Sedimentary environment and facies of the Huagang Formation in the northern central Xihu Depression, East China Sea Basin, China.

The sedimentary facies of the Huagang Formation, the major petroleum exploration horizon in the Xihu Depression in the East China Sea Basin, have not been well constrained, owing to limited drilling and core recovery. Interpretations are vague and vary from beach bar, braided river and braided-river delta front sediments. In this paper, the paleosedimentary environments of the Huagang Formation are discussed based on detailed organic and inorganic geochemical analysis and proxies used to interpret the sedimentary facies. Kerogen, dominated by sapropelinite, is mainly of Type I and Type II, and n-Paraffins are dominated by short-chain and medium-chain, with no obvious odd-over-even advantages. The distribution of isoprenoid alkanes and steroids indicates that the organic matter in mudstones is mainly of lacustrine and mixed origins. Elemental ratios of Th/U (4–6), V/Cr (1–4), Ni/Co (3–11) and V/(V + Ni) (0.5–0.75) indicate that in the area studied, the Huagang Formation was deposited under anoxic to reduced conditions with some oxygen-enriched horizons. Both inorganic and organic geochemical signatures show that the Huagang Formation was mainly deposited in an aquatic environment but with some minor periods of subaerial exposure. The sequence of the Huagang Formation is characterised by interbedded grey-white thick sandstones and grey-black thin mudstones. Normally graded cycles are widely developed, with rare mudstone in the upper part and scoured surfaces at the base. The cumulative grainsize distribution curve is mainly a two-stage type. The sedimentary facies indicative markers are dominated by braided-river channel deposits and combined with the paleosedimentary environments it is inferred that the sedimentary system in the study area was typical of a braided-river delta front. The cores available were intensively analysed using a hand-held X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to probe the variations in the paleoclimate and show that the braided-river channels were controlled by paleoclimate. During arid climatic settings, the sediments within individual channels were thin, and grainsizes varied significantly; at the base of each channel, basal conglomerates were common. In contrast, under humid climatic settings, thin multi-stage channels were superimposed, and the bottom often developed erosion surface. The paleosedimentary environments are discussed based on detailed organic and inorganic geochemical analysis. The Huagang Formation was deposited in a freshwater lacustrine basin under warm and humid climatic settings. The Huagang Formation is characterised by braided-river delta front facies. The development of braided-river channels was controlled by paleoclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]