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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Earth Sci.
Sec. Sedimentology, Stratigraphy and Diagenesis
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feart.2025.1484909
This article is part of the Research Topic Advances in Sequence Stratigraphy Interpretation and Their Implications View all articles

Characteristics and evolutionary process of low-mature paleosubsurface rivers in carbonate sequences and controls on hydrocarbon accumulation in the northern Tarim Basin, NW China

Provisionally accepted
Hongqi Dong Hongqi Dong 1,2,3,4,5Bingshan Ma Bingshan Ma 6*
  • 1 Institute of Karst Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Region, China
  • 2 China University of Geosciences Wuhan, Wuhan, China
  • 3 Pingguo Guangxi, Karst Ecosystem, National Observation and Research Station, guilin, China
  • 4 UNESCO International Center for Karst Research Settled in Guilin, Ministry of Education of People's Republic of China, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Region, China
  • 5 Guangxi Karst Resources and Environment Research Center of Engineering Technology, guilin, China
  • 6 Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Paleo-subsurface rivers can serve as high-quality reservoir spaces for hydrocarbon accumulation within the carbonate sequence stratigraphy. However, the characteristics and evolutionary process of the typical low-mature paleo-subsurface rivers are rarely discussed, constraining petroleum exploration and exploitation. This study employs an integrated approach, combining seismic-geological analysis, core and thin sections, logging data, and production data within paleo-subsurface rivers to investigate the structural features and evolutionary processes of the paleo-subsurface river in the Halahatang area of the Tarim Basin, and further discuss their implications for reservoir development and hydrocarbon accumulation. The findings reveal: 1) Low-maturity paleo-subsurface rivers predominantly exhibit partially throughgoing characteristics, displaying a spatially discontinuous, downward-dipping pattern. 2) The evolutionary process of these paleo-subsurface rivers can be categorized into four distinct stages: initial isolated stage, expanded and partially thoroughgoing stage, nearly thoroughgoing stage, and condensed and partially throughgoing stage. 3) The evolution of the subsurface rivers has resulted in the segmented reservoirs, which consequently influence the compartmentalized accumulation and entrapment of hydrocarbons. The characteristics of the partially throughgoing subsurface rivers and their associated oil and gas reservoirs in the Halahatang area provide valuable insights for exploration and exploitation of ultra-deep carbonate reservoirs.

    Keywords: Paleo-subsurface river, low-mature, partially through-going, evolutionary process, Carbonate sequence, Tarim Basin

    Received: 22 Aug 2024; Accepted: 09 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Dong and Ma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Bingshan Ma, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, Sichuan Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.