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Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398
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Research Article

Evolution characteristic of gypsum-salt rocks of the upper member

of Oligocene Lower Ganchaigou Fm in the Shizigou area, western
Qaidam Basin*
Yi Dinghong a,*, Wang Jiangong a, Shi Yajun a, Sun Xiujian a, Ma Xinmin a, Wang Peng b, Li Yanli a
a
Northwest Branch of PetroChina Petroleum Exploration & Development Research Institute, Lanzhou, Gansu 730020, China
b
Research Institute of Exploration and Development, PetroChina Qinghai Oilfield Company, Dunhuang, Gansu 736202, China
Received 7 March 2017; accepted 25 April 2017
Available online 1 December 2017

Abstract

Over years of oil and gas exploration in the Qaidam Basin, reservoirs have been discovered in many layers. In the Shizigou area, western
Qaidam Basin, the upper member of Oligocene Lower Ganchaigou Fm is an important target for oil and gas exploration, and gypsum-salt rocks
are the high-quality caprocks for the preservation of oil and gas reservoirs in this area. For predicting oil and gas exploration direction and target
in the western Qaidam Basin and providing guidance for its oil and gas exploration deployment, its depositional characteristics and environment
of gypsum-salt rocks in this area were investigated based on the core observation, thin section identification, and analysis of grain size,
sensitivity parameter ratios (Sr/Cu, Fe/Mn, (Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg), V/(V þ Ni) and Pr/Ph), pyrite content and inclusions. The following
characteristics are identified. First, gypsum-salt rocks are mainly distributed in the depocenter of the lake basin and their thickness decreases
towards the margin of the basin. They are laterally transformed into carbonate rocks or terrigenous clastic rocks. They are areally distributed in
the shape of irregular ellipse. Second, gypsum-salt rocks are vertically developed mainly in the middle and upper parts of the upper member of
Lower Ganchaigou Fm and they are interbedded with carbonate rocks or terrigenous clastic rocks. Their single layer thickness changes greatly,
and there are many layers with good continuity. Third, Sand Group III to Group I in the upper member of Lower Ganchaigou Fm (inter-salt) are
of reductive water environment of semi-deep to deep lake facies due to their sedimentation in an arid and hot climate. It is concluded that
gypsum-salt rocks of the upper member of Lower Ganchaigou Fm are distributed widely with great accumulative thickness in this area; and that
they are originated from deep lake water by virtue of evaporation, concentration and crystallization in an arid and hot climate instead of by
hydrothermal fluid.
© 2017 Sichuan Petroleum Administration. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Keywords: Western Qaidam Basin; Shizigou area; Paleogene; Upper member of Lower Ganchaigou Fm; Gypsum-salt rock; Sedimentary environment; Deposi-
tional characteristic; Evaporation and concentration

*
Project supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project
“Qaidam Basin Complex Structural Area Hydrocarbon Accumulation, Key
Exploration Technology and New Field Target Optimization” (No.
2016ZX05003-006), China National Petroleum Corporation Major Science
and Technology special “Qaidam Basin construction of 10 million tons of oil
and gas field comprehensive supporting technology research” (No. 2011-ZG-
001004).
* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: yidh@petrochina.com.cn (Yi DH.).
Peer review under responsibility of Sichuan Petroleum Administration.
1. Introduction
1.1. Overview
According to incomplete statistics, about 91% of oil
resources and nearly 80% of gas resources around the world
are endowed in the basins or regions with the distribution of
gypsum-salt rocks. Specifically, about 46% of the oil and gas
resources exist below the salt formations (pre-salt), 41% above
the salt formations (post-salt), and 13% between the salt

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ngib.2017.10.004
2352-8540/© 2017 Sichuan Petroleum Administration. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398
formations (inter-salt) [1e4]. In China, gypsum-salt rocks are
widely distributed. Exploration practices have proved that
there are very thick gypsum-salt rocks in the Bohai Bay Basin
(e.g. Huanghua depression, Jiyang depression, Jizhong
depression, and Dongpu sag), Nanxiang Basin, Jianghan
Basin, Tarim Basin (e.g. Kuqa depression), and Qaidam Basin
[2,5,6]. Typically, in the Shizigou area of western Qaidam
Basin, the upper member of the Paleogene Oligocene lower
Ganchaigou Fm ðE23 Þ is a set of dark gypsum-salt formation
which was continuously deposited. This set of formation is
attractive to petroleum geologists and sedimentologists for its
abundant oil and gas resources. Since an oil and gas explo-
ration breakthrough was obtained in Well Hua 79 in the 1970s,
many scholars at home and abroad have made studies on the
genesis of gypsum-salt rocks, sources of salt, coexistence of
reservoirs and sources, and the influence of gypsum-salt rocks
on hydrocarbon accumulation [4,7e12]. However, the sedi-
mentary evolution features of gypsum-salt rocks themselves
and their sedimentary environments are rarely dealt with. In
recent years, with the deepening of oil and gas exploration, the
study on gypsum-salt rocks has gradually become prominent.
The Shizigou area represents an exploration prospect with oil
and gas reserves of hundreds of millions of tons. Therefore, it
is necessary to identify the sedimentary features, distribution
scope, sedimentary environment and genesis of gypsum-salt
rocks in the area, in order to lay a theoretical foundation for
the elaborate exploration and target optimization of pre-salt
and inter-salt oil and gas.
Based on the previous research results and the latest dril-
ling/logging data, analysis and test data, and newly-collected
and processed 3D seismic data in the Shizigou area, the au-
thors made a systematic analysis on the regional depositional
background of E23 , mudstone color, grain size cumulative
probability curve, CeM diagram and relevant sensitive pa-
rameters, and then got a new understanding of the sedimen-
tary evolution features and sedimentary environment of E23
gypsum-salt rocks. They believe that the gypsum-salt rocks
in the study area are distributed in a large range and multiple
layers with large single layer thickness, and with better con-
tinuity. And that the gypsum-salt rocks were formed with the
concentration and crystallization of lake water in semi-deep
to deep lake environment under dry and hot weather
conditions.
1.2. Regional geology
The Shizigou area, covering 140 km2, is located in the
western part of Yingxiongling in the south area of western
Qaidam Basin, and adjacent to the Alkin slope. It is bounded
by the Ganchaigou S fault in the Ganchaigou area to the east,
the Qigequan E fault in the Qigequan area to the north, the
surface structure of Youyuangou to the south, and the Hon-
gliuquan slope to the west. In the study area, the E23 strata with
fine and dark lithologies mainly contains a set of gray and dark
gray mudstone, calcareous mudstone, gypsum-bearing
mudstone, argillaceous siltstone, carbonate, and gypsum-salt
rock, with a thickness of 1410e2250 m. It can be divided
391
into six sand groups (I to VI). Gypsum-salt rocks are well
developed in SG IeIII in the upper part, but poorly developed
in SG IVeVI in the lower part.
Exploration practices and researches for years in the study
area indicate [13e18] that the sedimentary period of E23 was
the development heyday of the Qaidam palaeo-basin, when the
lake basin area was the largest and the lake shoreline extended
southward to the present Kunlun Mountain. The Shizigoue
Youyuangou area recorded as the depocenter of the lake basin
in this period. In the depositional period of E23 , there were
three types of sedimentary systems in the SW Qaidam Basin.
1) The first type was the proximal steep slope fan del-
taesub-lacustrine fanelacustrine sedimentary system in
the northwest of the study area and close to the Alkin
slope. The fan delta front extended southeastward to the
east of Well Qi 24eShishen 6eChai 3. There were
small-scale turbidite fan deposits in the Wells Shibei
1eShi 39 area in northern Shizigou area, the Well Shi
45eShi 38 area in southern Ganchaigou area, and the
Well Xian 8 area in the Xianshuiquan area.
2) The second type was the endogenous carbo-
nateegypsum-salt rock sedimentary system in the cen-
tral part of the study area, with the development of
gypsum-salt flats and limestone-dolomite microfacies.
3) The third type was the distal ramp strand-shallow lakee
beach bar sedimentary system in the Hongliu-
quaneYuejin slope in southwestern Shizigou area. There
were mainly beach bar, marl flat, and mud flat microf-
acies. The beach bar microfacies included clastic beach
bars and carbonate beach bars. The clastic beach bars
were mainly developed in the Well Hong 41, Well
Hongshen 5, Wells Hong 27eHong 38, Wells Hongshen
4eQidong 1 areas in the northern part of Alare
Hongliuquan area, and the Well Yue 83 and Well Yue
116 areas in the Yuejin slope. The carbonate beach bars
were mainly composed of bioclast limestones and algae
lamellar (lump) limestones, mainly in the Well Yue 70
area in western Yuejin area and the Well Yuehui 101
area in the Yuejin No. 1 area, with a small scale. The
marl microfacies were mainly developed in the Wells
Hong 33eShaxi 1 area in the southern part and the Well
Hong 33 area at the low position of slopes in the Hon-
gliuquan area, and the Well Dongdei 1 area at the
middleelow position of the Yuejin slope, with the li-
thology of mainly marl. In other areas, mud flat
microfacies were mainly developed (Fig. 1).
2. Development and evolution of gypsum-salt rocks
2.1. Types and logging curve responses of gypsum-salt
rocks
Lithologies of gypsum-salt rock strata in the Shizigou area
are complex. The main mineral is halite, followed by (hard)
gypsum and a small amount of glauberite. In terms of well
logging curve responses, the halite layer is characterized by
392 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398

Fig. 1. Sedimentary facies distribution map of E23 in Shizigou and its periphery in SW Qaidam Basin.

wellbore dilation, low gamma, low density, low neutron, high
resistivity, and low acoustic travel time; affected by wellbore
dilation, acoustic travel time value increases or shows wavy
jump. The hard gypsum layer is characterized by zero or slight
wellbore dilation, low gamma, higher resistivity, and low
acoustic time (Fig. 2).
2.2. Plane distribution of gypsum-salt rocks
2.2.1. Early depositional period of E23 (SG IVeVI)
According to the statistics of gypsum-salt rocks in 48 wells
in the Shizigou area and its adjacent areas, the plane distri-
bution of gypsum-salt rocks in the early depositional period of
E23 (SG IVeVI) in the Shizigou area has three characteristics.
(1) The distribution range is relatively smaller. From Well Shi
45 in the north to Well Jiancan 1 in the south, the distribution
represents an irregular oval shape, covering an area of
268.5 km2. (2) The gypsum-salt rocks become thicker from the
basin margin to basin center, with the thickest part in the
eastern part of Well Shi 25eShi 44 area, being more than
200 m. (3) The gypsum-salt rocks are only distributed in the
ShizigoueYouyuangoueJianshegou region, but not developed
in other areas of the basin (Fig. 3a).
2.2.2. Late depositional period of E23 (SG IeⅢ)
In the late depositional period of E23 (SG IeⅢ) in the
Shizigou area, the plane distribution of gypsum-salt rocks has
the following characteristics. (1) Compared with the early
 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398 393

Fig. 2. Core photos and well logging responses of E23 gypsum-salt rocks in Well Shi 37.

depositional period of E23 , the distribution of gypsum-salt
rocks in the late period is larger, extending to the Wells
Chai 6eChaishen 1 area in the north, retreating to the north of
Wells Jiancan 1eYingtan 1 area in the south, and extending to
the Wells Hongdong 1eHong 30 area in the west, covering an
area of 402.8 km2. (2) The gypsum-salt rocks in the late
depositional period developed successively on the basis of that
in the early depositional period, and the thickness of gypsum-
salt rocks to the east of the Wells Shi 25eShi 44, i.e. the
location of the depocenter of lake basin, is more than 250 m
(Fig. 3b).
2.3. Development and evolution characteristics of
gypsum-salt rocks
The Wells Shibei 1eShi 22eShi 25eYou 6 area in the
study area was selected to illustrate the longitudinal develop-
ment and evolution characteristics of gypsum-salt rocks in SG
IeVI from the Shizigou area to the Youyuangou area in the E23
depositional period. This section primarily crosses the Shizi-
gou North and Shizigou areas, extending in NWeSE direc-
tion, from Well Shibei 1 in the Shizigou North area, through
Wells Shi 35, Shi 39, Shi 22, Shi 23, Shi 41, Shi 25, and Shi 44

Fig. 3. Plane distribution characteristics of E23 gypsum-salt rocks in the study area.
394 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398
in the Shizigou area, finally to Well You 6 in the Youyuangou
area (Fig. 4).
2.3.1. Early depositional period of E23 (SG IVeVI)
In the early depositional period of E23 (SG IVeVI) in the
study area, the gypsum-salt rocks have the following devel-
opment and evolution characteristics. (1) There are no
gypsum-salt rocks in SG VI. (2) The gypsum-salt rocks in SG
V are distributed in a limited range e only in the Wells Shi
44eYou 6 area, extending northwestward to the north of Well
Shi 25, with a small number of layers and small single layer
thickness. (3) Compared with SG V, the gypsum-salt rocks are
better in SG IV, with a larger distribution area (not only in the
sub-depressions in the Wells Shi 44 and Shi 22 areas, but also
in the local low uplifts in the Wells Shi 41eShi 25 area) and a
better continuity, more layers, larger cumulative thickness,
and higher salt-strata ratio. (4) Single layer thickness
(2.70e14.70 m) average thickness (5.36e9.95 m) and cumu-
lative thickness (29.85e96.00 m) vary largely, and the salt-
strata ratio increases to be 7.27e21.31%. (5) Laterally, the
gypsum-salt rocks transform to gypseous mudstones or
calcareous mudstones.
2.3.2. Late depositional period of E23 (SG IeIII)
In the late depositional period of E23 (SG IeIII) in the study
area, the gypsum-salt rocks have the following development and
evolution characteristics. (1) In the depositional period of SG
IeIII, the gypsum-salt rocks are distributed continuously. There
are relatively thick gypsum-salt rocks in two sub-depressions
(Well Shi 22 area and Well Shi 44 area), but also gypsum-salt
rocks with a certain thickness in the low uplifts (Wells Shi
41eShi 25). The development degree of gypsum-salt rocks in
Well Shi 44 area is better than that in Well Shi 22 area. (2) Single
layer thickness (1.95e20.70 m), average thickness
(5.37e10.87 m), and cumulative thickness (45.75e89.35 m)
vary largely, and salt-strata ratio increases to be 16.95e26.47%.
(3) Laterally, the gypsum-salt rocks transform to gypseous
mudstones, calcareous mudstones or carbonate rocks. (4) In the
Fig. 4. Development and evolution section of E23 gypsum salt rocks cross the Wells Shibei 1eShi 22eShi 41eYou 6 area.
depositional period of SG III, the development degree of
gypsum-salt rocks is the best with the largest distribution area,
extending northwestward to Wells Shi 35eShibei 1.
To sum up, the E23 gypsum-salt rocks in the study area have
the following characteristics. (1) They are poorly developed at
the basin margin, but well developed in the basin center. (2) In
the early depositional period of E23 (SG IVeVI), they are
poorly developed with a small distribution area; in the late
depositional period (SG IeIII), they are well developed with a
large distribution area. (3) The single layer thickness of
gypsum-salt rocks varies largely. There is development of
neither continuous thick gypsum-salt rocks nor continuous
thin gypsum-salt rocks. Usually, there is intercalation of thick
and thin layers. (4) The salt-strata ratio is less than 30%. (5)
Affected by input of terrigenous clastics outside the lake basin,
the development of gypsum-salt rocks in Well Shi 22 area is
worse than that in Well Shi 44 area.
3. Depositional environment of gypsum-salt rocks
3.1. Gypsum-salt rocks were formed in an arid paleo-
climate environment
3.1.1. Sr/Cu ratio
In recent years, the Sr/Cu ratio has been widely and suc-
cessfully used in palaeo-climate restoration. It is usually
considered that the Sr/Cu ratio larger than 10 indicates a dry
and hot climate, and the Sr/Cu ratio between 1 and 10 in-
dicates warm and humid climate [19e21]. Among the samples
in the study area, 23 E23 samples of SG IIeI from Wells Shi 37,
Shi 38, and Shi 40 demonstrate a Sr/Cu ratio of 11.69e195.27,
with an average of 44.74 (Table 1), which reflects an arid and
hot palaeo-climate in the depositional period of upper E23.
3.1.2. Facies denotation salt minerals
It is indicated in relevant researches that, among salt min-
erals, the typical cold salt minerals glauberite, the typical
warm and warm-prone salt minerals are glauberite or
 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398 395

Table 1
Geochemical parameters of sedimentary environment of key E23 wells in the Shizigou area, western Qaidam Basin.
Well Sample TVD/m Sand Trace element content/(mg g1) Sr V Fe þ Al Fe
no no group Mg Al Ca Fe Mn V Ni Cu Sr Cu V þ Ni Ca þ Mg Mn
Shi 38 1 2794.3 Ⅰ 38114.4 22889.1 165951.8 10876.2 512.5 36.9 24.32 22.28 954.2 42.83 0.60 0.17 21.22
2 2797.3 Ⅰ 31239.4 36410.8 82261.2 18220.3 621.9 78.5 35.76 29.04 430.0 14.81 0.69 0.48 29.30
3 2798.8 Ⅰ 39863.3 28657.7 138793.4 13359.2 551.5 49.6 30.52 22.06 424.3 19.23 0.62 0.24 24.22
4 2799.2 Ⅰ 32807.3 29769.0 133576.2 12624.8 536.1 56.6 29.74 24.48 691.4 28.24 0.66 0.25 23.55
5 2800.0 Ⅰ 26716.3 25985.1 157232.5 11610.6 527.8 45.6 27.05 21.25 383.9 18.06 0.63 0.20 22.00
6 2801.0 Ⅰ 38295.3 20930.9 157589.9 9372.45 477.1 33.2 21.64 14.43 2817.8 195.28 0.61 0.15 19.64
7 2802.1 Ⅰ 31480.6 36357.9 90623.1 15702.4 565.1 78.1 34.97 28.54 528.9 18.53 0.69 0.43 27.79
8 2803.1 Ⅰ 41129.8 27837.4 138293.2 13778.9 713.2 50.9 27.05 22.85 752.3 32.92 0.65 0.23 19.32
9 3146.2 Ⅱ 31058.4 35008.4 78902.1 14653.2 637.2 88.0 37.39 36.16 880.4 24.35 0.70 0.45 23.00
10 3146.9 Ⅱ 23640.6 29292.7 126357.8 13044.5 473.1 64.1 34.7 29.61 346.4 11.70 0.65 0.28 27.57
11 3147.2 Ⅱ 46738.4 22492.2 148441.8 10876.2 472.6 52.8 26.98 21.4 609.5 28.48 0.66 0.17 23.02
Shi 40 1 3148.5 Ⅱ 31601.2 11801.8 104273.8 5840.3 519.6 24.4 16.22 30.91 1821.8 58.94 0.60 0.13 11.24
2 3581.3 Ⅱ 21891.7 33394.2 77901.6 13254.3 475.7 68.2 29.69 24.58 900.5 36.64 0.70 0.47 27.87
3 3582.0 Ⅱ 27681.2 31356.7 106918.1 13813.9 518.7 62.1 31.24 32.35 553.5 17.11 0.67 0.34 26.63
4 3582.4 Ⅱ 26897.2 35669.9 92910.13 15562.5 533.1 75.5 35.37 32.88 545.7 16.60 0.68 0.43 29.19
Shi 37 1 2695.6 Ⅰ 22977.2 13707.0 118424.7 5980.2 336.0 32.5 15.63 11.61 794.5 68.43 0.68 0.14 17.80
2 2695.8 Ⅰ 8081.2 20613.4 62392.7 8987.8 327.9 37.3 19.9 15.23 912.8 59.93 0.65 0.42 27.41
3 2696.0 Ⅰ 9830.1 20904.5 52029.7 8952.8 315.5 47.3 20.35 14.09 766.8 54.42 0.70 0.48 28.38
4 2696.3 Ⅰ 6030.8 12780.8 85334.4 6434.8 253.2 34.9 15.82 9.85 1130.1 114.74 0.69 0.21 25.42
5 2696.5 Ⅰ 30937.8 31118.6 73756.4 14653.2 587.8 81.4 35.68 32.69 542.3 16.59 0.70 0.44 24.93
6 2697.0 Ⅰ 20685.5 18390.6 77401.3 9197.6 435.5 48.9 20.73 14.01 688.9 49.17 0.70 0.28 21.12
8 2700.9 Ⅰ 44024.6 17252.8 90837.5 8113.5 391.2 49.9 23.12 17.71 1495.2 84.43 0.68 0.19 20.74
9 2701.3 Ⅰ 33048.6 29504.4 92481.3 15247.7 715.6 85.9 34.78 32.13 568.8 17.70 0.71 0.36 21.31
Note: Samples were tested and analyzed at the CNPC Key Reservoir Description Laboratory in Lanzhou.

anhydrous glauberite, and the typical transitional salt minerals

are eurythermic halite, pseudo-halite or natural trona [20]. In
Table 2
the study area, there are multiple layers of eurythermic salt Content of salt minerals and pyrite of key E23 wells in the Shizigou area,
mineralsehalite and hard gypsum with varying thickness in western Qaidam Basin.
central and upper E23. The whole rock mineral analysis shows Well Sample TVD/m Sand Contents of salt minerals Pyrite
that, in the 23 inter-salt samples, 9 contain primary glauberite, no no group Glauberite Anhydrite Halite content
a warm facies mineral with a content of 0.4e50.8%, averaging
Shi38 Shi38-1 2794.32 Ⅰ 0 0.8% 0.7% 2.3%
11.25%; halite is universal, with a content of 0e5.7%, aver-
Shi38-2 2797.32 Ⅰ 0 4.3% 1.2% 2.6%
aging 1.19% (Table 2). Shi38-3 2798.82 Ⅰ 0 1.7% 0.6% 2.0%
According to the development of warm facies minerals of Shi38-4 2799.22 Ⅰ 0 1.0% 1.0% 2.2%
halite and protosomatic calcium glauberite and the Sr/Cu ratio Shi38-5 2800.02 Ⅰ 0 1.0% 0 2.0%
which indicates the aridity of climate, together with the pre- Shi38-6 2801.02 Ⅰ 16.2% 1.0% 3.6% 4.0%
Shi38-7 2802.12 Ⅰ 0 3.6% 0.5% 2.1%
vious research results of sporopollen fossils [10], it is
Shi38-8 2803.12 Ⅰ 0.4% 0.9% 0 3.1%
considered that the palaeo-climate in the study area in middle- Shi38-9 3146.16 Ⅱ 4.6% 4.4% 1.0% 2.8%
late depositional period of E23 is warm and arid. Shi38-10 3146.86 Ⅱ 1.0% 4.1% 0.5% 4.2%
Shi38-11 3147.16 Ⅱ 3.0% 1.7% 1.3% 7.2%
3.2. Upper E23 strata is the product of a reducing Shi40 Shi40-1 3148.51 Ⅱ 50.8% 5.0% 0 2.9%
Shi40-2 3581.34 Ⅱ 28.9% 3.7% 0 1.9%
sedimentary environment
Shi40-3 3582.03 Ⅱ 1.0% 1.3% 0 1.3%
Shi40-4 3582.36 Ⅱ 0 1.2% 0.6% 2.3%
3.2.1. Pr/Ph ratio Shi37 Shi37-1 2695.63 Ⅰ 0 0.9% 1.6% 0
The Pr/Ph ratio is widely used in organic geochemical Shi37-2 2695.83 Ⅰ 8.0% 0 2.3% 0
studies to identify the redox of a sedimentary environment. Shi37-3 2695.98 Ⅰ 0 1.1% 1.2% 4.1%
Shi37-4 2696.33 Ⅰ 6.3% 0 1.3% 3.7%
Isoprenoids such as pristane (Pr) and phytane (Ph) are mainly
Shi37-5 2696.48 Ⅰ 0 1.0% 1.4% 4.2%
derived from the side chain of silanol of chlorophyll. Under Shi37-6 2696.98 Ⅰ 0 0 5.7% 4.3%
oxygenic diagenetic conditions, silanol is mainly oxidized to Shi37-8 2700.88 Ⅰ 7.0% 0 1.3% 5.0%
carboxylic acid, and pristine is formed after decarboxylation. Shi37-9 2701.28 Ⅰ 7.8% 0.9 1.7% 5.9%
Under reduction conditions, pristine is mainly hydrogenated Note: Samples were tested and analyzed at the CNPC Key Reservoir
into phytane. Therefore, the Pr/Ph ratio can reflect the redox of Description Laboratory in Lanzhou.
396 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398
a depositional environment. A high Pr/Ph ratio (greater than 1)
indicates that the organic matter is formed in an oxidizing
environment, and a low Pr/Ph ratio (less than 1) indicates a
reduction environment [22]. According to the gas chromato-
graphic analytical data of saturated hydrocarbons from 95
source rock samples in the upper E23 strata of Wells Shi 37, Shi
38, Shi 41 and Shi 42, the Pr/Ph ratio of saline lacustrine
source rocks in the upper E23 is low (0.12e0.82, averaging
0.40). Combined with the previous research results [22], it is
considered that the upper E23 strata are in a strong reducing
saline lacustrine sedimentary environment.
3.2.2. V/(V þ Ni) ratio
The V/(V þ Ni) ratio has been widely and successfully
applied to restore the oxidation and reduction conditions of lake
waters in the study area. It is generally acknowledged that the V/
(V þ Ni) ratio larger than 0.54 represents an anaerobic depo-
sitional environment, the V/(V þ Ni) ratio between 0.46 and 0.6
indicates an oxygen-depleted depositional environment, and the
V/(V þ Ni) smaller than 0.46 represents an oxidative deposition
environment [19e21]. According to the above criteria, the V/
(V þ Ni) ratios of 23 samples from upper E23 strata range be-
tween 0.6 and 0.71, with an average of 0.66 (Table 1), indicating
that lake water is in an aerobic depositional environment in the
depositional period of the upper E23 strata.
3.2.3. Pyrite content
Whole rock mineral analysis shows that 23 samples of the
upper E23 strata in the Shizigou area generally contain pyrite,
with a content of 0e7.4%, averaging 3.6% (Table 2). This
indicates that the upper E23 strata were deposited in a reducing
environment.
3.3. The upper E23 strata was formed in a deepwater
environment
3.3.1. Inter-salt gray argillaceous siltstones in Well Shi 37
are originated from deepwater turbidite deposition
There is a set of dark-gray mudstone and sandy mudstone
intercalated with thin argillaceous siltstone and gypsum-salt
Fig. 5. Cumulative frequency curves (a) and CeM diagram (b) of inter-salt argillaceous siltstones in Well Shi 37.
rock in SG IeII of E23 (TVD: 2532e2800 m) in Well 37. In
terms of their sedimentary characteristics, the argillaceous
siltstones are lithologically fine, mainly including argillaceous
siltstones and siltstones with dark color, mainly dark-gray and
gray, or gray-black occasionally, existing in multiple layers
with small single layer thickness (2.5e6.5 m), intercalated
with gray and dark gray mudstones and sandy mudstones.
Grain size analysis of 19 cutting samples in TVD of
2538.0e2794.0 m and 6 core samples in TVD of
2695.58e2703.58 m (Fig. 5) shows that the cumulative
probability curves of argillaceous siltstones in the strata are
uniformly a wide and gentle arc, with the F scale between 1
and 8 (Fig. 5a). There are 25 data points mainly in the QR
interval (through saltation) on the CeM diagram, and the
envelope is parallel to the C ¼ M baseline (Fig. 5b). It is
considered after comprehensive analysis that this set of dark-
colored argillaceous siltstone is originated from multiphase
small-scale turbidite deposition.
3.3.2. Fe/Mn and (Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) ratio
According to the studies on elemental geochemistry of
modern sediments in recent years, the accumulation and
dispersion of elements show a certain relationship with water
depth in basins (more precisely, the offshore distance). This is
mainly resulted from the mechanical, chemical, biological and
biochemical differentiation occurred in the deposition of
elements.
The Fe/Mn and (Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) ratios have been
widely used in the restoration of water depth in palaeo-lake
waters. It is usually considered that Fe/Mn >150 and
(Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) > 2.0 represent shore shallow lake
subfacies, Fe/Mn < 100 and (Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) < 1.3
represent deep lake subfacies, and Fe/Mn of 100e150 and
(Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) of 1.3e2.0 represent medium-deep lake
subfacies [19e21]. According to the analysis of 23 samples
from the upper E23 strata in Wells Shi 37, Shi 38, and Shi 40
(Table 1), the Fe/Mn ratio is 11.24e29.3, with an average of
23.6, and the (Fe þ Al)/(Ca þ Mg) ratio is 0.13e0.48, with an
average of 0.30. This indicates that the upper E23 strata were
deposited in a sedimentary environment of deep lake
 Yi DH. et al. / Natural Gas Industry B 4 (2017) 390e398
subfacies, namely, the deepwater environment beneath the
wave base.
3.4. Gypsum-salt rocks were originated from
concentration and crystallization of lake water
Inclusions analysis shows that the inclusions in salt rocks
from Well Shi 37 are pure liquid and gaseliquid two-phase
brine inclusions, and hydrocarbon inclusions are not devel-
oped. The homogeneous temperature peak interval of pure
liquid inclusions is 20e30  C, with an average of 30.6  C. The
homogeneous temperature peak interval of gaseliquid two-
phase inclusions is 80e100  C, with an average of 92.9  C.
Laser Raman analysis shows that the two kinds of inclusions
have the same compositions, and both gas and liquid shows
typical water peaks. This indicates that the pure liquid inclusion
is the result of burial thermal alteration [23], suggesting that the
salt rocks in Well Shi 37 were formed with the concentration
and crystallization of lake water under low temperature.
4. Conclusions
1) In the Shizigou area, the gypsum-salt rocks were poorly
developed in the early period of E23 , with a small plane
distribution area, and well developed in the late period,
with a larger plane distribution area. The gypsum-salt
rocks reveal a large variation in single layer thickness,
average thickness, cumulative thickness, and salt-strata
ratio; there is no continuous development of thick
gypsum-salt rocks, nor development of continuous thin
gypsum-salt rocks.
2) According to the development of typical warm facies
salt minerals, Sr/Cu ratio and characteristics of sporo
pollenite assemblage in the upper E23 strata, it is
considered that the paleo-climate was warm and arid in
Oligocene in the late depositional period of E23 .
3) According to the analysis of Pr/Ph, V/(V þ Ni) and
pyrite content, it is considered that the upper E23 strata is
the depositional product in a reducing environment.
4) According to the depositional genesis analysis of deep-
water turbidity of inter-salt gray argillaceous siltstones
and the analytical results of Fe/Mn and (Fe þ Al)/
(Ca þ Mg) ratios, it is considered that the upper E23
strata in the Shizigou area was formed in a deepwater
environment.
5) According to the analysis of inclusions type, composi-
tion and homogeneous temperature of salt rocks in Well
Shi 37, it is considered that the salt rocks in the study
area were not originated from thermal fluid, but from the
concentration and crystallization of lake water under low
temperature.
Acknowledgments
We appreciate the Exploration and Development Research
Institute of PetroChina Qinghai Oilfield Company for the help
397
and support in the process of sampling and data collection. We
also appreciate the CNPC Key Reservoir Description Labo-
ratory of Chinese for their support in the sample analysis and
test. We appreciate the valuable advice and useful comments
made by the experts and reviewers of Natural Gas Industry.
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