Tectonic settings of petroliferous basins in continental China

Abstract

The main part of continental China is considered to belong to an interchange tectonic domain between Siberia and Gondwana, where three major global dynamic systems - the Appalachian-palaeo-Asian Ocean, Tethyan-palaeo-Paciflc Ocean, and Indian-Pacific Ocean dynamic systems-were superimposed and compounded, and the resulting polycyclic tectonomagmatism seriously destroyed the petroleum maintenance in marine deposits in most parts of continental China. So, only in polycyclically superimposed basins, Meso-Cenozoic rift basins and piedmont basins of Cenozoic rejuvenated mountain systems can relatively favourable conditions for the generation, accumulation and preservation of petroleum be created. The nonmarine oil origin, polycyclic association of source, reservoir and cap rocks, polycyclically compounded petroleum systems and a variety of oil and gas traps are salient features of the petroliferous basins of China. The Junggar, Turpan-Hami, Tarim, Qaidam, Ordos, Sichuan, Songliao, Bohai Bay, northern Jiangsu-southem Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea basins are major regions for hydrocarbon accumulation in China. The tectonism of the Himalayan cycle has special significance for the final shaping of petroleum deposits in most of China's basins.