Multi-stage superimposed numerical simulation results reveal the sedimentary evolution characteristics of the continental margin basins in the South China Sea

Li Fucheng, associate researcher of theKey Laboratory of Marginal Sea and Oceanic Geology ( OMG ) Structure and Simulation Discipline Group , South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , and researcher Sun Zhen, etc.

The Pearl River Mouth Basin is the largest petroliferous sedimentary basin on the northern margin of the South China Sea, and its structure and sedimentary evolution history have always been the basis for oil and gas resource exploration

Contrary to the performance of the Dongsha uplift, in the Middle Miocene, the central and western part of the basin represented by the Baiyun Sag not only did not show uplift and denudation, but showed abnormally fast sedimentary characteristics (up to 400 meters per million years ).

Based on the evolution process of the continental margin of the South China Sea, the research team carried out related geodynamic simulation studies in the laboratory, and realized the complete evolution process of the continental margin sedimentary basin

In short, the basin inversion represented by the Dongsha Movement can not only lead to uplift and denudation, but also cause abnormal subsidence

Participating in this work are Ding Weiwei, a researcher at the Second Marine Institute of the Ministry of Land and Resources, Yang Hongfeng, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Pang Xiong, chief engineer of CNOOC Shenzhen branch, Zheng Jinyun and Li Hongbo, managers, and Xie Hui, an associate professor at Guangdong Ocean University

Related paper information: https://doi.

Figure 1 Basic geology and sedimentary characteristics of the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea

Figure 2 Summary of simulation results and comparison with sedimentary characteristics of Dongsha Uplift and Baiyun Sag