Petroleum potential of North Qilian overthrust belt

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6221820

Fei, Q; Wang, Xiepei

An extensive surface geological survey and seismic data show that the North Qilian Range, northwest China, is composed of a series of northwest-trending overthrust faults, dips which change from steep at the surface to gentle at depth forming an imbricated listric fault system. Most of the thrust faults occur along plastic beds such as Carboniferous sandy shales, Lower Ordovician tuffaceous rocks, clastic strata of Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary age, and some unconformities. Since the Mesozoic-Cenozoic, North Qilian experienced at least two stages of overthrusting. These tectonic movements were associated with sinistral strikeslip displacement along the Alkin fault which controlled the formation and development of the Jiuxi oil-bearing basin. According to the balance profiles, the compression ratio of the Qilian overthrust belt is estimated to be 50%. Therefore, along the south rim of the Jiuxi basin, a considerable package of Cretaceous source rocks lie buried beneath the overthrusts along with a series of potentially favorable footwall oil and gas traps. It is concluded that the foreland of North Qilian overthrust belt could represent a new domain for oil and gas exploration.

• Research Organization: Beijing College of Geology, China
• OSTI ID: 6221820
• Report Number(s): CONF-870606-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 71:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ASIA
CHINA
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC SURVEYS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
ORDOVICIAN PERIOD
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SHALES
SURVEYS
TECTONICS