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Abstract

AAPG Bulletin, V. 102, No. 2 (February 2018), P. 333-366.

Copyright ©2018. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

DOI: 10.1306/0503171617917074

Hydrocarbon potential of the Lower Cretaceous mudstones in coastal southeastern China

Jian Cao,1 Ruofei Yang,2 Guang Hu,3 Wenxuan Hu,4 Suping Yao,5 Xiaomin Xie,6 Yuqiao Gao,7 and Jun Gao8

1State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
2State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
3State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, School of Geoscience and Technology, Southwest Petroleum University, No. 8, Xindu Avenue, Xindu District, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
4State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
5State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
6Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Sinopec, No. 2060, Lihu Avenue, Binhu District, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214151, PR China; State Key Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, No. 163, Xianlin Avenue, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, PR China; [email protected]
7Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation, East China Petroleum Bureau, Sinopec, No. 37, Rehe South Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210011, PR China; [email protected]
8Geological Science Research Institute, Sinopec Jiangsu Oilfield Company, No. 188, Weiyang Road, Weiyang District, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The Cretaceous hosts the highest hydrocarbon potential among all geological stratigraphic sequences worldwide, and the Lower Cretaceous in coastal southeastern China, with the development of black mudstones and shales, has potential for hydrocarbon generation. This potential, therefore, is of significance to regional hydrocarbon exploration both onshore and offshore; however, it has not been investigated in detail. Here, we address this issue based on the results of integrated organic geochemistry and petrology of four representative outcrop sections in the region. Results show that there are two possible source rock sequences in the Lower Cretaceous of coastal southeastern China, that is, a lower sequence represented by the Bantou Formation black mudstones in the Fujian Province and an upper interval represented by the Guantou Formation black mudstones or calcareous mudstones in the Zhejiang Province. The organic matter abundance of these two formations reaches levels of poor to good source rocks. The kerogen is dominated by type III, whereas type II can also be found locally in the northwestern Fujian Province. Most samples are highly mature to overmature, except for the samples with less influence of volcanism in the northern Guangdong Province. Comparatively, the organic matter abundance of the early-stage source rocks is higher than for the late-stage rocks, and the kerogen type is less favorable; however, the maturity shows little correlation with age and is largely related to volcanism. Therefore, the Lower Cretaceous in coastal southeastern China seems to have hydrocarbon potential (gas in particular) in local areas, including the northern Guangdong Province and its analog in offshore basins for the early stage and the northwestern Fujian Province and its analog in offshore basins for the late stage. These results and understanding provide insights for expanding new hydrocarbon exploration targets in southeastern China both onshore and offshore and may also have implications for understanding the regional Cretaceous geology.

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