Influence of Salt Beds on the Segmentation of Structure and Hydrocarbon Accumulation in Qiulitag Structural Belt, Tarim Basin, China

Abstract

Seismic information and balanced profile technology were used to reveal the influence of the salt bed in segmentation of structure and hydrocarbon accumulation in Qiulitag structural belt in Tarim basin. From west to east, the shortening of strata above the salt beds gradually decreases, while, the shortening below the salt beds gradually increases, which shows that the segmentation of structure integrated the seismic profile. There is great difference of the deformation of strata below and above the salt beds between the west segment and the east segment. The analysis of the distribution of oil/gas fields and the hydrocarbon properties indicates the similar segmentation to the structure segmentation. The salt beds in relatively shallow layers change the stress condition from basement of Kuqa foreland basin, which leads to the segmentation of Qiulitag structural belt. Because the salt beds in the west segment came into being earlier than those in the east segment, the west segment captures hydrocarbon from two sets of source rock, while the east segment can only capture hydrocarbons from one set of source rock. So, the salt beds play an important role in the segmentation of structure and hydrocarbon accumulation.