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Effect of Sand Body Enrichment Under the Restriction of a Tectonic Transfer Zone: A Case Study on the Pinghu Formation in the Kongqueting Region on the Pinghu Slope

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Abstract

Results of long-term explorations in the Kongqueting region, located in an East China Sea depression, suggest that the strong fault activity during the sedimentary period of the Pinghu formation significantly influenced the development of the sedimentary system. However, the aggregation and enrichment of the sand body under a tectonic background has become a problem that requires an immediate solution. Considering research outcomes of previous studies, this study used three-dimensional seismic and logging data to identify Y- or H-type and the en echelon distribution patterns of the fault plane, as well as identify the locations wherein the fault growth index value is greater than 1 in the study region, indicating the tectonic background of the fault transfer zone in the region. Second, the development type of the fault transfer zone was studied, and the sand body enrichment site was identified based on seismic inversion data and the development position of the fault transfer point. This helps clarify the evolution of sedimentary facies of the Pinghu formation combined with the sedimentary environment of the braided-river delta. Finally, after summarizing the coupling relationship between the synsedimentary fault systems and the sand body enrichment patterns, three sand-control models were determined, namely, the flexural-parallel, the en echelon collinear, and the torsional-reformed superimposed transfer zones. The findings of this study lay a foundation for the subsequent search of tectonic lithologic oil and gas reservoirs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (No. 2016ZX05027-002-009), and the Science and Technology Project of the CNOOC, known as the ‘Research on Key Technologies of Exploration and Development in Western Xihu Sag’ (No. CNOOC-KJ 135 ZDXM 39 SH01).

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Correspondence to Junjie Li.

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Li, J., Hou, G., Qin, L. et al. Effect of Sand Body Enrichment Under the Restriction of a Tectonic Transfer Zone: A Case Study on the Pinghu Formation in the Kongqueting Region on the Pinghu Slope. J. Ocean Univ. China 20, 765–776 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11802-021-4615-1

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