In situ U-Pb dating of carbonate veins in Cambrian shales constrains fluid flow and hydrocarbon evolution at the southeastern margin of the Upper Yangtze platform, southwestern China

Research Article| November 17, 2023 In situ U-Pb dating of carbonate veins in Cambrian shales constrains fluid flow and hydrocarbon evolution at the southeastern margin of the Upper Yangtze platform, southwestern China Qingqing Fan; Qingqing Fan 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dadong Liu; Dadong Liu 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Wei Du; Wei Du 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yiming Li; Yiming Li 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Feng Liang; Feng Liang 5PetroChina Hangzhou Research Institute of Geology, Hangzhou 310023, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Fuping Zhao; Fuping Zhao 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Xia Feng; Xia Feng 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yi Chen; Yi Chen 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ziya Zhang; Ziya Zhang 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yuxiang Zhang; Yuxiang Zhang 6PetroChina Coalbed Methane Company Limited, Beijing 100028, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chen Zhang Chen Zhang 7State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Qingqing Fan 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Dadong Liu 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Wei Du 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Yiming Li 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China Feng Liang 5PetroChina Hangzhou Research Institute of Geology, Hangzhou 310023, China Fuping Zhao 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Xia Feng 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Yi Chen 3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China4Guizhou Engineering Research Institute of Oil & Gas Exploration and Development, Guiyang 550004, China Ziya Zhang 1National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China2Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China3Key Laboratory of Unconventional Natural Gas Evaluation and Development in Complex Tectonic Areas, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guiyang 550004, China Yuxiang Zhang 6PetroChina Coalbed Methane Company Limited, Beijing 100028, China Chen Zhang 7State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 06 Dec 2022 Revision Received: 10 Aug 2023 Accepted: 11 Oct 2023 First Online: 17 Nov 2023 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 © 2023 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2023) https://doi.org/10.1130/B36893.1 Article history Received: 06 Dec 2022 Revision Received: 10 Aug 2023 Accepted: 11 Oct 2023 First Online: 17 Nov 2023 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Qingqing Fan, Dadong Liu, Wei Du, Yiming Li, Feng Liang, Fuping Zhao, Xia Feng, Yi Chen, Ziya Zhang, Yuxiang Zhang, Chen Zhang; In situ U-Pb dating of carbonate veins in Cambrian shales constrains fluid flow and hydrocarbon evolution at the southeastern margin of the Upper Yangtze platform, southwestern China. GSA Bulletin 2023; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B36893.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Fluid flow in sedimentary basins not only impacts redistribution of the geothermal cycle and precipitation of ore deposits, but also exerts control on hydrocarbon migration and accumulation. However, reconstructing the history of fluid flow in basins that have experienced multiple tectonic deformation events is exceedingly difficult. Here, we examined petrography, in situ U-Pb geochronology, and rare earth element (REE) and C-O isotope geochemistry, as well as fluid inclusion microthermometry of fracture fillings within the Cambrian Niutitang Formation shales at the southeastern margin of the Upper Yangtze platform, southwestern China. The results show that four main fluid flow pulses are identified based on cathodoluminescence images, U-Pb ages, and geochemical data, namely, 446−428 Ma (fibrous calcite and barytocalcite), 343−329 Ma (calcite I), 113 Ma (calcite II), and 63 Ma (calcite III). The fibrous calcite (ca. 446 Ma) and barytocalcite (ca. 428 Ma) veins, corresponding to the late Caledonian Orogeny, show significantly positive Eu-Y anomalies, negative Ce anomalies, and enrichment in heavy REE, similar to their host rocks, suggesting that the mineral-forming fluids were derived mainly from dissolution of the host rocks. An abundance of bitumen inclusions with homogenization temperatures (Th) of 93.1−137.4 °C and high salinities (5−8 wt%) indicate that the first fluid flow pulse occurred during the oil generation stage in a closed fluid system. Calcite I (ca. 343−329 Ma) exhibits REE depletion and high Y/Ho ratios, a low fluid inclusion salinity (2−10 wt%) with Th = 78.4−125.8 °C, and C-O isotopic compositions similar to the underlying marine carbonates. This suggests that calcite I formed in an open fluid system, which was related to the transition from compression to extension during the Hercynian Orogeny. The pre-existing faults were reactivated and opened, resulting in the leakage and reconstruction of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Calcite II (ca. 113.4 Ma) has similar REE+Y patterns and C-O isotopic compositions to the host rocks. It contains abundant single-phase hydrocarbon gas (CH4) inclusions with high Th (164.1−211.1 °C) and salinity (6−14 wt%) values, indicating that the third phase fluid was derived largely from the host rocks and migrated during the early Yanshanian Orogeny. Lastly, calcite III (ca. 62.7 Ma) exhibits extremely low REE concentrations, low δ13CPDB [Peedee belemnite] values (−6.74‰), and low fluid inclusion salinities (0.3−7.0 wt%) with Th = 61.9−97.1 °C, suggesting that the fourth fluid flow pulse was affected by meteoric water to some extent. This can be interpreted to represent an open fluid system, which caused gas dispersion in the Niutitang Formation shales. Our findings provide important references for reconstructing the history of fluid flow in tectonically complex basins worldwide. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.