Northeastern Sichuan Basin Research Articles

Effect of Pre-Adsorbed Water on Methane Adsorption Capacity in Shale-Gas Systems

The presence and content of water will certainly affect the gas adsorption capacity of shale and the evaluation of shale gas content. In order to reasonably evaluate the gas adsorption capacity of shale under actual reservoir conditions, the effect of water on methane adsorption capacity needs to be investigated. Taking the Da’anzhai Member of the Lower Jurassic Ziliujing Formation in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, China as an example, this study attempts to reveal the effect of pre-adsorbed water on methane adsorption capacity in shale-gas systems by conducting methane adsorption experiments in two sequences, firstly at different temperatures under dry condition and secondly at different relative humidity levels under the same temperature. The results show that temperature and relative humidity (i.e., water saturation) are the main factors affecting the methane adsorption capacity of shale for a single sample. The key findings of this study include: 1) Methane adsorption capacity of shale first increases then decreases with depth, reaching a peak at about 1,600–2,400 m. 2) Lower relative humidity correlates to greater maximum methane adsorption capacity and greater depth to reach the maximum methane adsorption capacity. 3) 20% increase of relative humidity results in roughly 10% reduction of maximum methane adsorption capacity. As a conclusion, methane adsorption capacity of shale is predominately affected by water saturation, pore type and pore size of shale. This study could provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of a reasonable evaluation method for shale adsorbed gas content.

Discussion on marine facies and beach bar—lagoon system of Xujiahe Formation in Sichuan Basin

The oil and gas exploration of Xujiahe formation in Sichuan Basin has achieved good results. Natural gas reserves have been submitted by Yingshan structure, Tongjiang-nanjiang-bazhong structure, Guang’an and Hechuan, in this paper, we focus on the sedimentary characteristics of the upper triassic xujiahe formation in northeastern Sichuan Basin which is considered to be the interactive of the Delta and Lake deposit systems. It is believed that the Xujiahe formation in Sichuan Basin belongs to the Gulf environment. In the northeastern part of the basin, it is the combination of Beach bar-lagoon sedimentary deposit includes sand bars, all kinds of sand beaches, estuaries and tidal channels of lagoon or estuaries confined by sand bars, and the terraforming lagoon plain and its range of ancient sand dams.

Characteristics and evaluation of tight gas reservoir in Shaxi miao Formation, Northeastern Sichuan Basin

The reservoir of Shaximiao Formation is mainly composed of channel coarse sandstone and fine sandstone. The rocks are dense, the lithology is single and the thickness is l arge. The physical properties of Shaximiao Formation are not clear for the northeast Sichuan area. Based on field and core physical property analysis of Shaximiao Formation in Northeast Sichuan Basin, the characteristics of porosity and permeability of Shaximiao Formation are defined, the porosity-permeability relation chart is established, and on this basis, The tight reservoir of Shaximiao Formation was evaluated, the result show that the favorable reservoir is mainly located in the intersection area of channel sand, the reservoirs are mainly of III type, followed by the reservoirs of II type, and the I type are the least.

A new and integrated imaging and compositional method to investigate the contributions of organic matter and inorganic minerals to the pore spaces of lacustrine shale in China

Pore structure is an important factor controlling the shale gas content. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) is a commonly used shale reservoir characterization method. However, the quantitative characterization of shale pore structure based on FE-SEM results is still problematic due to the representative issue caused by strong heterogeneity at the microscale. In this study, FE-SEM images of lacustrine shale samples from the Jurassic Ziliujing Formation in the Northeastern Sichuan Basin were systematically analyzed using image processing software. The quantitative pore structure characteristics of each component (including organic matter, clay minerals, quartz and feldspar) in shale samples were extracted from the FE-SEM images. Using the areal porosity and pore size distribution from FE-SEM images, content and density of each component in shale samples and the bulk density of shale samples, the pore volume distribution of each component and the whole shale sample was calculated, which innovatively combined the FE-SEM images with shale compositional information to resolve the representative issue of FE-SEM images and was more practical. This new method could also avoid the effect of ink-bottle pores and isolated pores on shale pore structure characterization commonly existing in high-pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry (HPMIP). The results show that clay mineral pores dominantly contribute to the pore spaces of Ziliujing Formation shale, followed by quartz and feldspar pores, and organic matter (OM) pores contribute the least. The OMs are divided into four categories according to their pore sizes and morphology. More specifically, spongy pores in OM and the cracks within or along the periphery of nonporous OM are the dominant OM pore types in Ziliujing Formation shale. Furthermore, the interaction between clay minerals and organic matter could catalyze the process of pore development in OM, which is confirmed by the higher areal porosities of OMs contacting with clay minerals compared with those not.

Characteristics and origin of a new type of polyhalite potassium ore in the Lower Triassic Jialingjiang Formation, Puguang area, northeastern Sichuan Basin, SW China

A new type of polyhalite potassium ore (NTPPO) was found in the Lower Triassic Jialingjiang Formation, NE Sichuan Basin, SW China. It is water soluble, therefore can be exploited using the water-solution method, and is of great potential of economic value and research significance. Based on cores, thin sections, energy spectrum and SEM analyses, its microfeatures, macrofeatures and origin are discussed, and a genetic model is established to provide a scientific basis for future evaluation, prediction and exploration of potassium ore in the Sichuan Basin. It is proposed that the NTPPO was caused by storm activities: (1) the storm broke the original sedimentary polyhalite–gypsum beds, whose fragments were transported into the salt basin with high content of K+ and Mg2+; (2) in the basin, the polyhalite continued to be formed from gypsum by metasomatism with K- and Mg-rich brine; (3) during diagenesis, under high temperature and high pressure, K–Mg-rich brine from halite continued to replace anhydrite (or gypsum) to form polyhalite.

Multiple thrust detachments and their implications for hydrocarbon accumulation in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, southwestern China

The northeastern Sichuan Basin thrust belt located in southwestern China, is a large-scale intracontinental thrust system with multiple detachments represented by a series of subparallel chevron anticlines. We conduct a comprehensive study of the geometry and kinematics of the thrust belt and its implications for the petroleum system based on seismic-reflection profile interpretation, field investigation, analysis of wells, and geochronology. Two major detachments occur within the allochthonous succession: the (1) gypsum-bearing lower to middle Cambrian Longwangmiao and Gaotai Formations and (2) Lower Triassic Jialingjiang Formation. The dark gray shales in the lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation are a favorable source rock that may also act as a third detachment in this study area. The stratigraphic succession is divided by three detachments into three structural intervals: (1) lower Cambrian–Silurian structural interval, (2) middle Silurian–Triassic structural interval, and (3) upper Triassic–Jurassic structural interval. The lower structural interval may be a good candidate for hydrocarbon exploration because of the occurrence of high-quality source rock and its reservoir-trapping evolutionary history.

Diagenesis and Porosity Evolution of Calcareous Sandstone Reservoirs of Xu-3 Member in Western Yuanba of Northeastern Sichuan Basin, China

Diagenesis and Porosity Evolution of Calcareous Sandstone Reservoirs of Xu-3 Member in Western Yuanba of Northeastern Sichuan Basin, China

Origin and paleoenvironment of organic matter in the Wufeng–Longmaxi shales in the northeastern Sichuan basin

The formation environment and preservation conditions of sedimentary organic matter (OM) play an important role in the accumulation of shale gas. In the present study, inorganic and organic geochemical data were analyzed to determine the origin and preservation environment of sedimentary OM in the Wc-1 well of the Wufeng–Longmaxi (WF–LMX) Formation in northeastern Chongqing, China. In a biomarkers analysis, the numerical characteristics of n-alkanes ( n-C17/ n-C31>4.0), tricyclic terpenes (C23TT/C30H>1.0), and steranes (C27/C29St>1.0) suggested that the main origin of OM in the black shale was planktonic algae. High values of P/Ti and BaXS in the paleoproductivity indices suggested that primary productivity in the WF–LMX Formation was relatively high, peaking in the lower LMX Formation. Relative enrichment in U, V, and Mo, and the changing trends in V/(V+Ni) and Ni/Co suggested that the redox conditions for the bottom water, which changed from the WF Formation to the lower and upper LMX Formation, were oxic/dysoxic to anoxic and dysoxic, respectively. The relationship between total organic carbon and the above indexes indicates that different key factors controlled OM enrichment in the WF–LMX Formation. In the WF Formation, oxic bottom water was not conducive to the preservation of sedimentary OM. In the lower LMX Formation, the highest paleoproductivity and anoxic bottom water conditions promoted the enrichment and preservation of sedimentary OM. In the upper LMX Formation, excessive terrigenous inputs and relatively low paleoproductivity limited the enrichment of sedimentary OM.

Characteristics and main controlling factors of reservoirs in the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation in Yuanba and its peripheral area, northeastern Sichuan Basin, SW China

Abstract Based on the abundant outcrops and 3D seismic data in Yuanba and its surrounding areas in northeastern Sichuan Basin, the characteristics, main controlling factors and development regularities of reservoirs in the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation (shortened as Deng 4 Member) were analyzed comprehensively. The results show that the reservoirs were mainly developed in microbial dolomite associated with the microbial mound and dolarenite associated with grain beach, and had intergranular dissolution pores, inter-frame dissolution pores and karst caves as main storage space. The reservoirs were large in scale and strong in heterogeneity. The analysis of the reservoir genetic mechanisms shows that the reservoirs in the fourth member of Dengying Formation were the products of karstification on mound-beach facies deposited in the second episode of Tongwan movement. The karstification had the marks of eogenetic karstification such as granophyric karst system and half-dissociation zone. The reservoirs were controlled by the sedimentary facies belt, the mound beach facies was the decisive factor in reservoir development. Further analysis indicates that the Yuanba area had a geological background of well-developed platform margin mound beach facies, so mound beach bodies can be taken as a favorable exploration target.

Performance of free gases during the recovery enhancement of shale gas by CO2 injection: a case study on the depleted Wufeng\u2013Longmaxi shale in northeastern Sichuan Basin, China

In this work, a novel thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupling model is developed, where the real geological parameters of the reservoir properties are embedded. Accordingly, nine schemes of CO2 injection well (IW) and CH4 production well (PW) are established, aiming to explore the behavior of free gases after CO2 is injected into the depleted Wufeng–Longmaxi shale. The results indicate the free CH4 or CO2 content in the shale fractures/matrix is invariably heterogeneous. The CO2 involvement facilitates the ratio of free CH4/CO2 in the matrix to that in the fractures declines and tends to be stable with time. Different combinations of IW–PWs induce a difference in the ratio of the free CH4 to the free CO2, in the ratio of the free CH4/CO2 in the matrix to that in the fractures, in the content of the recovered free CH4, and in the content of the trapped free CO2. Basically, when the IW locates at the bottom Wufeng–Longmaxi shale, a farther IW–PWs distance allows more CO2 in the free phase to be trapped; furthermore, no matter where the IW is, a shorter IW–PWs distance benefits by getting more CH4 in the free phase recovered from the depleted Wufeng–Longmaxi shale. Hopefully, this work is helpful in gaining knowledge about the shale-based CO2 injection technique.

A new quantitative model and application for overpressure prediction in carbonate formation

The prediction of pore pressure in subsurface formations is important for the estimation of hydrocarbon accumulation and for safe drilling activities. Typically, pore pressure is estimated from either well logs (e.g., P-wave velocity, resistivity) or seismic data (seismic velocities, acoustic impedance) using empirical relations based on compaction laws. Due to the high density and extremely heterogeneous physical properties, it's not feasible to calculated pore pressure in carbonate rocks with these empirical methods. The result of ultrasonic velocity measurements in carbonate rocks shows that velocity is affected by multiple factors, e.g., stress condition, porosity, rock composition, fluid composition, and other rock properties. It's practicable to predict pore pressure with velocity when other factors are kept constant or evaluated quantitatively.In this paper, a quantitative model to compute the elastic attributes as a function of pressure and petrophysical properties is proposed. The model as a rock physical model is based on the poroelasticity theory and describes the effect on the elastic property of stress conditions. The model is validated using laboratory measurements. A case study for this model application from the northeastern Sichuan Basin, including a set of well logs and borehole measurements is also presented. The pore pressure gradient in carbonate reservoirs is ranging from 0.99 to 2.13 MPa/100 m. The predicted result shows the relative error between model predictions and observations measured while drilling is from 0.60% to 10.22%. The method proposed in this study is effective for pore pressure prediction in carbonate formation.

Northeastward propagation of nocturnal precipitation over the Sichuan Basin

AbstractThe Sichuan Basin (SCB) is located to the east of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and features nocturnal precipitation. This study explores spatial variation of nocturnal precipitation during the warm season over the SCB using high spatiotemporal resolution merged precipitation products from 2008 to 2017. It is found that there is a prominent northeastward timing delay of precipitation peak over the SCB, that is, the diurnal peak of precipitation occurs in the midnight over the southwestern SCB whereas in the early morning over the northeastern SCB. This time delay is partly ascribed to a northeastward propagation of precipitation over the SCB, account for about 40% and 25% of the diurnal variation of precipitation over the central and northeastern SCB, respectively. Precipitation first occurs over the southwestern edge of the SCB at about 1900–2000 LST, and then propagates northeastward steered by the large‐scale mid‐tropospheric southwesterly airflow, which is consistent with the northeastward propagation of the large moisture convergence. The precipitation reaches the northeastern SCB in the early morning. The diurnal variation of 850‐hPa wind has strong easterly wind deviations in the early evening over the southwestern SCB, which favours for an initiation of precipitation by orographic lift of air. The diurnal variation of difference in equivalent potential temperature between 500 hPa and 850 hPa has a maximum negative deviation in the early evening over the southwestern SCB, which enhances the instability and therefore favours an initiation of precipitation. The Yunnan‐Guizhou Plateau (YGP) may play an important role in the initiation of precipitation over the southwestern SCB in the early evening.

Marinoan glacial aftermath in South China: Paleo-environmental evolution and organic carbon accumulation in the Doushantuo shales

The paleo-environment and organic matter accumulation after the Marinoan “Snowball Earth” event is of great significance to understand the Earth system and petroleum geology during this critical period. However, the present studies in South China are not well constrained due to the lack of continuous sedimentary records. Here, we present an integrated petrological and geochemical study of a unique, continuous, and complete outcrop in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, SW China. Results show that the postglacial Doushantuo shales in the study area can be divided into three intervals (from bottom to top: Unit1–Unit2–Unit3) according to geochemistry evolutionary trend. Multiple redox proxies (VEF, UEF, MoEF, Corg/P, Th/U, and UMo covariation pattern) indicate the bottom redox condition changed from oxic to suboxic, and back to weakly oxic stratigraphically. Babio and Ba/Al paleoproductivity proxies suggest that the primary productivity was middle–high and it was slightly higher in Unit 2. The CIAcorr values of Doushantuo shales range from 72.2 to 86.8 and gradually increase from Unit 1 to Unit 3, indicating relatively intense weathering conditions and global warm and humid paleoclimatic conditions. The Doushantuo shales in our studied outcrop is approximately 100 m in thickness. They are at over mature stage with average random reflectance of 1.86–2.14%, which makes the recovered original organic matter abundance up to ~2.0 wt%. The kerogen of the shales is type II. The accumulation of organic matter was mainly controlled by the preservation environments, with the primary productivity level as a secondary control. These data were further compared with other outcrops reported in previous studies for a comprehensive understanding. The variation of organic carbon contents in the Doushantuo shales hold similar features across the entire South China, with the middle part producing the highest-quality source rocks with conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon geological significance. This suggests that changes in sea level and paleo-weathering after the Marinoan glaciation controlled the enrichment of organic carbon in shales. The enrichment is a large-scale geological event across basins rather than a local one. This might be general and referenced for the postglacial and/or interglacial shales.

Hydrothermal experiments involving methane and sulfate: Insights into carbon isotope fractionation of methane during thermochemical sulfate reduction

To understand the isotope fractionation of methane (CH4) during thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR), isothermal pyrolysis of CH4/N2 gas involving gypsum + MgCl2 and MgSO4 solutions were conducted in a gold-tube system. CH4 was oxidized to generate H2S and CO2 via TSR in the hydrothermal experiments with sulfate. The δ13C1 becomes more enriched with the conversion of CH4. However, there is no evident enrichment of 2H for CH4 during TSR under hydrothermal conditions. Ab initio quantum calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) demonstrate that the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) rather than the thermodynamic equilibrium isotope effect (EIE) governs the 13C fractionation during methane TSR. The kinetic 13C fractionation factor (α) for TSR of CH4 involving SO42− and HSO4− is 0.960–0.992 between 0 °C and 600 °C. Combining these experimental results, α for methane TSR was in the range 0.98–0.99 with an average value of 0.985. Based on these results, the extent of methane TSR for natural gas in the Puguang gas field in the northeastern Sichuan Basin was determined via the evolution of δ13C1. Geological extrapolation of the kinetic parameters and KIE suggests that the conversion of CH4 via TSR in the P2ch-T1f Formations in this gas field is <20%.

Strategy Optimization on Industrial CO2 Sequestration in the Depleted Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation Shale in the Northeastern Sichuan Basin, SW China: From the Perspective of Environment and Energy

CO2 sequestration in shale is of great potential and has the feasibility to achieve dual purposes: CO2 emission reduction and CH4 production enhancement. Nevertheless, challenges still remain in wo...

Genetic mechanism and pore evolution in high quality dolomite reservoirs of the Changxing-Feixianguan Formation in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, China

The marine carbonate rock in the Changxing-Feixianguan Formation of Xuanhan-Daxian area, northeastern Sichuan, the Sichuan Basin holds abundant natural gas resource, where the dolomite includes two types, the one with original texture (grain dolomite, reef dolomite) and the one without original texture (idiomorphic to anhedral-crystal dolomite, porphyritic dolomite). The analysis on the isotopes of C, O, Sr and other geochemical features shows that the dolomitizing process happened in fluid rich in Mg2+ and lean in Ca2+ and brought in Fe2+, Mn2+ and took out Sr2+; with the rise of recrystallization, the Fe2+, Mn2+ contents tend to increase while δ18OPDB and Srcontent tend to decrease. According to the variation of 87Sr/86Sr and other geochemical features, it is considered that the dolomitizing fluid participating in the reservoir diagenesisis the high salinity sea water later than the end of Feixianguan stage, and the dolomitization takes place mainly through the multiple thermal convective cycle effect. The micritic dolomite is of evaporative dolomitization origin with the characteristics of high Sr2+, Na+ and low Mn2+ which reflects the open environment of the surface exposed in the quasi syngenetic period, while the reef dolomite is of high Mg/Ca dolomitizing fluid origin with the characteristics of lowSr2+, Na+ and Mn2+, whose diagenetic environment changed from near surface to shallow burial environment; crystalline dolomite is formed by metasomatism of low Mg/Ca dolomitizing fluid at deep burial depth and high temperature, with the increase of burial depth,in the high temperature and high pressure deep sealing system, its Fe2+ and Mn2+ elements increased while Sr2+ decreased. Through reconstruction of dynamic diagenesis-pore evolution, it is concluded that the low porosity of shallow beach grain dolomite is resulted from early compaction and medium-term cementation, yet the reservoir quality has been apparently improved by the later hydrocarbon dissolution; compared with shallow beach grain dolomite,the reef dolomite has smaller initial porosity, but stronger compressive capacity. The early compaction and medium-term cementation have less impact on the reef dolomite, and the later dissolution strength is slightly weaker than that of the granular dolomite, thus the change range of porosity is smaller than that of the grain dolomite; the micrite-silt dolomite mainly suffered porosity reduction caused by compaction, and the later burial dissolution and recrystallization are key to the quality improvement of this kind of dolomite reservoir.

The change of cloud top height over East Asia during 2000–2018

In order to know how regional averaged cloud top height (CTH) responded to the past climatic change, the spatial and temporal variations of CTH based on MODIS data (MOD03_08_v6.0) from March 2000 to February 2018 are analyzed. The results show that the CTH in East Asia was higher in the southwest and lower in the northeast. The annual mean CTH was found to increase in East Asia at the rate of 0.020 km per year, of which, 0.035 km per year over the eastern land and 0.034 km per year over the eastern sea. The CTH changes statistically correlated with the sea surface temperature changes over the eastern sea (r = 0.68), which indicates that the CTH changes may be affected by the underlying surface. Statistically significant increasing trend of annual mean CTH was found in the latitude zone of 30°–40°N. Furthermore, CTH showed decreasing trends of about −0.030 km per year in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River Basin, Tarim Basin, Turpan Basin and northeastern Sichuan Basin in summer since more low cloud formations benefited to the decrease of CTH. In winter, the decreasing trend of CTH was found over the north of 40°N, whereas the increasing trend was found over the south of 40°N in East Asia.

Palynofacies analysis for interpreting paleoenvironment and hydrocarbon potential of Triassic–Jurassic strata in the Sichuan Basin, China

The Sichuan Basin is one of the largest petroliferous basins in China. The continental fluvial‒lacustrine sediments of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation and the Lower Jurassic Zhenzhuchong Formation yield diverse fossil organisms and host one of the most important gas reservoirs in the basin. However, paleontological implication for the paleoenvironment and hydrocarbon source is less documented. Here, we report, for the first time for this basin, results from palynofacies analyses combined with thermal alteration data in the Early Mesozoic deposit of the Qilixia section, northeastern Sichuan Basin. The results show that, organic matters in sediments are dominated by phytoclasts, with less abundant palynomorphs and a few amorphous organic matters (AOMs). Four palynofacies assemblages were identified, reflecting depositional settings in a general proximal and oxic fluvial‒deltaic environment, with two distal–proximal sedimentary cycles. The prominent dominance of opaque phytoclasts within the lower Zhenzhuchong Formation may be related to frequent wildfires across the Triassic–Jurassic transition. Palynofacies data (especially the relative abundance of opaque phytoclasts) may reflect 405 kyr eccentricity cyclicity pattern. The palynofacies and thermal alteration index (TAI), combined with geochemical data indicate the presence of type III kerogen in mature to post-mature phases, suggesting gas potential of the Xujiahe and Zhenzhuchong formations in the northeastern Sichuan Basin. This study provides significant implications for better understanding the paleoenvironment variations during the Triassic–Jurassic transition and the future gas exploration in this area.

Seismic anisotropy beneath the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau from SKS splitting observations

The eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is one of the areas of the entire region with the most complex deformation. Seismic anisotropy reveals the imprints of past and present deformation in the lithosphere and asthenosphere, which could help elucidate the deformation mechanism. This study investigated the characteristics of seismic anisotropy beneath 512 seismic stations based on SKS phases from ~200 earthquake. The measured splitting delay time varied from 0.2–1.4 s (average: 0.7 s). In the central Sichuan basin (SCB), the average delay time is only ~0.35 s, consistent with the characteristics of the relatively thick and rigid lithosphere of the stable SCB. However, the northeastern SCB has relatively stronger anisotropy with a fast polarization direction (FPD) with NE-SW orientation, which is markedly different from the weak anisotropy with NW–SE orientation in the central SCB. We speculate that owing to E–W compressive stress caused by eastward escape of material from the Tibetan Plateau, the lithosphere in this area has undergone considerable deformation along the right-lateral maximum shear direction. In the Chuandian diamond block, the FPD of several adjacent stations was approximately E-W, i.e., almost perpendicular to the FPD in the northern and southern regions, which might be related to partial melting in the lithosphere and to compressive stress. The FPD in the west Qinling orogenic belt is approximately parallel to the strike of the surface faults and the average delay time is approximately 1.3 s. As the lithosphere is insufficient to produce such strong anisotropy in this region, we infer that the lithosphere and asthenosphere both contribute to the seismic anisotropy. Delay time in the southern Songpan-Ganzi block is much smaller than in the north, which might be attributable to low-velocity mantle upwelling and complex tectonic stress in this area.

Geomorphic indices and longitudinal profile of the Daba Shan, northeastern Sichuan Basin: Evidence for the late Cenozoic eastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau

The Daba Shan Orocline is located in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, and has undergone foreland propagation and distinct surface uplift owing to the eastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau since the late Cenozoic. In order to describe and quantify the earth surface processes respond to deep geological mechanisms, and to detect the kind of tectonic deformation in the Daba Shan area during the late Cenozoic, various geomorphic indices were analyzed for study area. The obtained results are: (1) The northeast of the Hanzhong Basin, the Hannan-Micang Massifs, along the Chengkou-Fangxian fault, and the Shennongjia Massif exhibit intense tectonic activity. (2) The spatial patterns of the channel steepness indices indicate that the western segment of the northern Daba Shan (Fenghuang Shan and Paotaizi region) have higher uplift rates than the eastern. (3) The longitudinal profile analysis revealed that the landscape evolution of the Shennongjia Massif is in a transient state, with an uplift amplitude of 1700–1900 m since the end of the Paleogene (25 Ma), and an average uplift rate of 0.072 ± 0.004 mm/a. The paleochannel reconstruction indicate an incision of ~900–1000 m since the late Neogene (3.0–3.4 Ma), with the average uplift rate being 0.3 ± 0.03 mm/a. (4) Three tectonic deformation zones can be distinguished in the Daba Shan (from west to east), the shortening deformation, strike-slip deformation, and vertical uplift zones. These observations suggest that the eastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau has affected the Daba Shan area and shaped the modern landscape.