Sediment gravity-flow deposits in Late Cretaceous Songliao postrift downwarped lacustrine basin, northeastern China

Abstract The Songliao Basin is a large Cretaceous nonmarine petroliferous postrift downwarped basin in northeastern China. Deep lake channel-levee-lobe and slope fan deposits are identified within six depositional sequences that span from the Turonian to early Coniacian upper part of the fourth member of the Quantou Formation and Qingshankou Formation to the early Campanian second member of the Nenjiang Formation. Research on the sediment gravity-flow systems in the Songliao Basin has broad application for understanding the sedimentary processes and pattern of sediment gravity-flow systems, and predicting the presence of good sandstone reservoirs within postrift downwarped lacustrine basins. Research results show that the channel-levee-lobe deposits are present within sequences in the first member of the Qinshankou Formation and the first member of the Nenjiang Formation. The straight channel levees and slope fans were on high-gradient slopes, whereas the sinuous channel levees were on low-gradient slopes. The straight-to-sinuous channel levees, fed by northeastern deltaic subaqueous distributary channels, extend for 15–70 km, predominantly within transgressive-to early highstand system tracts, which terminated in bifurcated or small lobes. The channel-levee-lobe and slope fan deposits sourced from western deltas were deposited basinward of the syndepositional flexural slope-break zones controlled by deep-seated faults. The falling trajectories of the paleoshorelines during the highstand and lowstand systems tracts and large sediment fluxes during the transgressive systems tracts resulted in the development of the slope fans and channel-levee-lobes. Lakebed paleorelief influenced the channel forms. Sand bodies within the channel-levee-lobes and slope fans, encased within organic-rich source rocks, represent new significant targets for hydrocarbon exploration.