BASIN FORMATION AND HYDROCARBON OCCURRENCE IN MESOCENOZOIC PIEDMONT FLEXURE BASINS, NORTHWEST CHINA

摘要

There exist several Meso-Cenozoic piedmont flexure basins and large thrust zones in the NW China, such as the Kuqa basin on the southern margin of the Tianshan thrust zone, the Kashigar basin on the northern margin of the Kunlun mountain thrust zone, the Junggar basin on the northern margin of the Tianshan thrust zone, the Hexi Corridor basin on the northern margin of the Qilianshan thrust zone, and the Qaidam basin on the northern margin of the Kunlun mountain thrust zone and on the southern margin of the Qilian mountain thrust zone (Fig. 1). These basins are adjacent to orogenic belts located between orogenic belts. Lithospheric flexure generated by structural loading of orogenic belts, which caused uplifting of mountains and subsidence of basins, is mainly responsible for the development of the basins.