Potential Oil and Gas-Bearing Basins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

A number of composite sedimentary basins are present on the Qinghai-Tibet (Tibetan) Plateau. Some of these basins are filled with marine sediments, whereas others are fault-bounded continental depressions. Mixed source-rock types are present, of variable organic matter content; source rocks are mainly carbonates and secondarily mudstones. Vitrinite reflectance and biomarker analyses show that Mesozoic and Cenozoic source rocks have reached the peak stages of oil generation; older source rocks may have generated natural gas. The hydrocarbon reserves of these basins are believed to total ∼37.2 billion barrels. The Qiangtang-Qamdo basin probably has the greatest potential for oil exploration.