Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 719-739.doi: 10.11743/ogg20250303

• Petroleum Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Formation mechanisms of composite continental-margin basins and their control of hydrocarbon accumulation: A case study of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea

Changgui XU1, Yangdong GAO2, Jun LIU3,4, Guangrong PENG3,4, Hongbo Li3,4, Xinwei Qiu3,4, Lin Ding3,4, Zulie Long3,4, Jinyun Zheng3,4, Dapeng Jiang3,4   

  1. 1.CNOOC,Beijing 100010,China
    2.Exploration & Development Department of CNOOC (China) Co. ,Ltd. ,Beijing 100010,China
    3.Shenzhen Branch of CNOOC (China) Co. ,Ltd. ,Shenzhen,Guangdong 518054,China
    4.Deepwater Development Co. ,Ltd. ,CNOOC,Shenzhen,Guangdong 518054,China
  • Received:2025-02-07 Revised:2025-05-07 Online:2025-06-30 Published:2025-06-26

Abstract:

In recent years, significant advances have been achieved in research on rift basins along the passive continental margin of the South China Sea. However, consensus on the nature of these basins is yet to be reached, and there is a lack of in-depth studies on the formation mechanisms of these basins and their control of hydrocarbon accumulation. Using 3D seismic data, gravity and magnetic data, and drilling data from over 200 wells encountering basement, we examine the Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) along the passive continental margin of the South China Sea. Specifically, we examine the lithological differences of magmatic arcs in the Mesozoic basement of the basin, as well as the geometric and kinematic characteristics of pre-existing faults within the arcs. Accordingly, we propose for the first time that the PRMB represents a composite continental-margin basin characterized by the dynamic transition, spatial superposition, and temporal succession between the Mesozoic arc-basin system and the Cenozoic ocean-continent system. The Mesozoic magmatic arcs in the PRMB are identified as a ternary structure consisting of back-, inner-, and fore-arc zones. The nature of the PRMB as a composite continental-margin basin and the architectural characteristics of the basement magmatic arcs exert significant controlling effects on the deep hydrocarbon accumulation in the basin. Specifically, pre-existing reverse faults in the inner-arc zone of the Mesozoic magmatic arcs feature higher density and larger dip angles, facilitating the formation of inverted and deep-seated faults in the Cenozoic basins. This contributes to the formation of large-scale, wide, deep faulted lacustrine basins, with the largest measuring up to 3 590 km2 in area, creating favorable conditions for the generation of extensive, high-quality source rocks. The east-west lithological differences in the basement of the PRMB govern the east-west differences in deep diagenetic environment of the basin, that is, potassium-poor and potassium-rich fluids occur in the eastern and western parts of the basin, respectively. The potassium-rich fluids inhibit the kaolinite precipitation, while the potassium-poor fluids restrain the illite transformation, jointly forming the synergetic permeability preservation mechanism. This finding can effectively guide the mapping of deep reservoirs. In the context of complex deep fluid systems, the PRMB shows an efficient hydrocarbon preservation and enrichment mechanism characterized by supercritical CO2-faciliated transport and joint sealing by alternating calcareous sandstones and thin-bedded mudstones. The concept of composite continental-margin basins introduced in this study enriches the types of continental-margin basins, providing a significant reference for in-depth research on the formation mechanisms and deep hydrocarbon accumulation of similar basins worldwide.

Key words: hydrocarbon generation mechanism, reservoir formation mechanism, hydrocarbon enrichment mechanism, basin-forming mechanism, composite continental-margin basin, Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB), South China Sea

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