Genetic Mechanism and Evolution of the Covert Fault Zone and Its Oil-Controlling Mode in Qikou Sag, Eastern China

Shuai Jiang, Weifeng Wang, Aizhu Zhang and Weiwei Zhou
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Shuai Jiang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Weifeng Wang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Aizhu Zhang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Weiwei Zhou: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Covert fault zone is an important type of geological phenomenon that is closely related to hydrocarbon formation and distribution but has often been overlooked because it lacks obvious fault displacement and fault plane. To meet this challenge, a novel cognitive framework is proposed in this study, in which criteria for identifying the existence of covert fault zone are developed based on the regional tectonic backgrounds and geophysical data. The Riedel shear model is then utilized to analyze the genetic mechanism of the covert fault zone. The Mohr-Coulomb theory is also introduced to conduct a structural physical simulation to interpret the evolution process of the covert fault zone. Information about the genetic mechanism and evolution of the covert fault zone is finally combined to determine the oil-controlling mode. The study site is Qikou Sag in Eastern China. It is found that the covert fault zone in Qikou Sag meets four recognition criteria and is generated by the stress transferred from the strike-slip activity of the basement fault. Moreover, it can be concluded that the covert fault zone in Qikou Sag contains five evolution stages and controls the reservoir mainly via three aspects, that is, sedimentary sand, subtle traps and oil accumulation mode.

Keywords: covert fault zone; genetic mechanism; Qikou Sag; structure evolution; oil-controlling mode; Riedel shear; Mohr–Coulomb theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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