. and Wang Z. X. (1992) Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 51-106 Sedimentary record and climatic implications of recurrent deformation in the Tian Shan: Evidence from Mesozoic strata About the first author of the north Tarim, South Junggar, and Turpan Basins, northwest China. Geological Society of American Bulletin, Chen Shuping, born in April, 104(1),53-59 1965, received his B. Eng. from East Jia C. Z., Wei G. Q., Yao H. J., et al. (1995) Book Series on China Petroleum Institute, MSc from Petroleum Exploration in the Tarim Basin: Tectonic China University of Geosciences, Evolution and Regional Structural Geology. Beijing: Beijing, and PhD from China Petroleum Industry Press, 6-34 University of Petroleum, Beijing. Jiang C. F., Yang J. S., Feng B. G., et al. (1992) Opening-closing Now, he is a faculty of the Tectonics ofKunlun Mountains. Beijing: Geology Publishing Department of Earth Science, China House, 1-224 University of Petroleum (Beijing). His research interest Li D. S, Liang D. G., Jia C. Z., Wang, G., Wu Q. Z. and He D. F. is in structural geology and tectonic analysis of basin. (1996) Hydrocarbon Accumulation in the Tarim Basin, China. E-mail: csp21c@163.com AAPG Bulletin, 80(10),1587-1603 Li D. S. (2001) Oil and gas exploration potential of Tarim Basin. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 22(2), 91-93 (Received May 29, 2006) Lu X. X. and Hu S. Y. (1998) Formation and Distribution of the (Edited by Yang Lei) Oil & Gas Pools. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 67-75 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Petroleum Science Springer Journals

Controls of tectonics on both sedimentary sequences and petroleum systems in Tarim Basin, northwest China

Petroleum Science , Volume 4 (2) – Jun 16, 2010

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References (29)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 by China University of Petroleum
Subject
Earth Sciences; Mineral Resources; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Industrial and Production Engineering; Energy Economics
ISSN
1672-5107
eISSN
1995-8226
DOI
10.1007/BF03187435
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VolA No.2 2007 Petroleum Science Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China Chen Shuping', Wang yF and Jin Zhijurr' 0. Department ofEarth Sciences, China University ofPetroleum, Beijing 102249, China) O. Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, Sinopec Company Ltd, Beijing 100083, China) Abstract: Various orders of sequences were recognized in the Tarim Basin from unconformities. Three mega-sequence groups, six mega-sequences, sixteen super-sequences and forty-two sequences were determined from the Sinian to the Quaternary. The mega-sequences and super-sequences were in accordance with the locally tectonic events occurring in both the north and the south margins of the Tarim plate. The global sea level changes only worked to control formations in the tectonically stable periods or in the low order sequences. The sequences had close relationship to the source rocks, reservoirs and cap rocks, and the tectonic events determined the migration, accumulation, and preservation of the hydrocarbon. The three mega-sequence group cycles, including the early cycle-the Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle cycle-the upper Devonian-Triassic, and the late cycle-the Jurassic-Quaternary, corresponded to three reservoir formation cycles. So, it can be concluded that the local tectonic events controlled both the sequences and the distribution of oil and gas in the Tarim Basin. Key words: Sequence stratigraphy, tectonics, petroleum geology 1. Introduction 2. Tectonic settings As a branch of geoscience, sequence stratigraphy The Tarim Basin is located in the northwest China. It has been accepted widely due to its high correctness in is surrounded by mountains such as the Tianshan fold forecasting the distribution of oil-generating layers, system to its north, the Kunlun fold system to its south, reservoirs, and cap rocks. On the other hand, various and the Altun fold system to its southeast (Fig. 1). It orders of sequences reflect various orders of tectonic underwent a long history from the Sinian to the events. This is of significance for the research of the Quaternary, and covers 560,000 km of area. The earth rhythm (W,ang, 1997). sedimentary succession in the basin consists of Sinian­ Based on the concept of stratigraphic sequence Lower Permian marine and marine-terrestrial (Sloss, 1949). Vail, et al. (1977) put forward the concept alternating sediments and Upper Permian-Quaternary of seismic stratigraphy, and emphasized global sea level terrestrial sediments with a total thickness of 15,000 m. The basement of the Tarim Basin is pre-Sinian changes to be the main controlling factors for the formations of sequences. The systematic concept of the metamorphic rocks. The basin can be further subdivided into seven first-order structural belts with trend E-W. sequence stratigraphy was developed by further research. The global tectonic movements, the global sea In terms of the plate tectonics, the Tarim Basin is a level changes, the depositions and the climate changes part of the Tarim-Sino Korea plate, or a separate plate were considered to be main controlling factors on existing in the Neoproterozoic, called the Tarim plate sequence formations, and high order sequences were (Jia, et aI., 1995; Jiang, et al., 1992; Xiao, et aI., 1992). mainly related to the plate movements. However, there The northeast of the Tarim plate was the Siberia plate, are some disagreements on the concept of the sequence the northwest the Kazakhstan plate, and the south the stratigraphy, for example, whether the sequences are of Qiangtang plate, the Lasa plate, and the Indian plate global comparability and what the main controlling (Fig. 2). The evolution of the Tarim Basin was closely related to the actions in the tectonic zones surrounding factors are. The research on the sequences of the Tarim Basin it, and the unconformities in the basin show a has got great achievements recently with the petroleum complicated history (Fig. 1). exploration in the basin (Jia, et al., 1995; Xu, et al., 3. Plate tectonic evolution 1997). Based on the seismic data, the sequences are delineated in the Tarim Basin, and the controlling During the evolution of the Tarim Basin from the factors of the sequences and their relations to oil and Sinian to the Quaternary, complicated plate tectonic gas are discussed in this paper. actions occurred both in the north and in the south 2 2007 Petroleum Science margins of the Tarim Plate. Middle Devonian closing. In the Sinian, the intra-continental rifting occurred in In the late Devonian-Carboniferous, the north of the both the south and the north boundary of the Tarim plate Tarim Basin was the remnant south Tianshan ocean, and (Jiang, et al., 1992; Xiao, et al., 1992; Jia, et al., 1995; the south of it was a passive margin connecting to the Li, et al., 1996; Zhai, et al., 2002) (Fig. 3). Subsequently Paleo-Tethys. At the end of the Permian, the north in the Cambrian and early Ordovician, oceanic crusts Tianshan-Junggar Ocean closed, making the Tarim plate and passive continental boundaries formed in the two part of the Eurasia plate. At the same time, the south of boundaries. In the middle and late Ordovician, the the Tarim plate changed from a passive margin into an previous passive boundaries turned to be active with active margin with volcanic arcs. The Tarim Basin was subduction. From the Silurian to the middle Devonian located at the back of the arcs, being a backarc intra­ collision occurred between the Kunlun-Qidam plate and continental rift basin. Collisions occurred between the the Tarim plate, leading the ocean between the two Tianshuihai terrain and the Tarim plate, and between the plates to close. The north boundary was still to be active Qiangtang terrain and the Eurasia plate in the early with the west part of the boundary being a passive Triassic and at the end of the Triassic, respectively margin. At this time, the south boundary of the Tarim (Hendrix, et al., 1992; Graham, et al., 1993; Pan, et al., plate accomplished a tectonic cycle from rifting to 1997). The compression related to the collisions led the closing. This stage can be called Sinian-Middle south of the Tarim Basin to be eroded so Triassic Devonian tectonic cycle, consisting of two secondary sediments are missing. This stage can be called the late cycles of the Sinian-Ordovician rifting and Silurian- Devonian-Triassic tectonic cycle. Fold o 50 100 150km ..... .> , ...""-'-'-'-'-'" Rise Faults A' Boundary of Tectonic Units Al R Southern Tarim tun rse Uplift Kuqa Depression Kunlun Fold lsoutheasternl System Depression Northern I Tianshan Central I I I I ISoutheastern I Northern Depression Tarim It I Fold I Tarim A Depression Uplift System A Uplift N-Q E 4000 4000 E .2 8000 " 8000 .~" ~ t 0, @ 12000 Z AnZ 16000 16000 40 80km ~~-~, Fig. 1 Tectonic units (a) and a typical cross-section (b) of Tarim Basin Y 2-Granite; Referencing to Table 1 for the implications of the formations VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 3 In the Jurassic, the Tethys ocean plate subducted local erosion. After the Qiangtang collision, although beneath the Qiangtang plate with a low velocity. The the other two collisions happened, the tectonic regimes Tarim Basin was apart away from the active continental of the Tarim Basin were not changed obviously because margin. The Lasa collision (140-125 Ma) made the Lasa their low tectonic intensities. With the Himalayan plate attach to the Qiangtang plate. This collision was collision in the middle-late Cenozoic (45Ma), the Indian weak and the related volcanic actions and deformations plate attached to the Euroasia plate, and the Tethys were weak, having a little effect on tectonics regionally. ocean closed. This collision caused an extensive north­ south compression, and changed the tectonic regime of In the late Cretaceous, collision occurred between the the Tarim Basin. The far-reaching stress associated with Kexisitan plate and the Lasa plate at the southwest the collision affected the evolution of the Tarim Basin. (Hendrix, et al., 1992; Graham, et al., 1993), causing Siberia Plate [SJ Main suture ~Secondary ~ suture China ~ Strike-slip Plate ~ fault )ll.tt Ia I Basin o 250 500km boundary Fig.2 Sketch map of geotectonic setting of the Tarim Basin (After Tang, 1996) distributed locally in the northeast of the basin. It has 4. Sequences in the Tarim Basin three sequences and its rocks are terrestrial clastic rocks and marine moraine conglomerates. The upper Sinian 4.1 Principles of the sequence division distributed widely in the basin with a thickness of 400­ Based on the types, ranges and erosions of the 1000 m, including seashore-shallow sea clastic rock, unconformities shown on the seismic profiles (Fig. 1), siliceous dolomite, dolomite, dolomite milestone and and the periodic changes of paleo-water depths shown interbedded volcanic rock and moraine. by the basin fills, the strata of the Tarim Basin can be 2) Super-sequence Irthe Cambrian: The lower divided into three orders of sequences. The fills can be Cambrian includes three sequences with a total thickness divided into six mega-sequences, sixteen super­ of 200-600 m. The rocks were gulf and wide-sea shelf sequences, and forty-two sequences (Table 1). Three sandstones and mudstones in the west of the basin, and mega-sequence groups can be recognized, including the deep-sea siliceous sandstones and carbonates in the east of lower group-the Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle the basin. The middle, together with the upper Cambrian, group-the upper Devonian-Triassic, and the upper assembled one sequence. The rocks of it were tableland group-the Jurassic-Quaternary. carbonate and clastic rock with a thickness of 500-1200 m in the west of the basin, and bathymetric-deep sea siliceous 4.2 Characteristics of the super-sequences sandstones and mudstone with a thickness of 200-600 m in 1) Super-sequences II and 1 : the Sinian. The Sinian of the basin. There were evaporites in the middle the east is the first set of sediments since the formation of the Cambrian in the east of the basin. basement of the Tarim Basin. The lower Sinian is 2007 4 Petroleum Science I'M)' N-Q ~---------~ SWTM TZ ENTM --- I'MP J-K-E ~ :r_>-~-YL-P-' -c=ZJ:::::2 G "" P - NTS mCD I' ~_S_W_T_M_' TMP =-_~ SWTM TMBAR NTM ANTS P TMP ~ / ,,\ Vtrrso~IlIIlM~K ...;Z~ f:\_~ ~ TMCD SWTM ~NTM I'J TMP ~ ~Ql"'PATT~MKPL_::::::====_____________ ~ 0' /':\ 1::\' YLP ~ JGP ETMBAFB ._ ..~ ~ TMP SoD, ~-------------~ AJ ETMBD ~ ~MT~A E~~NT-J~JGP EK~T'--~=---~ ~ TMD ETMCMD £-0, EK_CM0,i1.A.•10.~~ AJ ~_ KMR ENT.JGO~ TMB WTMCD ~_ _=======:::'\;:::=~:::3;::=:I;:::K;M~R ENT-JGO- ~ '\ r=:A Z, JGP EK·CMP TMP R\ I Volcanic arc k::::::::::::1 Basin tills I a&\ I Orogenic belt Fig. 3 Sketch map of the evolution of the Tarim Plate and its adjacent area Notes: AJ:Altun; AJO: Altun Ocean; AJR: Altun Rift; AJU:AltunUplift; ANKS: Paleo-north Kunhm Moontain; ANTS: Paleo-nonbem Tianshan; AITSO:Paleo-Teth)S Ocean; EK-eMP: EastKunhm-Qaidam Plate; ENT-JGO: Northeast Tianshan-Junggar Ocean; EIMBAFD: EastTarim Back-arc Foreland Basin; ETMCMD: Eastern Tarim Cootinental Marginal Basin; IDP: Indian Plate; JGP: Junggar Plate; KCFB: KuqaForeland Basin; KMR: KumanRift; LSP: LasaPlate; MKP: Middle Kunlun Plate; N1M: Northern Tarim Basin; QTP: Qiangtang Plate; STO: SouthTianshan Ocean; SWTM: Southwestern Tarim Basin; TMCD: Tarim Intra-cratonic Depression; TMP:Tarim Plate; U: Central Tarim Basin; WTMCD: West Tarim Intra­ cratonic Depression; YLP: Yili Plate, Notto scale VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 5 Table 1 Sequences of the Tarim Basin Stratum of North Tarim Basin Mega-sq Tectonic movement American Craton Erathem System Series Mega-Sq NumberofSq Super-Sq Quaternary N 4 VI VI Neogene Cenozoic Tejas Himalayan MY. Paleogene E 3 E) End Yanshan MY. Late Yanshan MY. Cretaceous V V 3 Zuni Middle Yanshan MY. Jurassic J 2 VI Mesozoic Indosinian MY. T I Triassic T N N) Absaroka T) End Hercynian MY. P III I 2 3 Permian Late Hercynian MY. p) III 2 Middle Hercynian MY. Upper C III Carbonife rous Paleozoic C) III) 5 Kaskaskia Devonian Early Hercynian MY. D _ lIz 1 Z End Caledonian MY. SZ_3 II Silurian III 8 Tippecanoe Late Caledonian MY. °Z_3 I 5 Ordovician Middle Caledonian MY. Lower I 4 Paleozoic Sauk E 4 Cambrian I I 3 E) Early Caledonian MY. Zz I z -, Sinian Pre-Sauk ZI I I Anti-Sinian Notes: The sequence boundaries are not included in this table. Sq=Sequence. MV=Movements 3) Super-sequence I lower Ordovician: The lower and the rocks were seashore-shallow sea red clastic 4-the Ordovician consisted of three sequences. The rocks were rocks with a thickness of 300-1300 m. tableland limestones and dolomites with a total thickness 7) Super-sequence IIIJ-the upper Devonian­ of 600-1500 m in the west, and deep sea trough and basin Carboniferous: The upper Devonian assembled a graptolite shalestones, mudstones and siltstones with a sequence, and the rocks are seashore-shallow sea gray­ total thickness of 200-600 m in the east. green and gray-white sandstones and mudstones with a 4) Super-sequence Is-the middle and upper Ordovician: total thickness of 100-300 m. The lower Carboniferous The middle and upper Ordovician consisted of three included two sequences, and the rocks were tableland­ sequences. The rocks were shallow sea shelf carbonates and evaporites, tableland limestones, sandstones and clastic rocks with a total thicknessof 400-1500 m in the west gypsum mudstones with a total thickness of 600-1100 m. of the basin, and deep sea gulf-basin rhytlunic sandstones and The upper Carboniferous assembled another sequence, mudstones with a total thickness of 800-1300 m. and the rocks were limited tableland-wide tableland 5) Super-sequence IIJ-the Silurian: The Silurian limestones, sandstones and gypsum salt with a total consisted of two sequences. It is seashore-shallow sea thickness of 200-900 m. gray-green sandstones and mudstones with a total 8) Super-sequence III lower Permian: The lower 2-the thickness of 200-2300 m. Permian consisted of two sequences, and the rocks were marine-terrestrial clastic rocks with basalts at the top 6) Super-sequence II lower and middle Devonian: 2-the with a total thickness of200-1200 m. The lower and middle Devonian assembled a sequence, 6 Petroleum Science 2007 9) Super-sequence Ill.-the upper Permian: The upper that the factors controlling the sequences occurred Permian assembled a sequence, and the rocks were periodically. The boundaries of the various order river-seashore-shallow sea brown sandstones and sequences in the Tarim Basin were not in agreement mudstone with a total thickness of 200-1400 m. with the global sea level changes (Sloss, 1963), instead 10) Super-sequence lVI-the lower and middle in sound agreement with the local tectonic regime Triassic: The lower and middle Triassic consisted of changes. three sequences, and the rocks were river-lake gray Generally, the Phanerozoic can be divided into two clastic rocks with a total thickness of 200-1200 m. mega-sequence groups, one of which is the Cambrian­ 11) Super-sequence IV2-the upper Triassic: The lower Carboniferous, and the other is the upper upper Triassic is a sequence, and the rocks were shallow Carboniferous-Quaternary (Vail, et al., 1977). The two lake-river clastic rock with interbedded coal layers with groups refer to the two highest order cycles of the sea a total thickness of 100-500 m. This supper sequence level changes in the Phanerozoic, with time intervals of distributed mainly in the inner basin. 200-350 Ma each. On the contrast, three mega-sequence 12) Supper-sequence VI-the Jurassic: The Jurassic groups can be determined in the Tarim Basin, which consisted of two sequences, and the rocks were lake­ were the lower Sinian-middle Devonian, the middle river-flood plain sandstones and mudstones with upper Devonian-Triassic, and the upper Jurassic­ interbedded coals with a total thickness of 200-1500 m. Quaternary. Each of the three mega-sequence groups This supper sequence distributed mainly around the consisted of the low-stand tract system, the margins of the basin. transgressive tract system, and the high-stand tract 13) Super-sequence V - the Cretaceous: The system, each showing a full period of sea level change. Cretaceous consisted of three sequences, and the rocks The three mega-sequence groups correspond to the were river-shallow lake red sandstones and mudstones three tectonic evolutionary stages, each of which with a total thickness of 200-2000m. The upper consists of three tectonic regimes, the early extension, Cretaceous is almost totally missing in the basin. the middle rift, and the late compression. It is can be 14) Super-sequence V Paleogene: The concluded that the factors controlling the mega­ 3-the Paleogene consisted of three sequences, and the rocks sequence groups are the tectonic actions of the north were terrestrial red clastic rocks with a total thickness of and south boundaries of the Tarim Basin. In each mega­ 200-1800 m. Gulf and lagoon sedimentation occurred sequence group, the lowstand and highstand tract both in the northwest and in the southwest of the basin. systems are controlled by the tectonic events occurring 15) Super-sequence VI-the Neogene and Quaternary: in the south and north margins of the Tarim Basin, and This supper sequence consisted of three sequences, and the transgressive tract system was controlled by the the rocks were river and intermittent lake clastic rocks global sea level changes. with a total thickness of 200-6000 m. The boundaries of the six mega-sequences were not In the lower mega-sequence group, the Sinian­ in accordance with the global mega-sequence middle Devonian, the Sinian was the low-stand tract boundaries but in accordance with the tectonic cycles of system, the Cambrian-lower Ordovician the the north and south margins of the Tarim plate. Mega­ transgressive tract system, and the middle-Ordovician­ sequence I, the Sinian- Ordovician corresponds to the middle Devonian the high-stand tract system. In the primary opening and closing of the paleo-Xinjiang­ middle mega-sequence group, the upper Devonian­ craton; Mega-sequence II, the Silurian-middle Devonian Triassic, the upper Devonian was the low stand tract to the initial closure after the primary opening; Mega­ system, the Carboniferous the transgressive tract system, sequence III, the upper Devonian-Permian, to the and the Permian-Triassic the high stand tract system. In second closure after the primary opening; Mega­ the upper mega-sequence group, the Jurassic­ sequence IV, the Triassic, to the Qiangtang collision; Quaternary, the Jurassic was the lower stand tract Mega-sequence V, the Jurassic-Paleogene, to the Lasa­ system, the Cretaceous-Paleogene the transgressive tract Kexisitan collision and Mega-sequence VI, the system, and the Neogene-Quaternary the high stand Neogene-Quaternary to the Himalayan collision. These tract system. Each of the lower order sequences can be showed that the local tectonic actions controlled the mega-sequence. Within each of the six mega-sequences, divided into lower stand tract system, transgressive tract global sea level changes controlled the transgressive system, and high stand tract system. tract systems. For the sixteen super-sequences, although 5. Controls of tectonics on sequences the boundaries were in sound correspondence to the tectonic events occurred in the south and north margins The sequence stratigraphy of the Tarim Basin shows VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 7 of the Tarim Basin, the number of the boundaries, which 6. Relationship of the sequences to petroleum were corresponding to the global sea level changes such systems as the super-sequences 14, II I and V3, increased. This Tectonic actions controlled the sequences and the showed that the controls of the global sea level changes sequences in turn controlled the formations of the on the lower order sequences increased. source rocks, reservoirs, cap rocks, and the formations The sequences of the Tarim Basin were mainly of the oil pools. controlled by local tectonic actions. The controls of the 6.1 Source rocks global sea level changes on the sequences showed two Petroleum mudstone and limestone source rocks aspects. One is that they played an important role in the have total organic carbon of above 0.4% and 0.2%, sequences forming in the stable tectonic stages such as respectively, according to our evaluation criteria. There in a passive continental margin or a craton, for example, are four sets of source rocks in the Tarim Basin, which the sedimentations of the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician are the Cambrian (Fig. 4), the Ordovician, the and Carboniferous. The other aspect is that they Carboniferous-Permian, and the Triassic-Jurassic (Gu, controlled some low order sequences. et al., 1995; Li, 2001; Zhao, et al., 2001). Hydrocarbon generating intensity of source rocks C-p °2_3 Deep depression I +­ N , , Third E I K I Second +- First +- I- - - --, I,r " I ........ I~I U. Source rock Reservoir Cap rock Oil Gas Fig.4 Petroleum features of the Tarim Basin (Summarized based on Zhou, 1995 and Zhao, et al., 2001) 8 Petroleum Science 2007 The former two were marine carbonate with wide Most of the accumulations formed in this cycle were distribution, the third the marine clastic rocks with wide destroyed by the subsequent extensive uplifting and erosion distribution, and the last one the terrestrial coal system whichhappened at the end of the MiddleDevonian. with distribution mainly along the margins of Tarim Oil/gas accumulation from the late Hercynian Basin. Expect for the Jurassic which was a low-stand movement to the Indosinian movement: Traps were tract system, the others were corresponding to the formed mainly by the late Hercynian movements and transgressive or high-stand tract system of the three then enhanced by Indosinian movements. They mega-sequence groups. The sets of the source rocks in comprised fault blocks of Lower Ordovician, the Tarim Basin determined the composite petroleum detached anticlines in the Ordovician and anticlines systems (Zhou, 1995; Li, et al., 1996; Lu and Hu, in the Upper Devonian and Carboniferous. 1998). Hydrocarbons include those generated by Cambrian 6.2 Assemblages of the reservoir-cap rock source rocks, those generated by Ordovician source There are five sets of regional cap rocks, forming rocks, and those generated by Carboniferous source five good reservoir-cap rock assemblages with the rocks (Fig. 4). overlain reservoirs as in Table 2 and Fig. 4. Oil/gas accumulation in the Himalayan movement: The traps consist of anticlines, faulted anticlines and Table 2 Assemblages of the reservoir-cap rock fault blocks formed by Yanshanian and late Himalayan Cap rock Reservoir movements, and those formed by earlier tectonic Middle Cambrian Overlain carbonate movements. The hydrocarbons came mainly from the salt-gypsum source rocks in the third hydrocarbon expulsion peak Middle-upper Overlain carbonate (Fig. 4). Part of the oil/gas accumulated also came from Ordovician mudstone the previous trapped oil/gas, which had migrated along Upper Devonian Donghe sandstone faults formed by the subsequent tectonic movements. or Carboniferous salt­ The formation of the reservoirs occurred mainly in the the buried mountains of the gypsum-mudstone Neogene. The reservoirs formed in this period were Ordovician and Cambrian characterized by multi-source rocks, traps formed in Carbonate several periods, reservoirs in several layers, a short Lower-middle Overlain clastic rock period of reservoir formation, good preservation Jurassic coal layer conditions, and high efficiency of reservoir formations. Paleogene salt­ Oil/gas reserves in the accumulations formed in this Overlain clastic rock gypsum layer' period make up a significant proportion of the total reserves in the Tarim Basin. 6.3 Periods of the reservoir formation Regarding the distribution of the reservoirs, the There were three hydrocarbon expulsion peaks in the reservoirs in the central Tarim were dominated by those Tarim Basin, which were the Silurian-Devonian, the formed in the late Hercynian movement, and enhanced Permian-Triassic, and the Cenozoic (Fig. 4). by the Himalayan movement. The reservoirs in the Geochemical analyses showed that there were three northern Tarim were dominated by those formed in the periods of reservoir formations, which were from the Cenozoic. The reservoirs around the margins of the late Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian basin were dominated by those formed in the Cenozoic, movement (from the Silurian to the Devonian), from the and were related to the distribution of the Paleogene late Hercynian movement to the Indosinian movement salt-gypsum layers. (from the Permian to the Triassic), and in the Himalayan movement (the Cenozoic)( Lu, et al., 1996; Lu and Hu, 7. Conclusions 1998). The periods of the reservoir formations were 1) The strata in the Tarim Basin can be divided into corresponding to the three hydrocarbon expulsion peaks, three mega-sequence groups, six mega-sequences, the three mega-sequence groups, and the three periods sixteen super-sequences, and forty-two sequences, of the uplift-subsidence. Oil/gas accumulation from the based on the unconformities of the basin. Due to the late Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian local tectonic events, the boundaries of the various movement: The traps were ones in the Cambrian and in the order sequences were not in agreement with those of the Ordovician and the Silurian anticlines. The hydrocarbons global sequences. were derived from the Cambrian-Ordovician limestone 2) In the various orders of sequences, the tectonic source rocks in the firsthydrocarbon expulsion peak (Fig. 4). VolA No.2 Controls of Tectonics on both Sedimentary Sequences and Petroleum Systems in Tarim Basin, Northwest China 9 Lu X. X., Zhang Y. W. and Jin Z. J. (1996) Preliminary actions occurring in both the north and the south margin discussion on the reservoir-forming cycle of Tarim Basin. of the Tarim plate were the dominant factors controlling Chinese Science Bulletin-Series D, 41(22), 2064-2066 the sequences, and the global sea level changes were Pan G. T., Chen Z. L., Li X. Z., et al. (1997) Geological-tectonic secondary factors. The global sea level changes Evolution in the Eastern Tethys. Beijing: Geology Publishing determined the sequences either in the tectonically House, 1-218 stable periods such as passive continental margins or Sloss L. L. (1949) Integrated facies analysis. Geological Society cratons or in the low orders of sequences. ofAmerica Bulletin, 60(1), 91-124 3) Several sets of source rocks formed in the Tarim Sloss L. L. (1963) Sequences in the cratonic interior of North Basin, leading to composite petroleum systems. Several American. Geological Society ofAmerica Bulletin, 74(1), 93­ periods of tectonic movements and changes of the tectonic regime caused multi-periods of reservoir Tang L. J. (1996) Tectonic Evolution and Structural Styles of formations, There were three periods of reservoir Tarim Basin, Northwest China. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 20-40 (in Chinese) formations in the Tarim Basin, which were from the late Vail P. R., Mitchum R M. Jr., Todd R G., Widmier J. M., Caledonian movement to the early Hercynian Thompson S. III., Sangree J. B., Bubb J. N., and Hatlelid W. movement (from the Silurian to the Devonian), from the G. (1977) Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea late Hercynian movement to the Indosinian movement level. In Payton, C. E. (Ed.), Seismic stratigraphy­ (from the Permian to the Triassic), and in the Himalayan applications to hydrocarbon exploration. AAPG Mem., 26, movement (the Cenozoic). The three periods of the 49-212 reservoir formations were corresponding to the cycles Wang H. J. (1997) Speculations on earth's rhythms and of the three mega-sequences. The reservoirs formed in continental dynamics. Earth Science Frontiers, 4(3), 1-12 the former two periods, particularly those forming in the Xiao X. C., Tang Y. Q., Feng Y. M. Zhu B. Q., Li J. Z. and Zhao second period, mainly distributed in the inner basin, and M. (1992) Tectonic Evolution of the North Xinjiang and Its the reservoirs formed in the third period were mainly Adjacent Regions. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 1-169 around the margins of the Tarim Basin. Xu H. D., Fan T. L., Han G. H., Zeng X. L., Le C. S., Xu Y. L. and Liu J. H. (1997) Sequence Stratigraphic Characteristics of Tarim Basin. Beijing: Geology Publishing House, 166-191 References Zhai G. M., Song J. G., Jin J. Q. and Gao W. L. (2002) Plate Graham S. A., Hendrix M. S., Wang L. B. and Carroll A. R Tectonic Evolution and Formation and Evaluation of (1993) Collisional successor basins of west em China: Impact Petroleum-bearing Basins. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, of tectonic inheritance on sand composition. Geological 3-63 Society ofAmerican Bulletin, 105(3), 323-344 Zhao M. J., Zeng Q. and Zhang B. M. (2001) The petroleum Gu J. Y. (1995) Book Series on Petroleum Exploration in the geological condition and prospecting orientation in Tarim Tarim Basin: Sedimentary Facies and Petroleum Basin. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 22(2), 93-96 Accumulations. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 275-307 Zhou X. X. (1995) Book Series on Petroleum Exploration in the Hendrix M. S., Graham S. A., Carroll A. R, Sobel E. R, Tarim Basin: Oil and Gas Reservoirs of the Tarim Basin. McKnight C. L., Schulein B. J. and Wang Z. X. (1992) Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 51-106 Sedimentary record and climatic implications of recurrent deformation in the Tian Shan: Evidence from Mesozoic strata About the first author of the north Tarim, South Junggar, and Turpan Basins, northwest China. Geological Society of American Bulletin, Chen Shuping, born in April, 104(1),53-59 1965, received his B. Eng. from East Jia C. Z., Wei G. Q., Yao H. J., et al. (1995) Book Series on China Petroleum Institute, MSc from Petroleum Exploration in the Tarim Basin: Tectonic China University of Geosciences, Evolution and Regional Structural Geology. Beijing: Beijing, and PhD from China Petroleum Industry Press, 6-34 University of Petroleum, Beijing. Jiang C. F., Yang J. S., Feng B. G., et al. (1992) Opening-closing Now, he is a faculty of the Tectonics ofKunlun Mountains. Beijing: Geology Publishing Department of Earth Science, China House, 1-224 University of Petroleum (Beijing). His research interest Li D. S, Liang D. G., Jia C. Z., Wang, G., Wu Q. Z. and He D. F. is in structural geology and tectonic analysis of basin. (1996) Hydrocarbon Accumulation in the Tarim Basin, China. E-mail: csp21c@163.com AAPG Bulletin, 80(10),1587-1603 Li D. S. (2001) Oil and gas exploration potential of Tarim Basin. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 22(2), 91-93 (Received May 29, 2006) Lu X. X. and Hu S. Y. (1998) Formation and Distribution of the (Edited by Yang Lei) Oil & Gas Pools. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 67-75

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Published: Jun 16, 2010

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