The fault activity, tectonic subsidence history, and geodynamics of syn‐depositional faults during the Palaeogene in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay Basin

Abstract

The fault activity, tectonic subsidence history, and geodynamics are analysed based on borehole information and seismic datasets from Liaodong Bay. The results reveal that the faults are intensely active (resulting in the faults that are characterized by more lengths and more throws) both in the northern and southern portions of the study area, while the faults are not active in the central portion of the study area during Kongdian Formation and Shahejie Formation deposition. However, the faults are generally more active in the northern portion of the study area than that in the southern portion of the study area. In contrast, the faults are intensely active in central and southern portion of the study area during Dongying Formation deposition. The numerous syn‐depositional faults, which are intensely active, result in southward movement of depositional centre. The tectonic subsidence history of wells (including well JZ‐A, well JZ‐B, well JZ‐C, well JZ‐D, well JX‐A, and well SZ‐A) in Liaodong Bay indicates that it shows obvious episodic tectonic evolution during the Palaeogene in Liaodong Bay. The episodic tectonic movement (initial rifting, rifting climax, thermal subsiding, and strike‐slip rifting) corresponds to Kongdian Formation and Shahejie Formation deposition, and Dongying Formation deposition, respectively. The spatio‐temporal variation of tectonic subsidence history is closely related to fault activity. The analysis results of balanced cross‐sections show that faults are intensely active during Dongying Formation deposition. However, a few faults are much active than that during Shahejie Formation deposition. There is a slight decrease in tectonic activity intensity during Kongdian Formation and Shahejie Formation deposition. In contrast, there is a significant decrease in tectonic activity intensity during third‐member to first‐member of Dongying Formation deposition. The tectonic activity intensity tends to cease by the end of Dongying Formation.