First discovery and characterizations of late Cretaceous seep carbonates from Xigaze in Tibet, China

Abstract

Hydrocarbon seeps, widely occurring in continental margins, have become increasingly focused owing to their close relationships with gas hydrates, strong greenhouse gas methane, and biological resources in extreme environments. Ancient hydrocarbon seeps have already been recognized from Devonian to Quaternary strata worldwide based on seep carbonates or seep-related fossil chemosynthetic assemblages. However, seep-related deposits are rarely found from ancient strata in the mainland China. Here, we report the first discovery of an ancient seep deposit, specifically late Cretaceous seep carbonates from Xigaze in Tibet, China. Xigaze seep carbonates, occurring as nodules, are enclosed in upper Cretaceous turbidite strata in Xigaze forearc basin. These carbonates are composed of authigenic carbonate (56.2% on average), clastic quartz and feldspar (27.3% on average), and clay minerals (chlorite, illite and smectite, 16.5% on average). Clotted micrites, peloids and framboid pyrites are frequently observed, all of which are common in modern seep carbonates. The carbonates have negative δ13C values varying from -27.7‰ to -4.0‰(V-PDB), suggesting that thermogenic methane is the primary carbon source. Ce/Ce* values revised by eliminating La effects show no real Ce anomaly, indicating the carbonates were primarily precipitated in a weak reducing environment. Overall, these features provide unequivocal evidences that the seafloor of Xigaze forearc basin developed hydrocarbon seeps in late Cretaceous. © 2012 The Author(s).