Sichuan Basin is one of the uppermost petroliferous basins in China. It experienced three evolutionary phases which were marine carbonate platform (Ediacaran to Late Triassic), Indosinian-Yanshanian orogeny foreland basin (Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous) and uplift and tectonic modification (Late Cretaceous to Quaternary). The present-day tectonics of the Sichuan Ba- sin and its periphery are characterized by three basic elements which are topography, basement type and surface structure, and two settings (plate margin and interior). Therefore, be subdivided into five units which have different structure and tectonic history. The basin contains five different sets of source rocks with thickness up to 2 500 m. These source rocks were well preserved due to the presence of Middel-Lower Triassic evaporites (〉-200 m) and thick terrestrial sediments filling in the Indosinian-Yanshanian foreland basin (〉3 000 m). The uplift and erosion since Late Cretaceous has significant influence on cross-strata migration and accumulation of oil and gas. The multi-phase evolution of the basin and its superimposed tectonic elements, good petroleum geologic conditions and diverse petroleum systems reveal its bright exploration prospects.
ABSTRACT: The Longmenshan Range is a tectonically composite intracontinental orogen. Its structure, deformation and spatial evolution reflect multiple kinematic eposides and variable dynamics especially during Post-Middle to Post-Late Triassic time. Field work, lower-temperature thermochronological data and U-Pb detrital zircon ages indicate document down-dip zonation and along-strike segmentation dem- onstrated by significant differences in geological structure, intensity of deformation and deformation- involved strata, uplift and cooling processes. Low-temperature thermochronology and U-Pb detrital zir- con ages reveal a period of tectono-thermal quiescence with slow uplift and cooling during post Early Norian to Rhaetian orogeny, followed by rapid cooling and uplift during the Late Cenozoic accompanied by coeval southeastward thrusting and southwestward propagation of defromation. The Longmenshan Range formed by S-N striking compression exerted by the Qinling orogen, E-W striking compression by the Tibetan Plateau and SE-striking compression by the Yangtze Plate. We propose a southwestward propagation model for the Longmenshan Range based our observations of zonation, segmentation and composite evolutional processes during the Late Triassic superimposed by development of the differen- tial uplift and cooling processes that shows southern segments of the Longmenshan Range during Post-Jurassic times.