Buried-euxenic-basin model sets Tarim basin potential

Journal Article · Mon Nov 28 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Oil and Gas Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:6815111

Hsu, K J ^[1]

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1. Tarim Associates for Oil and Mineral Exploration AG, Zurich (Switzerland)

The Tarim basin is the largest of the three large sedimentary basins of Northwest China. The North and Southwest depressions of Tarim are underlain by thick sediments and very thin crust. The maximum sediment thickness is more than 15 km. Of the several oil fields of Tarim, the three major fields were discovered during the last decade, on the north flank of the North depression and on the Central Tarim Uplift. The major targets of Tarim, according to the buried-euxenic-basin model, should be upper Paleozoic and lower Mesozoic reservoirs trapping oil and gas condensates from lower Paleozoic source beds. The paper describes the basin and gives a historical perspective of exploration activities and discoveries. It then explains how this basin can be interpreted by the buried-euxenic-basin model. The buried-euxenic-basin model postulates four stages of geologic evolution: (1) Sinian and early Paleozoic platform sedimentation on relic arcs and deep-marine sedimentation in back-arc basins in Xinjiang; (2) Late Paleozoic foreland-basin sedimentation in north Tarim; (3) Mesozoic and Paleogene continental deposition, subsidence under sedimentary load; and (4) Neogene pull-apart basin, wrench faulting and extension.

• OSTI ID: 6815111
• Journal Information: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States), Vol. 92:48; ISSN 0030-1388
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
CHINA
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
AERIAL SURVEYING
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
MAGNETIC SURVEYS
MAPS
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
TECTONICS
ASIA
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
SURVEYS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration