Oil and Gas Potential of Carboniferous Strata in Southwestern Tarim Basin Viewed from Lithofacies-Paleogeography
从岩相古地理论塔里木盆地西南地区石炭系油气潜景

Carboniferous strata are important marine source rocks and reservoir rocks in the southwestern Tarim basin. Oil and gas potential there is very rich. Nevertheless, due to insufficient exploration work, only one gas field, one oil field and two oil pools have been found. On the basis of researches of lithofacies-paleogeography and seismic stratigraphy, the authors made detailed investigation into the types and distribution of Carboniferous source rocks and reservoir rocks in relation to their sedimentary environments, the nature and distribution of regional and local capping beds, and especially the potential oil and gas area formed as a result of many times of important tectonic movements. Four most favorable areas for oil and gas exploration were delineated, i.e., the western end of Bachu uplift, Mazatake-Haimiluosi faulted zone, the northern edge of Meigeqi slope, the overthrust plate of the southern edge.