Evidence of early passive diapirism and tectonic evolution of salt structures in the western Kuqa depression (Quele area), southern Tianshan (NW China)

Zhao, Bo; Wang, Xin

doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2016.05.021

Cited by 29 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The Kangcun Formation is mainly lacustrine‐fluvial brownish siltstones/sandstones occasionally interbedded with conglomerates, whereas the Kuqa Formation is dominated by fluvial‐alluvial light‐brownish siltstones/sandstones interbedded with upward coarsening conglomerates. According to our field investigation and previous studies, numerous salt‐related structures developed in the depression, especially the western part of it (Wu et al, ; Zhao & Wang, ). In the core of the Awate anticline, it is characterized by large‐scale outcrops of Paleocene‐Eocene evaporites (Figure ), which have been thought to be the detachment layer in the whole depression (Wang et al, ; Wu et al, ; Zhao & Wang, ).…”

Section: Geological Setting and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…According to our field investigation and previous studies, numerous salt‐related structures developed in the depression, especially the western part of it (Wu et al, ; Zhao & Wang, ). In the core of the Awate anticline, it is characterized by large‐scale outcrops of Paleocene‐Eocene evaporites (Figure ), which have been thought to be the detachment layer in the whole depression (Wang et al, ; Wu et al, ; Zhao & Wang, ).…”

Section: Geological Setting and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late Cenozoic Clockwise Rotations in the Westernmost Part of the Arcuate Qiulitage Fold‐and‐Thrust Belt of Southern Tian Shan Foreland and Its Tectonic Implications

et al. 2019

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Curvature of fold‐and‐thrust belts (FTBs) is a rather common feature in foreland basins. The problem of how curves in FTBs originate is essential for understanding the propagation of deformation and tectonic history of orogens. In this study, we carried out systematic paleomagnetic studies in the westernmost part of the Qiulitage FTB, southern Tian Shan foreland, where thrusting, strike‐slip fault, and tectonic boundary coexist. Our new results suggest that the study area has been subjected to ~20° clockwise rotations after ~5 Ma. Oroclinal test of the paleomagnetic data across the FTB suggests that oroclinal bending caused by the formation of the curved Qiulitage FTB is the dominate reason for these tectonic rotations. The Kalayuergun dextral strike‐slip transfer fault delimiting the western boundary of the Qiulitage FTB is a thin‐skinned structure accommodating the discrepancy in horizontal displacement on both sides of it. These results also suggest that the formation of the curved Qiulitage FTB should not be older than ~5 Ma, indicating that the southern Tian Shan foreland has experienced significant tectonic shortening since the latest Miocene to early Pliocene. Our new results, together with previous studies on deformation history, estimates of crustal shortening, GPS observations and earthquake records, suggest that the southern Tian Shan foreland has been subjected to significant deformation during the past ~5 million years, and the crustal shortening is still ongoing.

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Section: Geological Setting and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 53%

Section: Geological Setting and Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Cenozoic Clockwise Rotations in the Westernmost Part of the Arcuate Qiulitage Fold‐and‐Thrust Belt of Southern Tian Shan Foreland and Its Tectonic Implications

et al. 2019

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“…The Tarim Basin is bounded by the South Tianshan orogenic belt in the north, the Kunlun orogenic belt in the south, and the Quluketag deep-fault in the southeast (Chen & Shi, 2003;Jia, Gu, & Zhang, 2002;Yin et al, 2002;Yin & Harrison, 2000). This depression has experienced multiple stages of tectonic movements, among which the Depression as a result of the Tianshan Movement, which provided preferential migration pathways for hydrocarbon accumulation Zhao & Wang, 2016). Tectonically, the ENE-trending Kuqa Depression is adjacent to the southern Tianshan pediment fault zone to the north and the Tabei Uplift to the south, covering a total area of about 3.7 × 10 4 km 2 Lin, Rang, & Zeng, 2015;Yang et al, 2002;Zhao & Zhou, 2002 Zone, and the Wensu Uplift ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Geological and Stratigraphic Settings And Petroleum Geologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This depression has experienced multiple stages of tectonic movements, among which the Himalayan Movement in the late stage had the greatest impact on shaping the depression. Faults were well developed in the Kuqa Depression as a result of the Tianshan Movement, which provided preferential migration pathways for hydrocarbon accumulation Zhao & Wang, 2016). The source rocks of the depression are the Triassic and Jurassic coal measures and dark mudstones, including the Middle-Upper Triassic Kelamayi Formation (T 2-3 k) dark mudstone, Upper Triassic Taliqike (T 3 t) and Huangshanjie (T 3 h) formations, Lower Jurassic Yangxia Formation (J 1 y) coal measures, Middle Jurassic Kezilenuer (J 2 kz), and Qiakemake (J 2 q) formations (Dai, 2016;Lin et al, 2015;Figure 2).…”

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confidence: 99%

Geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons and their influencing factors in natural gases of the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, NW China

Peng

Wang

et al. 2018

Geological Journal

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In order to determine the source of the light hydrocarbons in the Kuqa Depression of the Tarim Basin, Northwest China, their geochemical characteristics are documented, and possible influencing factors are discussed in a broad context on the basis of geochemical analyses of natural gas samples from 19 wells in combination with previously reported natural gas components and carbon isotope values from the same depression. The biomarker analytical results show that (a) methyl cyclohexane (37.5–60.3%) of natural gas predominates the C7 light hydrocarbon series (methyl cyclohexane, heptanes, and dimethyl cyclopentane), and (b) the heptane content (25.0–54.8%) is also relatively high. The C6–7 light hydrocarbon series (aromatics, normal alkanes, and cycloalkanes) have abnormally high aromatics (benzene and toluene) content (26.2–83.8%). Heptane value (13.31–37.77%) and isoheptane value (2.10–7.64%) indicate that the Kuqa natural gases are of high maturity and typical of coal‐derived gas (gas generated by sapropelic source rock). Their light hydrocarbons, however, appear to have some characteristics of mixed‐source organic matter. Specifically, the light hydrocarbons in the Dina 2 gas field show characteristics of the coal‐derived gas; those in the Dabei gas field show some features of the oil‐associated gas (gas generated by humic source rock), whereas those in the Kela 2 and Keshen 2 gas fields and Well Yangtake‐101 display characteristics of the mixed source organic matter. The abnormally high content of the aromatics in the Kuqa Depression may have resulted mainly from their high productivity during the thermal maturity of humic type organic matters and the gases accumulation of late stage. The different relative contents of the aromatics in various oil and gas fields may have been accounted by different organic matter types, maturity, and distribution patterns of source rocks.

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“…From the north to south, five main structural belts are divided according to the different structural features in the western Kuqa Depression: the North structural belt (NSB), Kelasu structural belt (KLSSB), Baicheng sag (BCS), Qiulitage structural belt (QLTGSB), and the South basement slope belt (SBSB) (Figure 1) (Yin et al, 1998;Xin et al, 2002). As one of the most important hydrocarbonbearing evaporite basins in China (Yu et al, 2014;Feng et al, 2018;Song et al, 2019), numerous salt-related structures were widely developed in the Kuqa Depression, especially in the Kelasu structural belt with obvious topographic relief features and obvious structural deformation features (Tang et al, 2004;Wu et al, 2014;Yu et al, 2014;Wu et al, 2015a;Zhao and Wang, 2016;Wang et al, 2017;Neng et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Salt Thickness on the Structural Deformation of Foreland Fold-and-Thrust Belt in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin: Insights From Discrete Element Models

Yin

et al. 2021

Front. Earth Sci.

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The salt layer is critical for the structural deformation in the salt-bearing fold-and-thrust system, which not only acts as the efficient décollement layer but also flows to form salt tectonics. Kuqa Depression has a well-preserved thin-skinned fold-and-thrust system with the salt layer as the décollement. To investigate the effects of salt thickness on the structural deformation in the Kuqa Depression, three discrete element models with different salt thicknesses were constructed. The experiment without salt was controlled by several basal décollement dominant faults, forming several imbricate sheets. The experiments with salt developed the decoupled deformation with the salt layer as the upper décollement (subsalt, intrasalt, and suprasalt), significantly similar to the Kuqa Depression along the northern margin of Tarim Basin. Basal décollement dominant imbricated thrusts formed at the subsalt units, while the monoclinal structure formed at the suprasalt units. The decoupled deformation was also observed in the tectonic deformation graphics, distortional strain fields, and max shear stress fields. However, the salt layer was thickened in the thick salt model, and the salt thickness of the thin salt model varied slightly because the thin salt weakened the flowability of the salt. The lower max shear stress zone was easily formed in the distribution region of salt under the action of compression stress, which is conducive to the flow convergence of salt and the crumpled deformation of interlayer in salt. The results are well consistent with the natural characteristics of structural deformation in the Kuqa Depression. Our modeling result concerns the structural characteristics and evolution of salt-related structures and the effects of salt thickness on the structural deformation in the compressional stress field, which might be helpful for the investigations of salt-related structures in other salt-bearing fold-and-thrust belts.

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Evidence of early passive diapirism and tectonic evolution of salt structures in the western Kuqa depression (Quele area), southern Tianshan (NW China)

Cited by 29 publications

References 24 publications

Late Cenozoic Clockwise Rotations in the Westernmost Part of the Arcuate Qiulitage Fold‐and‐Thrust Belt of Southern Tian Shan Foreland and Its Tectonic Implications

Late Cenozoic Clockwise Rotations in the Westernmost Part of the Arcuate Qiulitage Fold‐and‐Thrust Belt of Southern Tian Shan Foreland and Its Tectonic Implications

Geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons and their influencing factors in natural gases of the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, NW China

Effects of Salt Thickness on the Structural Deformation of Foreland Fold-and-Thrust Belt in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin: Insights From Discrete Element Models

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