Abstract: Hydrocarbon Systems of Petroliferous Basins in West China

LI, DESHENG

The main petroliferous basins in West China are compressional in origin, forming in response to compressions resulting from the collisions of northward moving Indian Plate to the Eurasia Plate.

Multiple plate collisions resulted in superimposed basins and hence the formation of multiple hydrocarbon systems from different assemblages of source, reservoir and caprocks.

Both marine and continental source beds were deposited and generated hydrocarbons. The marine carbonates and mudstones of the Paleozoic and the lacustrine mudstones of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic are good source rocks.

Commercial volumes of oil and gas have flowed from the carbonate and sandstone reservoirs of the Paleozoic and from sandstone and conglomerates of Mesozoic and Tertiary age.

Thrust folds, gentle arched anticlines, stratigraphic monoclines and buried hills associated with drape anticlines are common trap styles.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90942©1997 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria