Carbonate sequences contain sequence boundaries of various orders and genetic types. Accordingly

the development of the carbonate reservoirs was controlled by various geological processes in association with those sequence boundaries. In general

the sequence boundaries could be categorized into six orders according to the magnitude of tecto-nic movement

and the relative range and the duration of sea level change. Among these boundaries

the sequence boundaries of higher orders of (Ⅰ to Ⅲ) correspond to various unconformities

while that of the lower orders correspond to flooding surfaces or local deposition events. The formation of the scaled karst reservoir was controlled by the I- and II-order sequence boundaries

and the ancient geomorphic location of the karst landform had the most significant effect on the formation and preservation of the reservoir. There was a clear deviation between the degree of the reservoir development and the controlling factors of karstification in various ancient geomorphic locations. As a whole

the karstification was relatively weak in the third-order sequence boundary with a limited reservoir distribution

but was still closely related to the formation and distribution of the platform margin and the reef flat face. There was a dual-control on both the deposition and diagenesis by the third-order boundary as well. The exposure times were relatively short in the fourth-order and fifth-order sequence boundaries. As a result

large scale reservoirs were rare due to the lack of post-diagenesis effect. The types and orders of the sequence boundaries have various influences on the formation and distribution of the carbonate reservoir owing to different geological processes. Thus

the prediction and evaluation of the carbonate reservoirs could be carried out by the fine division of sequences

recognition and description of the sequence boundaries. However

the deposition filling pattern

facies belts distribution

structural deformation and fluid movement should also be taken into consideration.