Evolution of an Eocene-Oligocene saline lake depositional system and its controlling factors, Jianghan Basin, China

Abstract

The Upper Eocene-Lower Oligocene Qianjiang Formation of the Jianghan Basin in central China consists of a 4 700-m-thick lacustrine succession, containing 1 800 m of halite deposits. The maximum thickness of the formation is 4 700 m, and includes 1 800 m of halite. We have identified eight third-order depositional sequences based on pinch-out and onlap stratigraphic patterns in 2-D and 3-D seismic data and well logs. The basin evolved from a deep to shallow under-filled lake during the Eocene-Oligocene interval. The main rock types are dark mudstones, halite, and siltstone/sandstone in the depocenter, and alternating mudstone and gypsum in shallower areas. The vertical succession indicates a strong sedimentary cyclicity. Depositional facies indicate the presence of two lake system types. Halite developed in a saline lake system, whereas clastic sediments were deposited in freshwater lake systems. The alternating sediment types indicate that the basin cycled repeatedly between saline and freshwater lake systems. This cyclicity was caused by availability of accommodation space that was controlled by a combination of climate change, tectonic subsidence and sediment supply; notably, the highest frequency cycles occurred at Milankovitch timescales controlled by the Earth’s orbital variations. The cyclic halite plays an important role in generating and preserving oil in the Qianjiang Formation of the Qianjiang depression.

Keywords

saline lake / depositional sequence / Eocene / Oligocene / Milankovitch cycle / Jianghan Basin / Qianjiang Formation

References

[1] Abels H A, Aziz A, Calvo J P, . Shallow Lacustrine Carbonate Microfacies Document Orbitally Paced Lake-Level History in the Miocene Teruel Basin (North-East Spain). Sedimentology, 2009, 56: 399-419.

[2] Ashley G M. Orbital Rhythms, Monsoons, and Playa Lake Response, Olduvai Basin, Equatorial East Africa (ca. 1.85–1.74 Ma). Geology, 2007, 35: 1091-1094.

[3] Betancourt J L, Latorre C, Rech J A, . A 22 000-Year Record of Monsoonal Precipitation from Northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. Science, 2000, 289: 1542-1546.

[4] Bohacs K M, Carroll A R, Neal J E, . Lake-Basin Type, Source Potential, and Hydrocarbon Character: An Integrated Sequence-Stratigraphic Geochemical Framework. Lake Basins Through Space and Time. AAPG Studies in Geology, 2000, 46: 3-34.

[5] Bomblies A, Mcknight D M, Andrews E D. Retrospective Simulation of Lake-Level Rise in Lake Bonney Based on Recent 21-Year Record: Indication of Recent Climate Change in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Journal of Paleolimnology, 2001, 25: 477-492.

[6] Boulila S, Galbrun B, Miller K G, . On the Origin of Cenozoic and Mesozoic “Third-Order” Eustatic Sequences. Earth-Science Reviews, 2011, 109(3–4): 94-112.

[7] Bourquina S, Rigolletb C, Bourges P. High-Resolution Sequence Stratigraphy of an Alluvial Fan-Fan Delta Environment: Stratigraphic and Geodynamic Implications—An Example from the Keuper Chaunoy Sandstones, Paris Basin. Sedimentary Geology, 1998, 121: 207-237.

[8] Dai S. Petroleum Gology of Jianghan Saline Lacustrine Basin, 1997 Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press

[9] Einsele G. Sedimentary Basins: Evolution, Facies, and Sediment Budget, 2000 Berlin: Springer

[10] Fang Z. Saline Lake Sedimentary Filling Model of the Jianghan Basin, 2006 Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 231.

[11] Fang Z, Chen K, Yang X, . Sequence Stratigraphy Characteristic of Qianjiang Saline Sub-Basin. Journal of Salt Lake Research, 2003, 11: 15-23.

[12] Grice K, Schouten S, Peters K E, . Molecular Isotopic Characterisation of Hydrocarbon Biomarkers in Palaeocene-Eocene Evaporitic, Lacustrine Source Rocks from the Jianghan Basin, China. Organic Geochemistry, 1998, 29: 1745-1764.

[13] Hardie L A. Evaporites: Marine or Non-Marine. American Journal of Science, 1984, 284: 193-240.

[14] Heller P L, Paola C H, Wang I G, . Geomorphology and Sequence Stratigraphy due to Slow and Rapid Base-Level Changes in an Experimental Subsiding Basin (XES 96-1). AAPG Bulletin, 2001, 85: 817-838.

[15] Huang C J, Hinnov L A. Astronomically Forced Climate Change Recorded in Late Middle Eocene-Early Oligocene Lacustrine Sediments, China. AAPG 2010 Annual Convention & Exhibition, 2010 New Orleans, Louisiana, 2010

[16] Jones R N, McMahon T A, Bowler J M. Modelling Historical Lake Levels and Recent Climate Change at Three Closed Lakes, Western Victoria, Australia (c.1840–1990). Journal of Hydrology, 2001, 246: 159-180.

[17] Liu Z. Orbital Cycles Analysis and Its Genesis Significance for the Sequence Hierarchy: A Case Study of Carboniferous Karashayi Formation, Central Tarim Basin. Journal of Earth Science, 2012, 23(4): 516-528.

[18] Machlus M L, Olsen P E, Christie-Blick N, . Spectral Analysis of the Lower Eocene Wilkins Peak Member, Green River Formation, Wyoming: Support for Milankovitch Cyclicity. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2008, 268: 64-75.

[19] Madof A S, Christie-Blick C, Anders M H. Stratigraphic Controls on a Salt-Withdrawal Intraslope Minibasin, North-Central Green Canyon, Gulf of Mexico-Implications for Misinterpreting Sea Level Change. AAPG Bulletin, 2009, 93: 535-561.

[20] Mann M E, Lall U, Saltzman B. Decadal-to-Centennial-Scale Climate Variability: Insights into the Rise and Fall of the Great Salt Lake. Geophysical Research Letters, 1995, 22: 937-940.

[21] McPherson J G, Shanmugam G, Moiola R J. Fan-Deltas and Braid Deltas: Varieties of Coarse-Grained Deltas. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 1987, 99: 331-340.

[22] Mitchum R M, Sangree J B, Vail P R, . Weimer P, Posamentier H W, . Recognizing Sequences and Systems Tracts from Well Logs, Seismic Data, and Biostratigraphy: Examples from the Late Cenozoic of the Gulf of Mexico. Siliciclastic Sequence Stratigraphy: Recent Developments and Applications, 1993 Oklahoma: AAPG Tulsa

[23] Olsen P E, Kent D V. Long-Period Milankovitch Cycles from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic of Eastern North America and Their Implications for the Calibration of the Early Mesozoic Time-Scale and the Long-Term Behaviour of the Planets. Philosophical Transactions: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 1999, 357: 1761-1786.

[24] Olsen T, Steel R, Hogseth K, . Sequential Architecture in a Fluvial Succession: Sequence Stratigraphy in the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Price Canyon, Utah. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 1995, 65B: 265-280.

[25] Pälike H, Norris R D, Herrle J O, . The Heartbeat of the Oligocene Climate System. Science, 2006, 314: 1894-1898.

[26] Pälike H, Shackleton N J, Röhl U. Astronomical Forcing in Late Eocene Marine Sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2001, 193: 589-602.

[27] Park L E, Cohen A S, Martens K, . The Impact of Taphonomic Processes on Interpreting Paleoecologic Changes in Large Lake Ecosystems: Ostracodes in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi. Journal of Paleolimnology, 2003, 30: 127-138.

[28] Peters K E, Cunningham A E, Walters C C, . Petroleum Systems in the Jiangling-Dangyang Area, Jianghan Basin, China. Organic Geochemistry, 1996, 24: 1035-1060.

[29] Philp R P, Fan Z. Geochemical Investigation of Oils and Source Rocks from Quianjiang Depression of Jianghan Basin, a Terrigenous Saline Basins, China. Organic Geochemistry, 1987, 11: 549-562.

[30] Philp R P, Li J, Lewis C A. An Organic Geochemical Investigation of Crude Oils from Shanganning, Jianghan, Chaidamu and Zhungeer Basins, People’s Republic of China. Organic Geochemistry, 1989, 14: 447-460.

[31] Pietras J T, Carroll A R. High-Resolution Stratigraphy of an Underfilled Lake Basin: Wilkins Peak Member, Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming, U.S.A.. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 2006, 76: 1197-1214.

[32] Schmalz R F. Deep Water Evaporite Deposits: A Genetic Model. AAPG Bulletin, 1969, 53: 798-823.

[33] Stine S, Stine M. A Record from Lake Cardiel of Climate Change in Southern South America. Nature, 1990, 345: 705-708.

[34] Tian S F, Chen Z Q, Huang C J. Orbital Forcing and Sea-Level Changes in the Earliest Triassic of the Meishan Section, South China. Journal of Earth Science, 2014, 25(1): 64-73.

[35] Vail P R. Seismic Stratigraphy Interpretation Procedure. Atlas of Seismic Stratigraphy. AAPG Studies in Geology, 1987, 27: 1-10.

[36] Vandervoort D S. Stratigraphic Response to Saline Lake-Level Fluctuations and the Origin of Cyclic Nonmarine Evaporite Deposits: The Pleistocene Blanca Lila Formation, Northwest Argentina. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 1997, 109: 210-224.

[37] Vollmer T, Werner R, Weber M, . Orbital Control on Upper Triassic Playa Cycles of the Steinmergel-Keuper (Norian): A New Concept for Ancient Playa Cycles. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2008, 267: 1-16.

[38] Wang D, Wang S, Zheng X. Geology of Salt Lake Oilfields, 1998 Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press

[39] Wang P, Zhang D, Xu G, . Geochemical Features of Light Hydrocarbons of Typical Salt Lake Oils Sourced from Jianghan Basin, China. Organic Geochemistry, 2008, 39: 1631-1636.

[40] Wang R, Brassell S C, Fu J, . Molecular Indicators of Microbial Contributions to Recent and Tertiary Hypersaline Lacustrine Sediments in China. Hydrobiologia, 1998, 381: 77-103.

[41] Warren J K. Evaporites: Sediments, Resources and Hydrocarbon, 2006 Berlin: Springer Verlag, 1036

[42] Wiener R W, Helwig J A, Jiang R. Seismic Interpretation and Structural Analysis of a Rifted Thrust Belt: Jianghan Basin, China. The Leading Edge, 1997, 16: 1177-1183.

[43] Wu X. Comparative Study of Basins within Palaeogene Seaway in East China and Cretaceous Seaway in North America and Its Reservoir Significance. Petroleum Science, 2007, 4: 1-9.

[44] Xu L, Yan C, Yu H, . Chronology of Paleogene Volcanic Rocks in Jianghan Basin. Oil & Gas Geology, 1995, 16: 132-137.

[45] Ye D, Zhong X, Yao Y, . Tertiary in Petroliferous Regions of China, 1997 Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press

[46] You G, Pan J, Tong Y. Identification of Effective Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in Marine Strata in the Jianghan Basin, China. Geological Bulletin of China, 2006, 25: 1156-1159.