Evolution of Low-Angle Normal Faults in the Enping Sag, the Northern South China Sea: Lateral Growth and Vertical Rotation

Zhichao Zhou; Lianfu Mei; Hesheng Shi; Yu Shu

doi:10.1007/s12583-019-0899-4

Volume 30 Issue 6

Dec 2019

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Journal of Earth Science > 2019 > 30(6): 1326-1340.

Zhichao Zhou, Lianfu Mei, Hesheng Shi, Yu Shu. Evolution of Low-Angle Normal Faults in the Enping Sag, the Northern South China Sea: Lateral Growth and Vertical Rotation. Journal of Earth Science, 2019, 30(6): 1326-1340. doi: 10.1007/s12583-019-0899-4

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Zhichao Zhou, Lianfu Mei, Hesheng Shi, Yu Shu. Evolution of Low-Angle Normal Faults in the Enping Sag, the Northern South China Sea: Lateral Growth and Vertical Rotation. Journal of Earth Science, 2019, 30(6): 1326-1340. doi: 10.1007/s12583-019-0899-4

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Evolution of Low-Angle Normal Faults in the Enping Sag, the Northern South China Sea: Lateral Growth and Vertical Rotation

doi: 10.1007/s12583-019-0899-4

Zhichao Zhou^{1,2
,},
Lianfu Mei^{1
,
,
,},
Hesheng Shi³,
Yu Shu³

1.
Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
2.
Research Institute of Exploration and Development, PetroChina Tuha Oil Field Company, Hami 839000, China
3.
Shenzhen Branch of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Shenzhen 518000, China

Funds: The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive reviews and suggestions, which greatly helped to improve this paper. We thank the editors for the detailed and impartial comments. This study was supported by the Major National Science and Technology Programs, China (Nos. 2016ZX05026-003-001 and 2011ZX05023-001-015)

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Corresponding author: Lianfu Mei
Received Date: 17 Oct 2017
Accepted Date: 25 Feb 2018
Publish Date: 01 Dec 2019

Abstract

Abstract

Low-angle normal faults (dip < 30°,LANFs) are widespread in the northern margin of the South China Sea where the maximum crust thickness is approximately 30.0 km. Based on 3D seismic survey data and drilling wells in the Enping sag,evidences for LANFs that initially formed at high-angles are discussed. After a detailed investigation of extensional fault system and description of 3D fault geometry,the initial fault dips under the model of distributed vertical simple shear are also calculated. The results indicate that the present-day dip angles of the LANFs are in the range of 12° to 29°,and the initial fault dip angles are in the range of 39° to 49°. Deep seismic imaging suggests that the upper crust in the footwall block of the LANFs was tilted at an angle of~14° to 22° due to the isostatic rebound during rifting. Moreover,the temporal and spatial sequences of the lateral growth of the LANFs have been investigated by the seismic interpretation of four isochronous stratigraphic interfaces,which demonstrates that two individual fault segments propagated towards each other and subsequently,were hard-linked during the Early Eocene.
- low-angle normal fault,
- fault rotation,
- fault growth,
- Enping sag,
- Pearl River Mouth Ba-sin,
- the South China Sea

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References(61)

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Evolution of Low-Angle Normal Faults in the Enping Sag, the Northern South China Sea: Lateral Growth and Vertical Rotation

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