On the paleogene coal-measure distribution over the China sea area

Abstract

The Paleogene coal accumulation basins of China are part of the global Tertiary coal-accumulated zone of the Pacific Rim located in the eastern coastal provinces and areas. Although the coal-bearing basins of the China Sea area are faults and depressed basins, they come up in groups. The overall structures are suitable for the development of coal-bearing deposition. The continuity of basin groups are good, and the coal-bearing depositions are thick. For example, the coal-bearing deposition is more than a kilometer thick at the Qiongdongnan Basin and Xihu Sag in the East China Sea, which the continental Paleogene coal basins cannot reach. Research shows that the coal accumulation basins in the sea area consist of many sags. There are two types of coal accumulation sags: half-graben sag and graben sag. In terms of water depth, coal accumulation sags can also be classified as deep-water half-graben sag and shallow-water half-graben sag; the graben sag is the deep-water sag. There are two distinct coal-accumulated zones in the basin: gentle slope and steep slope, with the gentle slope being the dominant one. The marshes of the supratidal zone and intertidal zone in a tidal flat system is favorable for the coal accumulation process widely taking place. There are two types of peat accumulation: autochthonous accumulation and allochthonous accumulation. Because of tectonic activities in the basins, allochthonous accumulations may be the more important form of coal-forming activities in the sea area. The very thick coal-bearing deposition in the sea area provides a rich material base for the assemblage of coal-related gas. Also, as a result of the deep burial depth, the degree of coal metamorphism is relatively high, so the coal-bearing strata become good hydrocarbon source rocks.