The characteristics of the neotectonic movement and their effects on the formation of gas reservoirs in the marginal depressions of Tarim basin, NW China

Tarim basin is one of the three largest gas-rich basins in China and is an important gas production base. The rapid and strong uplifting of peripheral mountains and large-scale activities of boundary faults led to rapid subsidence and strong tectonic deformation of some marginal depressions in this basin, such as Kuqa, Southwest Tarim and Southeast Tarim, which is of great significance to the hydrocarbon generation and accumulation. This work uses well logs and seismic section interpretations as well as previous studies. The conclusions are as follows: The Neotectonic movement of the marginal depressions began in the Miocene and went through four major evolutionary stages; the strong compression, thrust-faulting or strike-slip movements occurred in the neotectonic period, leading to the formation of large-scale foredeep depressions and subsidence zones, with intermittent uplifting and erosion; the tectonic activities differ significantly at different stages and in different depressions, and it was dominated by subsidence in the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene, while in the Middle and Late Pleistocene to present day, it was dominated by uplifting and erosion; The structures of the marginal depressions developed in rows, ordering from the foreland to the basin; Neotectonic movement has played an important role in the control of the formation, evolution and accumulation of gas reservoirs in the marginal depressions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.