Abstract:

Chinese foreland basins show many special tectonic characteristics resulting from their tectonic settings and evolution. We have concluded five key tectonics geologic characteristics of Chinese foreland basins based on the study of the sedimentary infill, tectonics evolution, tectonic dynamics, spatial location distribution and structural deformation geometry. (1) The foreland basin is the superimposition of the compression sedimentary stratigraphic sequence with the extension basin, and the foreland basin includes underlying rift basin and upper dustpan flexure deposited basin. (2) The foreland thrustfold structural deformation has occurred four times since the Protozoic, in the Late Caledonian, Late Hercynian, Indosinan and Late Himalayan, respectively. (3) The foreland basin developed based on the control of two factors that are the basin basement collaged by many small plates or terrains and the rejuvenation of ancient orogenic belt, so the foreland basins or foreland thrusts are located in front of ancient orogenic belt. (4) The foreland basins and the rejuvenation of ancient orogenic belt make up a giant basinmountains system resulting from the distant effect of IndiaEurasia collision, which is located on the outer circle of Tibet Plateau, so the thrust deformation intensity, basin deposition range and coupling between orogenic belt and basin changed from strong to weak as from interior to outer circle of Tibet Plateau. (5) There are many structural styles of the thrust and fold belt in different basins, such as brittle behavior faultrelated fold, ductile behavior basementinvolved structure, basementinvolved faultrelated fold, and salt structure. Above tectonics characteristics result in the regularity and complexity of oil pooling. We have put forward some suggestions on the study of tectonics of foreland basin for petroleum exploration.

Key words:

Key words: foreland basin; tectonics superimposition; tectonics evolution; succession; structural style; petroleum geology