Abstract:

The tectonic evolution of the Carboniferous sedimentary basins was researched based on recent exploration data and previous research results in the north of Xinjiang. The basins were developed with the geological setting of microblock, multicollision, weak consolidation and tectonic activation. During the Carboniferous, the region had undergone two stages of superposed basin evolution. The Carboniferous basins were strongly transformed from the Permian to the Cenozoic. The Carboniferous volcanic rocks were widely developed; they were formed in the Carboniferous extensional tectonic setting according to comprehensive analysis of drilling geochemical samples. Based on the deposition and distribution of the Carboniferous, the Early and Late Carboniferous basin development was controlled by the early structures, which possessed inheritance, directionality and newborn characteristics. The evolution of the marine basin ended basically because of the tectonic events in the end of the Carboniferous, and large continental basin began to form. The Carboniferous basins were buried, uplifted, eroded, magmatic thermal reworked, and deformed or folded during the late Hercynian, Indosinian, Yanshan and Himalayan. There are differences in the transformation of each region. Oil and gas exploration results confirmed that the Carboniferous in northern Xinjiang is important exploration strata. The highquality source rocks formed both in the Early and Late Carboniferous basin evolution. Volcanic rocks are important cap rocks and reservoirs of oil and gas. Multitransformation events not only benefitted volcanic reservoir properties, but also formed favorable hydrocarbon traps. Selfgenerated and injected reservoirs have been found in the Carboniferous. The distribution of oil and gas shows that the selfgenerated reservoirs distribute near the source. Therefore, it is of significance to strengthen the research of the evolution of basin formation, of subsidence centers and the distribution of hydrocarbon source rocks.

Key words: Northern Xinjiang, Carboniferous, basin tectonic evolution, hydrocarbon accumulation