Lithofacies paleogeography restoration and its significance of Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous in southern margin of Junggar Basin, NW China

Abstract

In view of the difficulties in the study of lithofacies paleogeography and the low reliability of the distribution range of sedimentary sand bodies in the prototype basin caused by less deep drilling, complex seismic imaging and low degree of exploration in the southern margin of Junggar Basin, NW China. A new method based on the source to sink idea was used to restore lithofacies paleogeography and predict glutenite distribution. In the restoration, apatite fission track age was used to define range and uplift time of macro-provenance; the range of provenance area and the migration process of lake shoreline were restored based on the quantitative relationship between gravel diameter and transportation distance, tectonic shortening and other geological parameters; drilling cores and field outcrop sedimentary structures were analyzed, and a series of maps of lithofacies paleogeographic evolution and distribution range of glutenite bodies were compiled. It is concluded that from Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, in the southern margin of Junggar Basin, the provenance area gradually expanded from south to north, the lake basin expanded, shrunk and expanded, and the paleoclimate changed from humid to drought to humid. The western section always had proximal fan delta deposits from the southern ancient Tianshan provenance developed, and in the middle and eastern sections, the provenance areas evolved from far source to near source, mainly river-delta, braided delta, fan delta and other sediments developed. The boundary between provenance areas of the western and middle sections is speculated to be Hongche fault zone. In an angle open to the northwest with the current basin edge line, the restored ancient lake shoreline controlled the heterogeneity of reservoirs in the delta plain belt and delta front belt on its both sides. The ancient lake shoreline, current stratigraphic denudation line and current basin margin line limit the types and scope of favorable reservoirs. This understanding provides an important geological basis for oil and gas exploration in the deep lower source-reservoir assemblage at the southern margin of Junggar Basin.