Structural Evolution and Its Controlling Mechanisms of the Eastern Sag of the Liaohe Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Eastern Sag of the Liaohe Depression, situated in the Bohai Bay Basin, represents a key area for hydrocarbon exploration in northeastern China. Despite decades of research, the mechanisms governing its complex structural evolution remain unclear, largely due to multiple tectonic reactivations associated with the Tan–Lu Fault Zone. In this study, newly acquired deep seismic reflection data were used to interpret representative structural profiles across the sag. Complementary sandbox modeling experiments were conducted to reconstruct the basin’s prototype and to verify the structural kinematics inferred from the seismic data. Integration of seismic interpretation, physical modeling, and thin-section microstructural observations of fault-related cores allowed us to establish a comprehensive Cenozoic evolutionary model of the sag. The results reveal three main tectonic evolution stages: (1) an extensional fault-depression stage during the Shahejie period, (2) a strike-slip modification phase during the Dongying period, and (3) a subsequent thermal-subsidence stage in the Guantao period. Pre-existing basement faults exerted a significant control on fault geometry, subsidence patterns, and the segmentation of four sub-sags. Moreover, transtensional and transpressional deformation during the late stages reshaped the basin architecture and fault linkage systems. These findings provide new insights into the structural evolution and controlling mechanisms of the Eastern Sag, offering valuable guidance for deep hydrocarbon exploration in the Bohai Bay Basin.
Source: Minerals
DOI: 10.3390/min15111174
Authors: Xuefeng Yu, Fusheng Yu, Guanjian Duan, Irene Cantarero, Anna Travé
Language: English
Subfield: Geology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W4416093857