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Radiogenesis of Low Maturity Natural Gas in the Turpan‐Hami Basin, NW China
Author(s) -
WANG Wenqing,
LIU Chiyang,
ZHANG Dongdong,
LIANG Hao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta geologica sinica ‐ english edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1755-6724
pISSN - 1000-9515
DOI - 10.1111/1755-6724.13852
Subject(s) - facies , structural basin , maturity (psychological) , source rock , geology , uranium , geochemistry , uranium ore , lithology , sedimentary rock , outcrop , paleontology , psychology , developmental psychology , materials science , metallurgy
The origin of the Jurassic low maturity natural gas in the Turpan‐Hami Basin has attracted scientists’ attention for some time, and it is known that radiogenesis may have played a role. However, little has been done on the uranium‐rich background of the whole basin. Based on plentiful logging and geological data for the Jurassic strata in the Turpan‐Hami Basin, this research examined the features and factors controlling the distribution of rocks with high gamma reading. The results show that 70%‐100% of the rocks with high gamma readings correspond to mudstones in the prodelta subfacies rather than those in semideep‐deep lacustrine subfacies rich in mudstones. Therefore, we propose that the distribution of rocks with high gamma readings is mainly controlled by sedimentary facies rather than by lithology. Further analysis of the gamma spectrometry logging data shows that high gamma values are more strongly correlated with U content than with Th or K content. By comparing the U and Th contents of felsic rocks in peripheral provenances, we find that the Jueluotage Mountain and Harlik Mountain were the dominant uranium sources for the Jurassic Turpan‐Hami Basin. Radiolysis due to high‐level uranium in the prodelta subfacies can make the low maturity source rocks generate H 2 and CH 4 , thus contributing to the production of low maturity natural gas in the Turpan‐Hami Basin.