Geological Characteristics of Mud Volcanoes and Geochemical Significance of the Associated Oil Seepages in the Southern Junggar Basin

TLDR: In this article, the authors analyzed the tectonic background of the Sikeshu and Dushanzi mud volcanoes, and pointed out that under the effect of water pressure difference caused by the terrain of Meso-Cenozoic sediments in the northern Tianshan, the rich groundwater rises along the fault zone developed at the anticline top and meets with clay rocks around the passage.

Abstract: This paper analyzes the tectonic background of the Sikeshu and Dushanzi mud volcanoes,and points out that under the effect of water pressure difference caused by the terrain of Meso-Cenozoic sediments in the northern Tianshan,the rich groundwater rises along the fault zone developed at the anticline top and meets with clay rocks around the passage.Then the mud is formed and erupts to the surface as the mud volcanoes.The paper also studies chromatogram of oil and biomarkers of the associated oil seepages in Sikeshu and Dushanzi mud volcanoes.Comparing with the geochemical characteristics of potential source rocks and the previous results,we suggest that all samples are mature and probably are the mixed production of Jurassic and Tertiary oil sources.This study provides important clues to the oil and gas exploration in southern Junggar Basin.