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Abstract:Deepwater oil and gas exploration has become a global hotspot in recent years and the study of the deep waters of marginal seas is an important frontier research area. The South China Sea (SCS) is a typical marginal sea that includes Paleo SCS and New SCS tectonic cycles.The latter includes continental marginal rifting, intercontinental oceanic expansion and oceanic shrinking,which controlled the evolution of basins, and the generation,migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons in the deepwater basins on the continental margin of the northern SCS.In the Paleogene, the basins rifted along the margin of the continent and were filled mainly with sediments in marine-continental transitional environments.In the Neogene–Quaternary, due to thermal subsidence,neritic-abyssal facies sediments from the passive continental margin of the SCS mainly filled the basins.The source rocks include mainly Oligocene coal-bearing deltaic and marine mudstones, which were heated by multiple events with high geothermal temperature and terrestrial heat flow,resulting in the generation of gas and oil.The faults,diapirs and sandstones controlled the migration of hydrocarbons that accumulated principally in a large canyon channel,a continental deepwater fan,and a shelf-margin delta.

Abstract:The Yunkai low uplift with low exploration degree is close to the Baiyun sag,and has hydrocarbon exploration potential in the deepwater area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin.Based on seismic and drilling data, balanced profiles and growth strata,this paper mainly discusses geological structures and formation processes of the Yunkai low uplift,and also analyzes the characteristics of fault system and their influence on hydrocarbon migration and accumulation.The EW-trending basement faults divide the Yunkai low uplift into two parts,i.e.the southern sector and the northern sector.The northern sector is a relatively wide and gentle uplift,while the southern sector is composed of two secondary half-grabens with faulting in the south and overlapping in the north.The Yunkai low uplift experienced three major formation stages,including the rapid uplifting stage during the deposition period of the Eocene Wenchang Formation,the slow uplifting stage during the deposition period of the Late Eocene-Middle Miocene Enping-Hanjiang formations,and the whole burial stage from the Middle Miocene to present.The extensional faults in the Yunkai low uplift and its adjacent areas strike mainly along the NW,NWW and near-EW directions.Also,the strikes of faults present a clockwise rotation from the deep to the shallow strata.According to effects of faults on hydrocarbon accumulation,the faults in the Yunkai low uplift and its adjacent areas can be divided into trap-controlled faults and source-controlled faults.The trap-controlled faults control trap development and can effectively seal oil and gas.The source-controlled faults connect directly source rocks and reservoirs,which are highly active during the rifting stage and weakly active since the Miocene.This activity features of the source-controlled faults is beneficial to migration of the early crude oil from the Baiyun sag to the high part of the Yunkai low uplift,but is not good for migration of the late natural gas.In the Yunkai low uplift and its adjacent areas,the traps in the deep Zhuhai and Enping formations that are close to source rocks in the Baiyun sag should be the favorable exploration objectives.

Abstract:To reveal the causes of differences in the hydrocarbon accumulation in continental marginal basins in the central-southern South China Sea,we used gravity-magnetic, seismic,drilling,and outcrop data to investigate the tectonic histories of the basins and explore how these tectonic events controlled the hydrocarbon accumulation conditions in these basins.During the subduction of the Cenozoic proto-South China Sea and the expansion of the new South China Sea,the continental margin basins in the central-southern South China Sea could be classified as one of three types of epicontinental basins:southern extensional-foreland basins,western extensional-strike slip basins,and central extensional-drift basins.Because these basins have different tectonic and sedimentary histories,they also differ in their accumulated hydrocarbon resources. During the Cenozoic,the basin groups in the southern South China Sea generally progressed through three stages:faulting and subsidence from the late Eocene to the early Miocene,inversion and uplift in the middle Miocene,and subsidence since the late Miocene.Hydrocarbon source rocks with marine–continental transitional facies dominated by II–III kerogen largely developed in extremely thick Miocene sedimentary series with the filling characteristics being mainly deep-water deposits in the early stage and shallow water deposits in the late stage.With well-developed sandstone and carbonate reservoirs,this stratum has a strong hydrocarbon generation potential.During the Cenozoic,the basin groups in the western South China Sea also progressed through the three developmental stages discussed previously.Hydrocarbon source rocks with lacustrine facies,marine-continental transitional facies,and terrigenous marine facies dominated by II2–III kerogen largely developed in the relatively thick stratum with the filling characteristics being mainly lacustrine deposits in the early stage and marine deposits in the late stage.As a reservoir comprised of self-generated and self-stored sandstone,this unit also has a high hydrocarbon generation potential.Throughout those same three developmental stages,the basin groups in the central South China Sea generated hydrocarbon source rocks with terrigenous marine facies dominated by III kerogen that have developed in a stratum with medium thicknesses with the filling characteristics being mainly sandstone in the early stage and carbonate in the late stage. This reservoir,which is dominated by lower-generation and upper-storage carbonate rocks,also has a high hydrocarbon generation potential.

Abstract:The process of Cenozoic sea-land changes in the northern South China Sea (SCS) controlled the sedimentary filling pattern and played an important role in the petroleum geological characteristics of the northern marginal sedimentary basins.Under the control of the opening process of the SCS,the northern SCS Cenozoic transgression generally showed the characteristics of early in the east and late in the west,and early in the south and late in the north.The initial transgression occurred in the Eocene in the Taixinan Basin (TXNB) of the eastern SCS,while the transgression occurred until the Pliocene in the Yinggehai Basin (YGHB) of the western SCS.International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expeditions (Expeditions 367/368) revealed that the initial transgression of the SCS basin occurred at approximately 34 Ma,which was the initial opening time of the SCS.The period of drastic changes in the sedimentary environment caused by large-scale transgression corresponded to the opening time of the southwestern subbasin (approximately 23 Ma),which also represented the peak of the spreading of the SCS.The sea-land transition process controls the distribution of alternating continent-marine facies,marine facies source rocks and reservoirs in the basins.The marine facies source rocks of the basins in the northern SCS have a trend of gradually becoming younger from east to west,which is consistent with the regional process of gradual transgression from east to west.Regional sea-level changes were comprehensively influenced by SCS opening and global sea-level changes.These processes led to the early development in the east and south and late development in the west and north for the carbonate platform in the SCS.Carbonate platforms form another type of “self-generating and self-accumulating” oil-gas reservoir in the northern SCS.The sea-land transition controlled the depositional filling patterns of different basins and laid the foundation of marine deposits for oil and gas resources.The source-reservoir-cap assemblage in the northern SCS was controlled horizontally by provenance supply and sedimentary environmental changes caused by sea-land transition and vertically by the tectonic evolution of the SCS and regional sea-level changes.

Abstract:Located at the end of the northern Manila Trench,the Hengchun Peninsula is the latest exposed part of Taiwan Island,and preserves a complete sequence of accretionary deep-sea turbidite sandstones.Combined with extensive field observations,a ‘source-to-sink’approach was employed to systematically analyze the formation and evolutionary process of the accretionary prism turbidites on the Hengchun Peninsula.Lying at the base of the Hengchun turbidites are abundant mafic normal oceanic crust gravels with a certain degree of roundness.The gravels with U-Pb ages ranging from 25.4 to 23.6 Ma are underlain by hundreds-of-meters thickness of younger deep-sea sandstone turbidites with interbedded gravels.This indicates that large amounts of terrigenous materials from both the‘Kontum-Ying-Qiong’River of Indochina and the Pearl River of South China were transported into the deep-water areas of the northern South China Sea during the late Miocene and further eastward in the form of turbidity currents.The turbidity flow drastically eroded and snatched mafic materials from the normal South China Sea oceanic crust along the way,and subsequently unloaded large bodies of basic gravel-bearing sandstones to form turbidites near the northern Manila Trench.With the Philippine Sea Plate drifting clockwise to the northwest,these turbidite successions eventually migrated and,since the Middle Pleistocene,were exposed as an accretionary prism on the Hengchun Peninsula.

Abstract:As the link connecting the South China Continent and the northern South China Sea (SCS),the Pearl River is the focus of sedimentology and petroleum geology research. Its evolutionary process and controlling factors are of great significance in revealing the East Asian continental landscape reorganization during the Late Cenozoic. Based on published data,‘source-to-sink’provenance analyses allow systematic deliberation on the birth and evolutionary history of the Pearl River.Close to the Oligocene/Miocene boundary,an abrupt shift in the sedimentary composition indicates significant westward and northward expansion of the river’s watershed area, followed by the establishment of a near-modern fluvial network.This sedimentary change generally concurred with a series of regional geological events,including the onset of the Yangtze throughflow,large-scale development of the loess plateau,and formation of the northwestern arid zone and Asian Monsoon system.These major changes in the geology-climate-ecoenvironment system are in close response to the process of the Cenozoic Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau uplift.Consequently,the East Asian continental landscape and most of mid-Cenozoic drainage systems underwent critical reversion into east-tilting,or east-flowing networks.

Abstract:There are numerous controversies surrounding the tectonic properties and evolution of the Proto-South China Sea (PSCS).By combining data from previously published works with our geological and paleontological observations of the South China Sea (SCS),we propose that the PSCS should be analyzed within two separate contexts: its paleogeographic location and the history of its oceanic crust.With respect to its paleogeographic location,the tectonic properties of the PSCS vary widely from the Triassic to the mid-Late Cretaceous.In the Triassic,the Paleo-Tethys and the Paleo-Pacific Oceans were the major causes of tectonic changes in the SCS,while the PCSC may have been a remnant sea residing upon Tethys or Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.In the Jurassic,the Meso-Tethys and the Paleo-Pacific oceans joined,creating a PSCS back-arc basin consisting of Meso-Tethys and/or Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.From the Early Cretaceous to the mid-Late Cretaceous,the Paleo-Pacific Ocean was the main tectonic body affecting the SCS;the PSCS may have been a marginal sea or a back-arc basin with Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.With respect to its oceanic crust,due to the subduction and retreat of the Paleo-Pacific plate in Southeast Asia at the end of the Late Cretaceous,the SCS probably produced new oceanic crust,which allowed the PSCS to formally emerge.At this time,the PSCS was most likely a combination of a new marginal sea and a remnant sea;its oceanic crust,which eventually subducted and became extinct,consisted of both new oceanic crust and remnant oceanic crust from the Paleo-Pacific Ocean.In the present day,the remnant PSCS oceanic crust is located in the southwestern Nansha Trough.

Abstract:Coal-bearing source rocks of the Pinghu Formation in the Xihu Depression comprise an important material basis of oil and gas resources in the East China Sea Basin. Based on drilling core observation results combined with the analysis and test results of macerals,trace/rare earth elements,and rock pyrolysis,the geochemical characteristics and sedimentary control of coal-bearing source rocks formation are discussed in a high-frequency sequence framework.The results indicate that the macerals composition of the coal-bearing source rocks of the Eocene Pinghu Formation in the Xihu Depression is dominated by vitrinite,with low-medium abundance of exinite and almost no inertinite.The coals and carbonaceous mudstones display higher amounts of total organic carbon (TOC) (14.90%–65.10%),S1 + S2 (39.24–136.52 mg/g),and IH (191–310 HC/g TOC) respectively,as compared to the mudstones.Organic matter is plotted in type III kerogens and partially in type II;it is mainly in the low maturity stage.The trace elements results imply that the samples were deposited in a weakly reducing to weakly oxidizing environment and were occasionally affected by seawater.The coal-bearing source rocks were deposited in a relatively oxygen-containing environment.The coal-bearing source rocks development is jointly controlled by the coal accumulation environment,the water conditions affected by ocean currents in offshore basins in China,oxidation–reduction cycles of aqueous media and paleoclimate evolution in a high-frequency sequence framework.

Abstract:There are known to be enormous Cenozoic coal-type oil and gas resources located in the basins of the South China Sea,among which the Paleogene coal-measure source rock are one of the main source rock.In order to more effectively analyze the distribution laws of coal-measure source rock in marginal sea basins and guide coal-type oil and gas explorations,the Oligocene coal-measure source rock in the Qiongdongnan Basin were selected as examples in order to systematically analyze the types,development characteristics,control factors, and distribution prediction methods of coal-measure source rock in marginal sea basins.The Qiongdongnan Basin is located in the northern region of the South China Sea.Previous explorations of the area have determined that the Oligocene coal-measure source rock in the Qiongdongnan Basin have typical “binary structures”,which include coal seams and terrigenous marine mudstone. Among those,the terrigenous marine mudstone has been found to greatly expand the scope of the coal-measure source rock.In addition,the coal seams which have been exposed by drilling have been observed to have the characteristics of thin single layer thickness,many layers,and poor stability.Meanwhile,the terrigenous marine mudstone has the characteristics of large thickness and wide distribution.The development of coal-measure source rock is known to be controlled by many factors,such as paleoclimate and paleobotany condition, paleo-structure and topography,paleo-geography,rise and fall of base level,and so on.In accordance with the comprehensive analyses of various control factors of coal-measure source rock,and the changes in water body energy in sedimentary environments,a genetic model of the “energy belt” for the development and distribution of coal-measure source rock was proposed. Also,the development and distribution characteristics of coal-measure source rock in different types of energy belts were clarified.Then,based on the development and distribution characteristics of coal-measure source rock and their controlling factors,prediction methods of the distribution ranges of coal-measure source rock were proposed from both qualitative and (semi-) quantitative aspects. That is to say,a method for (semi-) quantitative predictions of the distribution ranges of coal-bearing intervals based on model wave impedance inversion and neural network wave impedance inversion, along with a method for (semi-) quantitative predictions of the distribution ranges of terrigenous marine mudstone based on topographical slopes,were introduced in this study.

Abstract:The coal-forming characteristics, as well as the similarities and differences between epicontinental sea basins and continental marginal sea basins developed during different time periods,were analyzed in this study by adopting comparative analysis thoughts and methods.The results obtained in this study revealed that epicontinental basins and marginal sea basins are both characterized by the main development of thin coal seams or extremely thin coal seams.In addition,changes in sea levels were determined to be the main controlling factors for coal formation,and there were similarities in the continent-sea interactions and coal-forming sedimentary systems of the different basins.However, there were also significant differences observed in the sea level change events,basin basement structural characteristics,coal seam stability levels,accumulation and aggregation characteristics,and the migration patterns of coal-forming materials.For example,the marginal sea basins in the South China Sea were found to be characterized by strong tectonic activities,diversity and complexity.The basin structures showed complex patterns of depressions,uplifts and concave or sag uplifts,which tended to lead to greater complexity in the paleogeographic patterns of the coal formations.This had subsequently resulted in complex coal-forming processes and paleogeographic characteristics,in which the coal-forming zones displayed bead-like distributions,and the enrichment areas and centers were scattered.The practical significance of studying the similarities and differences of the coal-forming characteristics between epicontinental basins and marginal sea basins is that the results can potentially be used to guide the predictions of coal-measure coal seam distributions in South China Sea,as well as provide valuable guidance for future explorations of natural gas reservoirs related to coal measures in the South China Sea area.

Abstract:Research into the contourite deposits in the Upper Meishan Formation of the southern Qiongdongnan Basin in South China Sea is weak;their characteristics, distribution and original geological conditions are not clear.Using geological and geophysical methods including seismic and drilling data,based on seismic reflection characteristics, geometrical configuration description,and wave impedance inversion, two types of contourite deposits are recognized.Contourite deposits have blurred boundaries between each deposit and disordered internal seismic reflections;They are mound-shaped only in transverse section, and banded in the longitudinal direction.Type I contourite deposits are conical, with medium-high amplitude,low-continuity,low-frequency mound-shaped seismic facies,and subparallel-chaotic reflections internally. These deposits are conical with sharp tops,the canal between mounds is V-shaped and deep.The western wing is gentle and the eastern wing is steep,with the slope toe mostly between 10°and 20°,and width height ratio about 1–2.Type II contourite deposits are flat,exhibiting medium-amplitude, medium-continuity,low-frequency mound-shaped seismic facies,with subparallel weak reflections internally.Their mounds are flat with gently arced tops,with shallow canals between. The slope toe is between 5°and 10°,with a width height ratio of about 2–5.The wave impedance value of these contourite deposits is 4.6 kg/m3×m/s to 6.8 kg/m3×m/s, about 5.8 kg/m3×m/s on average,which is presumed to represent marly-calcareous clastic sediments.The contourite deposits mainly develop beneath the slope break at the margin of the fault-controlled platform in the Southern Uplift zone of the basin. In plane view,they are distributed approaching a west-to-east direction,and in section,lie in low-lying areas near the faults at fault-controlled terraces of the Southern Uplift zone,with a paleo-current direction nearly west-to-east.The paleotectonic setting of the gentle monoclinic platform was favorable for the development of such contourite deposits.The intensification of the Mid-Miocene deepest bottom current gave rise to the contourite-forming currents around the Southern Uplift zone in the northern South China Sea,which flow from Hainan Island to the Xisha Trough in a nearly west-to-east direction leading to the contourite deposits developing in the late Mid-Miocene transgressive environment, with multiple slow sea-level fall cycles.

Abstract:Newly-acquired seismic data reveal widespread carbonate deposits covering a large part of the northwestern South China Sea margin.Three carbonate platforms are identified to have developed on the topographic highs inherited from tectonic deformation and volcanic accretion.Across the carbonate platforms,the Miocene strata are characterized by high-amplitude seismic reflections and distinct platform architecture that overlaps older strata.The Guangle and Xisha carbonate platforms grew on faulted blocks due to South China Sea continental rifting,while the Zhongjian carbonate platform developed on a structural high induced by early Miocene volcanism.During the late Miocene,partial drowning resulted in the inhibition of platform growth,eventual platform drowning and termination of most carbonate deposition.The drowning of the Guangle and Zhongjian carbonate platforms is shown by the supply of siliciclastic sediments during the late Miocene and seems to be closely linked to late Neogene volcanic activity,whilst the drowning of the Xisha carbonate platform is primarily related to relative eustatic changes.Our results imply that tectonic activity,volcanism and eustasy are the dominant controls on the evolution of carbonate platforms on the northwestern margin of the South China Sea.

Abstract:Various deep-water deposits developed in the Yinggehai Basin and Qiongdongnan Basin (Ying-Qiong Basin) in the northern South China Sea,making the two basins significantly hydrocarbon-producing areas and ideal for studying the genetic mechanism and sedimentary characteristics of deep-water clastic rocks.Using cores,image well logging,heavy mineral assemblages,and seismic data,we thoroughly studied the geometry,tectonic background, driving mechanism,and source-to-sink process of deep-water deposits in the study area.The results showed that:(1)there were five genetic mechanisms of deep-water clastic rock,i.e.,slides,slumps,debris flows,turbidity currents,and bottom currents.(2)The sliding deposits were distributed from the delta front to the continental slope toe.The slumping deposits were mainly distributed at the continental slope toe or the basin's central area,far from the delta front.The turbidity deposits were widely developed in the deep-water area,but with huge differences in thickness.The bottom currents mainly reworked previous deposits far from the slope.(3)Slip and extension along the preexisting fault zone were the main structural factors that drive the axial channel formation at the slope foot.(4)The sand-rich gravity sediment flows in the Ying-Qiong basin were primarily caused by the direct supply of terrigenous debris into the marine environment over the slope break.

Abstract:Many mound-shaped reflectors with different features and shapes are evident in the Upper Member of the Meishan Formation from seismic profiles taken in the deep-water area of the Southern Qiongdongnan Basin. Based on the drilling,2D and 3D seismic data from the study area, descriptions of the seismic reflection characteristics as well as the geometric shape,wave impedance inversion, analogy and comparative analyses are carried out.Taken in conjunction with research on the paleostructure and paleosedimentary background,we consider that the mound-shaped seismic reflectors are distributed in the Southern Slop belt and the Southern High-rise of the Qiongdongnan Basin,which can be subdivided into three types: reefs,contourite mounds and magmatic diapirs.The first type, reefs, includes patch reefs, platform marginal reefs and pinnacle reefs.Patch reefs present mound-shaped seismic facies with medium frequency and a moderately strong amplitude, being distributed at the uplift of the fault control platform on the Southern Slop belt.The platform marginal reefs have flat mound-shaped seismic facies with strong amplitude and medium frequency,developing at the margin of the carbonate platform in the Southern High-rise.The pinnacle reefs have mound-shaped seismic facies with strong amplitude and medium frequency and are developed on an isolated volcanic cone.The boundaries between individual reefs are clear on the seismic section,with reef ridge and reef ditch developed,the phenomenon of ‘front product’ being visible within,two-way superelevation between wings is developed and they exist visibly as mounds in any viewed direction of the cross-section.They are slightly asymmetrical in the direction perpendicular to the paleodepth,the reef body being steep near the deep-water side,while being gentle near the shallow water side.The wave impedance of a patch reef is about 7 kg/m3×m/s,while the wave impedance of a platform marginal reef is about 7.5 kg/m3×m/s. The second type - contourite mounds - are mainly developed under the slope break of the southern slope fault control platform’s edge.They are subdivided into two types: conical and flat.The former has mound-shaped seismic facies with medium-strong amplitude and low frequency,the latter having mound-shaped seismic facies with medium amplitude and low frequency.The internal texture of the mounds is not clear on the seismic section,with the boundaries between contourite mounds being blurred.They are mound-shaped only in cross-section,being banded in the extending direction.The upper surface of a single contourite mound is relatively gentle near the deep-water side,while being steep near the shallow water area.The wave impedance of contourite mounds is about 5.8 kg/m3×m/s,which is speculated to represent a marly to calcareous clastic deposit.The third type is the magmatic diapir,which has‘roots’.They have a dome-shaped upper boundary,are bottomless,with a chaotic interior.They penetrated multiple formations,opening towards the base.There are two major accumulation assemblages of reefs,one is the platform margin reef accumulation assemblage with distant source rocks and long-distance migration through an unconformity surface in the Southern High-rise,the other is the patch reef accumulation assemblage with twin sources and short distance migration through faults in the Southern Slop belt near the Central Depression zone.The latter is the main exploration targets at present.There are contourite mound accumulation assemblages with nearby source rocks and short distance vertical migration through faults,which are potentially important targets.The magmatic diapirs pierce the overlying strata and form good hydrocarbon traps and migration pathways,thus representing potential prospecting targets.

Abstract:This study investigates the evolution of the Miocene Guangle carbonate platform (or Triton Horst) of the northwestern South China Sea margin.The platform is located at a junction area surrounded by Yinggehai basin,Qiongdongnan basin and Zhongjiannan basin.Well and regional geophysical data allow the identification of the morphologic and stratigraphic patterns.The Guangle carbonate platform was initiated on a tectonic uplift during the Early Miocene.The early platform was limited at Mesozoic granitic basement,pre-Paleogene sediments localized tectonic uplift and was small extension at the beginning stage.While during the Middle Miocene,the carbonate buildup flourished,and grow a thrived and thick carbonate succession overlining the whole Guangle Uplift.The isolated platforms then united afterward and covered an extensive area of several tens of thousands of square kilometers.However,it terminated in the Late Miocene.What are the control factors on the initiation, growth and demise of the Guangle carbonate platform? The onset of widespread carbonate deposits largely reflected the Early Miocene transgression linked with early post-rift subsidence and the opening of the South China Sea.Stressed carbonate growth conditions on the Guangle carbonate platform probably resulted from increased inorganic nutrient input derived from the adjacent uplifted mainland,possibly enhanced by deteriorated climatic conditions promoting platform drowning.Therefore, tectonics and terrigenous input could be two main controlling factors on the development of the Guangle carbonate platforms and main evolution stages.

Abstract:Beibuwan Basin is an important offshore oil and gas bearing basin of China. However,the distribution of oil and gas in different sags is uneven,and the rule of hydrocarbon accumulation and main controlling factors have not been clearly understood in this basin.Based on abundant seismic, well and analytical data,the differences and main controlling of tectonic evolution,sedimentary filling and source rock quality in sags are analyzed,and combined with the study of geothermal filed,the main controlling factors of differential hydrocarbon generation in sags of the Beibuwan Basin are clarified. On the basis of the research above,the hydrocarbon enrichment of the basin is clarified through the systematic analysis of reservoir-caprock assemblage and accumulation characteristics of different structural units.The results show that there are four NE-trending sag zones in the basin,and under the influence of fault activity,the scale of sags is regularly distributed.The scale of rifts in different sag zones decreases gradually from northwest to southeast and the scale of rifts in the middle of a single sag zone is normally larger than that at two ends.Under the control of the sag-controlling faults activity,paleoproductivity and organic matter preservation conditions,the quality of source rocks in sags of the Beibuwan Basin decreases from northwest to southeast.The hydrocarbon-rich sags in the Beibuwan Basin were formed under the control of source rocks and geothermal field,and the distribution of large-medium scale fields is controlled by the favorable structural traps in the rift strata of inner gentle slope zone. The understanding of the hydrocarbon enrichment and main controlling factors in the Beibuwan Basin also provides a significant guidance for the oil and gas exploration in other rift basins.

Abstract:This paper investigates the origin and migration characteristics of petroleum in the northeastern part of the Baiyun Depression,Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB).The discovered petroleum in the study area is mainly located in the Lower Zhujiang Member (N1z2) and mainly originated from the Enping Formation source rocks in the eastern sag.Active faults (vertical migration) and N1z2 sandstones (lateral migration) acted as the petroleum migration systems.The fault activities in the Dongsha event controlled the episodic petroleum migration.Fractures in the fault zones provided effective conduits,and overpressure was the driving force.The vertical migration could not cross the fault zones laterally.The petroleum injection areas in the carrier beds were the contact zones of petroleum-migration faults and carrier beds.The lateral migration was steady-state migration,and buoyancy was the driving force.The migration pathways in the carrier beds were controlled by the structural morphology.Secondary petroleum migration in the study area could be divided into two parts: vertical migration along the fractures in the fault zones and lateral migration through preferential petroleum migration pathways (PPMPs) in the carrier beds.The petroleum migration behaviors,including migrating direction, driving force,and migration pattern,in the faults and sandstone carrier beds were quite different.This study provides a typical example for comprehending secondary migration processes and has great importance for determining future exploration targets in the deep-water area of the PRMB.

Abstract:Tectonic activity occurred during the depositional period of the Enping Formation in the southern Baiyun Sag in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,with a series of synsedimentary faults and a set of large fan delta reservoir bodies developing.There is no data from drilling,cores,etc.for this area,so this paper applies three-dimensional seismic data to study the structural style of the steep slope zone,the seismic facies characteristics of fan deltas,and the source-sink system and sedimentary model of the Enping Formation.The control action of tectonic activity on fan deltaic sedimentary systems is studied by combining interpretation of fault systems,dissection of structural styles,seismic reflection structure,seismic facies geometry,and seismic attribute analysis,together with theoretical analysis of the source-sink deposition process. The Baiyun Sag has experienced tectonic activity since the Eocene, and a series of synsedimentary faults are developed in the southern steep slope zone.Under the common control of multiple large synsedimentary faults,a large ancient gully formed in the steep slope zone in the south,which gradually widened from south to north.The uplift area in the southern part of the sag was exposed for a long time during the deposition of the Enping Formation and consequently suffered weathering and erosion.The resulting sediments were transported through a system of provenance channels composed of slopes and an ancient gully to the depression area,where they were deposited and eventually converged to form a large fan delta.The fan delta presents the overall characteristics of NS strong wedge reflection and EW strong domal reflection—thick in the middle part and thin in the wings.It displays a lobe-shaped distribution on the plane,with the fan root pointing to the south slope.According to differences in reflection intensity from bottom to top,it can be subdivided into three stages of progradational sedimentary bodies—the southern uplift and denudation zone,the large ancient gully, and the fan delta—which together constitute a complete source-sink system.This represents a sedimentary model of progradational fan delta under the overall joint control of the restricted ancient gully and syndepositional faults.

Abstract:Oil and gas shows are rich in drilling wells in Kaiping sag,however,large oilfield was still not found in this area.For a long time,it is thought that source rocks were developed in the middle-deep lacustrine facies in the Eocene Wenchang Formation,while there is no source rocks that in middle-deep lacustrine facies have been found in well.Thickness of Wenchang Formation is big and reservoirs with good properties could be found in this formation.Distribution and scale of source rock are significant for further direction of petroleum exploration.Distribution characterization of middle-deep lacustrine facies is the base for source rock research.Based on the sedimentary background,fault activity rate,seismic response features,and seismic attributes were analyzed.No limited classification method and multi-attributes neural network deep learning method were used for predicting of source rock distribution in Wenchang Formation.It is found that during the deposition of lower Wenchang Formation,activity rate of main fault controlling the subsag sedimentation was bigger than 100 m/Ma,which formed development background for middle-deep lacustrine facies.Compared with the seismic response of middle-deep lacustrine source rocks developed in Zhu I depression,those in Kaiping sag are characterized in low frequency and good continuity.Through RGB frequency decomposition,areas with low frequency are main distribution parts for middle-deep lacustrine facies. Dominant frequency,instantaneous frequency,and coherency attributes of seismic could be used in no limited classification method for further identification of middle-deep lacustrine facies.Based on the limitation of geology knowledge,multi-attributes of seismic were analyzed through neural network deep learning method. Distribution of middle-deep lacustrine facies in the fourth member of Wenchang Formation is oriented from west to east and is the largest.Square of the middle-deep lacustrine facies in that member is 154 km2 and the volume is 50 km3.Achievements could be bases for hydrocarbon accumulation study and for exploration target optimization in Kaiping sag.

Abstract:Due to its structure,rock and mineral composition,fluid and other factors,the granite Buried Hill Reservoir is highly heterogeneous with a complex longitudinal structure and a reservoir space made up of a combination of dissolution pores and fractures.This paper is based on current understanding of tectonic evolution in the northern part of the South China Sea,in conjunction with the seismic phase characteristics.It is determined that the meshed fault system was formed by three stages of movement-tectonic compression orogeny during the Indochinese epoch,strike-slip compression-tension during the Yanshanian Period, early fracture extension activation during the Himalayan–which controlled the distribution of the Buried Hill Reservoir.Drilling revealed two types of buried hills,faulted anticline and fault horst,their longitudinal structure and the reservoir space type being significantly different.The mineral composition,reservoir space and diagenetic characteristics of the reservoir rocks and minerals were analyzed by lithogeochemistry,microsection and logging etc.,it thus being determined that the Mesozoic rocks of the Songnan Low Uplift in the Qiongdongnan Basin are mainly composed of syenogranite,granodiorite,monzogranite,which is the material basis for the development of the Buried Hill Reservoir.The content of felsic and other brittle minerals is more than 70%,making it easy for it to be transformed into fractures.At the same time, the weathering resistance of granodiorite and monzogranite is weaker than that of syenogranite,which is easily weathered and destroyed,forming a thick sand gravel weathering zone.With increasing depth of burial,weathering and dissolution gradually weaken,the deep acidic fluid improving the reservoir property of internal fractures and expanding the vertical distribution range of the reservoirs.The research results lay a foundation for the exploration of Buried Hill in the deep-water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin.

Abstract:Qiongdongnan Basin has a tectonic geological background of high temperature and high pressure in a deep reservoir setting,with mantle-derived CO2.A water-rock reaction device was used under high temperature and high pressure conditions,in conjunction with scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations,to carry out an experimental study of the diagenetic reaction between sandstone at depth and CO2-rich fluid,which is of great significance for revealing the dissolution of deep clastic rock reservoirs and the developmental mechanism of secondary pores,promoting deep oil and gas exploration.In this study,the experimental scheme of the water-rock reaction system was designed according to the parameters of the diagenetic background of the deep sandstone reservoir in the Qiongdongnan Basin.Three groups of single mineral samples were prepared in this experiment,including K-feldspar samples,albite samples and calcite samples.Using CO2 as a reaction solution,a series of diagenetic reaction simulation experiments were carried out in a semi-closed high temperature and high pressure simulation system.A field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the microscopic appearance of the mineral samples after the water-rock reaction,the characteristics of dissolution under high temperature and high pressure,as well as the development of secondary pores.The experimental results showed that the CO2-rich fluid has an obvious dissolution effect on K-feldspar,albite and calcite under high temperature and high pressure.For the three minerals,the main temperature and pressure window for dissolution ranged from 150°C to 300°C and 45 MPa to 60 MPa.Scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the dissolution effect of K-feldspar is most obvious under conditions of 150°C and 45 MPa,in contrast to conditions of 200°C and 50 MPa for albite and calcite. Through the comparative analysis of experimental conditions and procedures,a coupling effect occurred between the temperature and pressure change and the dissolution strength of K-feldspar,albite and calcite.Under high temperature and high pressure,pressure changed the solubility of CO2, furthermore,the dissolution effect and strength of the sandstone components were also affected. The experiment revealed that high temperature and high pressure conditions with CO2-rich fluid has a significant dissolution effect on aluminosilicate minerals and is conducive to the formation of secondary pores and effective reservoirs.Going forward with the above understanding has important implications for the promotion of deep oil and gas exploration.

Abstract:Based on the volume magnetic susceptibility and specific gravity measurements and mineral and lithologic identification results for 540 samples, the rock type, density,and magnetic susceptibility of rocks from northern Borneo were analyzed,and the applicability of gravity and magnetic data to the lithologic identification of the Mesozoic strata in the southern South China Sea was assessed accordingly.The results show that there are 3 types and 25 subtypes of rocks in northern Borneo, mainly intermediate-mafic igneous rocks and exogenous clastic sedimentary rocks,with small amounts of endogenous sedimentary rocks,felsic igneous rocks,and metamorphic rocks.The rocks that are very strongly–strongly magnetic and have high–medium densities are mostly igneous rocks,tuffaceous sandstones,and their metamorphic equivalents.The rocks that are weakly magnetic-non-magnetic and have medium–very low densities are mostly conglomerates,sandstones,siltstones, mudstones,and coal.The rocks that are weakly magnetic-diamagnetic and have high-medium densities are mostly limestones and siliceous rocks.The Cenozoic rocks are characterized by low densities and medium susceptibilities;the Mesozoic rocks are characterized by medium densities and medium–high susceptibilities;and the pre-Mesozoic rocks are characterized by high densities and low magnetism.Based on these results and the distribution characteristics of the various rock types,it was found that the pre-Mesozoic rocks produce weak regional gravity anomalies;the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks produce negative regional gravity anomalies;whereas the Mesozoic igneous rocks produce positive regional gravity anomalies;and the Cenozoic igneous rocks produce positive regional gravity anomalies.The regional high magnetic anomalies in the southern part of the South China Sea originate from the Mesozoic mafic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents; and the regional medium magnetic anomalies may be produced by the felsic igneous rocks and their metamorphic equivalents.Accordingly, the identification of the Mesozoic lithology in the southern South China Sea shows that the Mesozoic sedimentary rocks are distributed over a large area of the southern South China Sea.Thus,it is concluded that the Mesozoic strata in this area have the potential for oil and gas exploration.

Abstract:The distribution of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea and adjacent areas is closely related to the structural pattern that helped to define the controlling effect of deep processes on oil-bearing basins.Igneous rocks can record important information from deep processes.Deep structures such as faults,basin uplift and depression,Cenozoic basement and magnetic basement are all the results of energy exchange within the earth.The study of the relationship between igneous rocks and deep structures is of great significance for the study of the South China Sea.By using the minimum curvature potential field separation technique and the correlation analysis technique of gravitational and magnetic anomalies,the fusion of gravitational and magnetic data reflecting igneous rocks can be obtained, through which the igneous rocks with high susceptibility/high density or high susceptibility/low density can be identified.In this study area,igneous rocks do not develop in the Yinggehai basin,Qiongdongnan basin, Zengmu basin and Brunei-Sabah basin,whilst igneous rocks with high susceptibility/high density or high susceptibility/low density are widely-developed in other basins.In undeveloped igneous areas,faults are also undeveloped,the Cenozoic thickness is greater,the magnetic basement depth is greater and the Cenozoic thickness is highly positively correlated with the magnetic basement depth.In igneously developed regions,the distribution pattern of the Qiongtai block is mainly controlled by primary faults,while the distribution of the Zhongxisha block,Xunta block and Yongshu-Taiping block is mainly controlled by secondary faults,the Cenozoic thickness having a low correlation with the depth of the magnetic basement.

Abstract:In the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent landmasses,faults are very complex, and their distribution is closely related to plate tectonics,ocean–land boundary,and former structure.The plane position of the faults can be identified by the maximum characteristic of the vertical derivative of the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative (NVDR-THDR) of the Bouguer gravity anomaly.The apparent depth of the faults is inverted by the Bouguer gravity anomaly curvature property.Based on tectonic evolutionary processes and the plane distribution and apparent depth characteristics of the faults,a complete fault system for the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent areas has been established,including 102 faults.The apparent depths of 33 first-class faults are 16–20 km and for 69 second-class faults are 12–16 km.The F1-2 and F1-3 subduction fault zones are two caused by the subduction of the Cocos Plate into the old Yucatan and Chorti landmasses;F1-11 and F1-12 fault zones extend westward to the coast of Guatemala and do not extend into the continent;F1-17 and F1-20 faults,which control the boundary of the oceanic crust,do not extend southward into the continent.The fault system,which radiates in a "fan-shaped" structure as a whole,unfolds to the northeast.Faults of different nature and sizes are distributed in the Cocos Plate subduction zone, Continental, Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan old landmass and Caribbean Plate in NW, NNW, NS, NE and NEE directions.In the Gulf of Mexico region,the fault system is a comprehensive reflection of former tectonic movements,such as plate movement,drift of old landmasses and expansion of oceanic crusts.The first-class faults control the plate and ocean–continental boundaries.The second-class faults are subordinate to the first-class faults or related to the distribution of different sedimentary layers.