Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T12:45:14.444Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mesozoic non-marine petroleum source rocks determined by palynomorphs in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, northwestern China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2008

DE-XIN JIANG ,
YONG-DONG WANG ,
ELEANORA I. ROBBINS ,
JIANG WEI  and
NING TIAN
DE-XIN JIANG
Affiliation:
Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
YONG-DONG WANG*
Affiliation:
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
ELEANORA I. ROBBINS
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston VA 20192, USA
JIANG WEI
Affiliation:
Norfolk State University, Norfolk VA 23504, USA
NING TIAN
Affiliation:
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
*
‡Author for correspondence: [email protected], [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The Tarim Basin in Northwest China hosts petroleum reservoirs of Cambrian, Ordovician, Carboniferous, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary ages. The sedimentary thickness in the basin reaches about 15 km and with an area of 560000 km2, the basin is expected to contain giant oil and gas fields. It is therefore important to determine the ages and depositional environments of the petroleum source rocks. For prospective evaluation and exploration of petroleum, palynological investigations were carried out on 38 crude oil samples collected from 22 petroleum reservoirs in the Tarim Basin and on additionally 56 potential source rock samples from the same basin. In total, 173 species of spores and pollen referred to 80 genera, and 27 species of algae and fungi referred to 16 genera were identified from the non-marine Mesozoic sources. By correlating the palynormorph assemblages in the crude oil samples with those in the potential source rocks, the Triassic and Jurassic petroleum source rocks were identified. Furthermore, the palynofloras in the petroleum provide evidence for interpretation of the depositional environments of the petroleum source rocks. The affinity of the miospores indicates that the petroleum source rocks were formed in swamps in brackish to lacustrine depositional environments under warm and humid climatic conditions. The palynomorphs in the crude oils provide further information about passage and route of petroleum migration, which is significant for interpreting petroleum migration mechanisms. Additionally, the thermal alternation index (TAI) based on miospores indicates that the Triassic and Jurassic deposits in the Tarim Basin are mature petroleum source rocks.

Keywords

spores and pollenpetroleum source rockspetroleum migrationoil fieldTriassic–JurassicTarim Basin
Type
Original Article
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 145 , Issue 6 , November 2008 , pp. 868 - 885
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbink, O. A. 1998. Palynological investigations in the Jurassic of the North Sea region. LPP Contributions Series no. 8. Utrecht: LPP Foundation, 192 pp.Google Scholar
Balme, B. E. 1963. Plant microfossils from the Lower Triassic of western Australia. Palaeontology 6, 12–40.Google Scholar
Balme, B. E. 1995. Fossil in situ spores and pollen grains, an annotated catalogue. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 87, 81–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Batten, D. J. & Coppelhus, E. B. 1996. Biostratigraphic significance of uppermost Triassic and Jurassic miospores in northwest Europe. In Palynology, Principles and Applications, vol. 2 (eds Jansonius, J. & McGregor, D. C.), pp. 795–806. Dallas, Texas: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation.Google Scholar
Bolchovitina, N. A. 1956. Atlas of spores and pollen from the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous deposits of the Vilyui depression. Transactions of the Institute of Geology, Academy of Sciences, USSR 2, 1–188, pls 1–25 (in Russian).Google Scholar
Chang, L. J. 1965. Sporo-pollen assemblage from Yima coal-bearing formation of Mianchi County of Henan Province and its significance. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 13, 160–96, pls 1–7 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Clarke, R. F. A. 1965. Keuper miospores from Worcestershire, England. Palaeontology 8, 294–321, pls 35–9.Google Scholar
Cookson, I. C. 1947. Plant microfossils from the Lignites of Kerguelen Archipelago. B.A.N.Z. Antarctic Research Expedition 1929–1931, Reports Series A 2, 127–42.Google Scholar
Couper, R. A. 1953. Upper Mesozoic and Cenozoic spores and pollen grains from New Zealand. New Zealand Geological Survey Palaeontological Bulletin 22, 1–77.Google Scholar
Couper, R. A. 1958. British Mesozoic microspores and pollen grains. A systematic and stratigraphic study. Palaeontographica B 103, 75–179, pls 15–31.Google Scholar
de Jersey, N. J. 1959. Jurassic spores and pollen grains from the Rosewood coalfield. Queensland Government Mining Journal 60, 344–66, pls 1–3.Google Scholar
de Jersey, N. J. 1962. Triassic spores and pollen grains from the Ipswich coalfield. Geological Survey of Queensland Publication 307, 1–18, pls 1–6.Google Scholar
de Jersey, N. J. 1963. Jurassic spores and pollen grains from the Marburg sandstone. Geological Survey of Queensland Publication 313, 1–13, pls 1–3.Google Scholar
de Jersey, N. J. 1965. Plant microfossils in some Queensland crude oil samples. Geological Survey of Queensland Publication 329, 1–9.Google Scholar
Graham, S. A., Brassell, S., Carroll, A. R., Xiao, X., Demaison, G., McKnight, C. L., Liang, Y., Chu, J. & Hendrix, M. S. 1990. Characteristics of selected petroleum source rocks, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 74, 493–512.Google Scholar
Grauvogel-Stamm, L. 1978. La flore du Grés a Voltzia (Buntsandstein Supérieur) des Vosges du Nord (France). Morphologie, anatomie, interpretations phylogénique et paléogéographique. Univ. Louis Pasteur Strasbourg Institute Géologie Science Géologie Mémore 50, 1–225.Google Scholar
Hanson, A. D., Zhang, S. C., Moldowan, J. M., Liang, D. G. & Zhang, B. M. 2000. Molecular organic geochemistry of the Tarim basin, northwest China. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 84, 1109–28.Google Scholar
Helby, R. & Martin, A. R. H. 1965. Cylostrobus gen. nov., cones of lycopsidean plants from the Narrabean Group (Triassic) of New South Wales. Australian Journal of Botany 13, 389–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendrix, M. S., Brassell, S. C., Carroll, A. R. & Graham, S. A. 1995. Sedimentology, organic geochemistry, and petroleum potential of Jurassic coal measures, Tarim, Junggar, and Turpan basins, northwest China. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 79, 929–59.Google Scholar
Hendrix, M. S., Graham, S. A., Carroll, A. R., McKnight, C. L., Schulein, B. J. & Wang, Z. 1992. Sedimentary record and climatic implications of recurrent deformation in the Tian Shan: Evidence from Mesozoic strata of the north Tarim, south Junggar, and Turpan basins, northwest China. Geological Society of America Bulletin 104, 53–79.2.3.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hua, B. Q. & Lin, X. X. 1989. Discussion on some problems of oil migration in Jiuxi Basin. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 7, 39–47 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Huang, P. 1995. Early–Middle Jurassic sporopollen assemblages from Dananhu coalfield of Tuha Basin, Xinjiang and their stratigraphical significance. Acta Palaeontological Sinica 34, 171–93, pls 1–4 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Huang, J. Q. & Chen, B. W. 1987. The Evolution of Tethys in China and Adjacent Regions. Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 109 pp.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. M. 1979. Petroleum Geochemistry and Geology. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Company, 617 pp.Google Scholar
Jiabo. 1978. On the Paleogene dinoflagellates and acritarches from the coastal region of Bohai. Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Academia Sinica, Beijing: Science Press, 1–190 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. 1988. Spores and pollen in oils as indicators of lacustrine source rocks. In Lacustrine Petroleum Source Rocks (eds Fleet, A. J., Kelts, K. & Talbot, M. R.), pp. 159–69. Geological Society of London, Special Publication no. 40.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. 1990. Palynological evidence for identification of nonmarine petroleum source rocks, China. Ore Geology Reviews 5, 553–75, pls 1–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jiang, D. X. 1991. Fossil spores and pollen in petroleum and their significance. Chinese Journal of Botany 3, 62–76, pls 1–4.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. 1996. Fossil pollen and spores in crude oil from an igneous reservoir. In Palynology, Principles and Applications, vol. 3 (eds Jansonius, J. & McGregor, D. C.), pp. 1123–8. Dallas, Texas: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X., He, Z. S. & Dong, K. L. 1988. Early Cretaceous palynofloras from Tarim Basin, Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 30, 430–40, pls 1–3 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X., Wang, Y. D., He, Z. S. & Dong, K. L., Ni, Q. & Tian, N. 2006. Early Cretaceous palynofloras from the Kizilsu Group in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang. Acta Micropalaeontologyica Sinica 23, 371–91 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X., Wang, Y. D., He, Z. S. & Dong, K. L. 2007. Early Cretaceous Sporopollen assemblage from the Shuangshanhe Formation in Baicheng Area of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang. Acta Micropalaeontologyica Sinica 24, 247–60 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Wang, Y. D. 2002. Middle Jurassic sporo-pollen assemblage from the Yanan Formation of Dongsheng, Nei Monggol, China. Acta Botanica Sinica 44, 230–8, pls 1–2.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1980. Petroleum sporo-pollen assemblages and oil source rock of Yumen oil-bearing region in Gansu. Acta Botanica Sinica 22, 280–5, pls 1–2 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1983. Petroleum sporo-pollen assemblages and oil source rock of Kuche Seg in Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 25, 179–86, pl. 1 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1986. Petroleum sporo-pollen assemblages and oil source rocks of Yecheng Seg in Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 28, 111–16, pls 1–3 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1992. Spores and pollen in crude oils and petroleum source of Tarim Basin. Science in China (Series B) 35, 1005–12, pls 1–2.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1994. Spores and pollen in oil from igneous rock petroleum pool and petroleum origin of Junggar Basin. Science in China (Series B) 37, 1499–1505, pls 1–2.Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1996. Spores and pollen from crude oil of Kashi Depression, Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 38, 809–13, pls 1–2 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Jiang, D. X. & Yang, H. Q. 1999. Petroleum sporo-pollen assemblages and petroleum source rocks of North Tarim Upheaval in Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 41, 213–18, pls 1–2 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Ke & Shi. (Scientific Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), 1978. Early Tertiary Spores and Pollen grains from the Coastal Region of Bohai. Beijing: Science Press, 1–164 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Klaus, W. 1960. Sporen der karnischen Stufe der ostalpinen Trias. Jahrbuch Geologie Bundesanstalt (Austria) 5, 107–84, pls 28–38.Google Scholar
Leschik, G. 1955. Die Keuper Flora von Neuewelt bei Basel. II. Die Iso- und Mikrosporen. Schweizerische Paläontologische Abhandlungen 72, 1–70.Google Scholar
Li, M. C. 2004. Petroleum and Natural Gas Migration. Beijing: Petroleum Industry Press, 350 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Li, W. B. 2000. Early Cretaceous palynoflora from northern Tarim basin. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 39, 28–45, pls 1–6 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Litwin, R. J. 1985. Fertile organs and in situ spores of ferns from the Late Triassic Chinle Formation of Arizona and New Mexico, with discussion of the associated dispersed spores. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 44, 101–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Z. S. 1982. Early and Middle Jurassic sporo-pollen assemblages from the Shiguai coal-field of Baotou, Nei Monggol. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 21, 371–9, pls 1–2 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Liu, Z. S. 2003. Triassic and Jurassic sporo-pollen assemblages from the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, NW China. Palaeontologia Sinica, New Series A 190, 1–244, pls 1–40.Google Scholar
Ma, B. L. & Wen, C. Q. 1991. Formation and evolution of sedimentary rocks and oil-gas in Tarim Basin. Beijing: Science Press, 195 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Mädler, K. 1964. Bemerkenswerte Sporenformen aus dem Keuper und unterem Lias. Fortschritte in der Geologie von Rheinland und Westfalen 12, 169–200.Google Scholar
Maljavkina, V. S. 1949. Identification of spores and pollen of the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Trudy VNIGRI, N.S. 33, 1–138, pls 1–51 (in Russian).Google Scholar
McGregor, D. C. 1996. Palynomorphs in petroleum and formation water, A review. In Palynology, Principles and Applications, vol. 3 (eds Jansonius, J. & McGregor, D. C.), pp. 1115–21. Dallas, Texas: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation.Google Scholar
Nilsson, T. 1958. Über das Vorkommen eines mesozoischen Sapropelgesteins in Schonen. Lunds Universitets Årsskrift, Avd 2, 54, 5–112.Google Scholar
Ouyang, S. & Li, Z. P. 1980. Microflora from the Kayitou Formation of Fuyan district, E. Yunnan and its bearing on stratigraphy and palaeobotany. In Stratigraphy and Palaeontology of the Late Permian coal measures of western Guizhou and eastern Yunnan, pp. 123–83. Beijing: Science Press (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Playford, G. 1965. Plant microfossils from Triassic sediments near Poatina, Tasmania. Journal of Geological Society of Australia 12, 173–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pocock, S. A. J. 1970. Palynology of the Jurassic sediments of western Canada. Palaeontographica B 130, 12–136, pls 5–26.Google Scholar
Potonié, R. 1958. Synopsis der Gattungen der Sporae dispersae. Teil II. Geologisches Jahrbuch Beiheft 31, 1–114.Google Scholar
Potonié, R. 1962. Synopsis der Sporae in situ. Beiheft zum Geologischen Jahrbuch H 52, 1–204.Google Scholar
Qu, L. 1982. The palynological assemblage from the Liujiagou Formaion of Jiaocheng, Shanxi. Bulletin of Geological Institute, Chinese Academy of Geological Society 4, 83–93, pls 1–2 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Roehl, P. O. 1981. Dilation brecciation, proposed mechanism of fracturing, petroleum expulsion, and dolomitization in Monterey Formation, California. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 65, 980–1.Google Scholar
Sanders, J. M. 1937. The microscopical examination of crude petroleum. Journal of Institute of Petroleum Technology 23, 525–73.Google Scholar
Schulz, E. 1964. Sporen and pollen aus dem mittleren Buntsandstein des germanischen Beckens. Monatsbericht der Deutscher Akademischer Wissenschaft zu Berlin 6, 597–606.Google Scholar
Schulz, E. 1967. Sporenpalaontologische untersuchungen ratoliassischer Schichten im Zentralteil des germanischen Beckens. Palaeontologische Abhandlungen B 2, 541–633.Google Scholar
Sheffy, M. V. & Dilcher, D. L. 1971. Morphology and taxonomy of fungal spores. Palaeontographica B 133, 34–51.Google Scholar
Sun, F. 1989. Early and Middle Jurassic sporo-pollen assemblages of Qiquanhu coal-field of Turpan, Xinjiang. Acta Botanica Sinica 31, 638–46, pls 1–2.Google Scholar
Timofeev, B. V. & Karimov, A. K. 1953. Spores and pollen in mineral oil. D. A. N. USSR 92, 151–2 (in Russian).Google Scholar
Tissot, B. P. & Welte, D. H. 1978. Petroleum Formation and Occurrence. New York, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 314 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Townrow, J. A. 1962. On some disaccate pollen grains of Permian to middle Jurassic age. Grana Palynologica 3, 13–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tralau, H. 1968. Botanical investigation into the fossil flora of Eriksdal in Fyledalen, Scania. II. The middle Jurassic microflora. Bulletin of Geological Survey of Sweden 633, 1–132, pls 1–26.Google Scholar
Traverse, A. 1988. Paleopalynology. Boston: Unwin Hyman, 600 pp.Google Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1971. In situ gymnosperm pollen from the Middle Jurassic of Yorkshire. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 20, 1–96.Google Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1975. Some notes on Marattia anglica from the Jurassic of Yorkshire. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 20, 205–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1978. Osmundaceous spores in situ from the Middle Jurassic of Yorkshire, England. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 26, 125–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1981. Schizaeaceous spores in situ from the Jurassic of Yorkshire, England. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 33, 169–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1989. Dicksoniaceous spores in situ from the Jurassic of Yorkshire, England. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 61, 273–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J. H. A. 1993. A review of the Matoniaceae based on in situ spores. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 78, 235–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Venkatachala, B. S., Beju, D & Kar, R. K. 1968. Palynological evidence on the presence of Lower Triassic in the Danubean (Moesian) Platform, Rumania. Palaeobotanist 16, 29–37.Google Scholar
Waldschmidt, W. A. 1941. Progress report on microscopic examination of Permian crude oils. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 25, 934.Google Scholar
Wang, F. H., Chian, N. F., Zhang, Y. L. & Yang, H. Q. 1995. Pollen Flora of China. Beijing: Science Press, 461 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Wang, Y. D. 1999. Fertile organs and in situ spores of Marattia asiatica (Kawasaki) Harris (Marattiales) from the Lower Jurassic Hsiangchi Formation in Hubei, China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 107, 125–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y. D. 2002. Fern ecological implications from the Lower Jurassic in Western Hubei. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 119, 125–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y. D., Guignard, G., Lugardon, B. & Barale, G. 2001. Ultrastructure of in situ Marattia asiatica (Marattiaceae) spores from the Lower Jurassic in Hubei, China. International Journal of Plant Sciences 162, 927–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y. D. & Mei, S. W. 1999. Fertile organs and in situ spores of a matoniaceous fern from the Lower Jurassic of West Hubei. Chinese Science Bulletin 44, 1333–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, Y. D., Mosbrugger, V. & Zhang, H. 2005. Early–Middle Jurassic vegetation and climate events in the Qaidam Basin, China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 224, 200–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, J., Qu, L., Zhou, H., Cheng, Z., Zhou, T., Hou, J., Li, P., Sun, S., Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Wu, X., Zhang, Z. & Wang, Z. 1986. Permian and Triassic strata and fossil assemblages in the Dalongkou area of Jimsar, Xinjiang. Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 262 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Yu, J. X. & Zhang, W. P. 1980. Upper Cretaceous Dinoflagellate cysts and Acritarchs of Western Xinjiang. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences 2, 93–119, pls 1–6 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Zhang, Y. L., Xi, Y. Z., Zhang, J. T. & Gao, G. Z. 1976. Sporae Pteridophytorum Sinicorum. Beijing: Science Press, 451 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Zhou, Z. Y. 2001. Stratigraphy of the Tarim Basin. Beijing: Science Press, 359 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Zhou, Z. Y. & Chen, P. J. 1990. Biostraigraphy and Geological Evolution of the Tarim Basin. Beijing: Science Press, 366 pp., pls 1–8 (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar
Zhou, Q. J. & Zheng, J. J. 1990. Tectonics of the Tarim Basin. Beijing: Science Press, 144 pp. (in Chinese with English abstract).Google Scholar