Features of Late Cenozoic Deepwater Sedimentation in Southern Qiongdongnan Basin, Northwestern South China Sea

• Published in: Journal of earth science (Wuhan, China) Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 172 - 179
• Main Author: 袁圣强 姚根顺 吕福亮 胡冰 贺晓苏 王彬 李丽
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) 01.02.2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Avulsion; Basins; Biogeosciences; Cenozoic; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Geochemistry; Geology; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Marine; Marine geology; Miocene; Oceans; Quaternary; Rifting; Sedimentation; Sediments; Slope environments; Stratigraphy; Studies; 三维地震数据; 南海; 晚新生代; 沉积环境; 深水; 深海沉积; 琼东南盆地; 西北; South China Sea; ISEW, Vietnam; ISEW, China, People's Rep., Hainan Prov., Qiongdongnan Basin; ISEW, South China Sea; China, People's Rep., Zhejiang Prov., Changxing Cty., Meishan; deepwater sedimentary system; channel; Qiongdongnan basin; polygon fault; the South China Sea
• ISSN: 1674-487X; 1867-111X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12583-009-0017-0

Based on high resolution 2D and 3D seismic data acquired in recent years, using sequence stratigraphy analysis and geophysical methods, we discuss the features of Late Cenozoic deepwater sedimentation in the southern Qiongdongnan （琼东南） basin. The study area entered a bathyal slope environment in the Miocene. The channel developed in the Sanya （三亚） Formation was controlled by a fault break, and its shingled seismic characteristics represent multiple erosion and fill, which may indicate that turbidite current developed in the slope environment. The polygon faults found in mudstone of the Meishan （梅山） Formation represent the deepwater hungry sedimentary environment. The large-scale channels developed on the top of Huangliu （黄流） Formation could be the result of a big sea level drop and an increase of sediment supply. The fantastic turbidite channel developed in Late Quaternary in the slope environment has ＂fan-like＂ body and long frontal tiny avulsion channel. The analysis of these features suggests that the sediment supply of the study area in the post-rifting period was dominant from the Vietnam uplift in the southwest. These deepwater sedimentary features could be potential reservoirs or migration pathways for deepwater petroleum systems.