Research Status and Development Direction of Sequence Strategraphy in China

Sequence stratigraphy has been developed in China for nearly 20 years. By the hard work of Chinese geologists, it went through three development stages which are beginning, high-speed development and mature development. Among the stages the Chinese geologists progressed quite a lot and acquired plentiful achievements especially in the research of regional sequence stratigraphy, theoretical sequence stratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy with mineral controlling, sequence stratigraphy in oil and gas exploration, high-resolution sequence stratigraphy, Milankovitch cycles, continental sequence stratigraphy (including alluvial system and desert aeolian system), applications of new techniques and methods in sequence stratigraphy (seism, well-log, computer simulation, neutron technique, cosmogenic nuclide etc.), dynamic sequence stratigraphy in basin depression and mountain building, sequence stratigraphy in the Tibet plateau and orogenic zones, diagenetic sequence stratigraphy, chemical sequence stratigraphy, tectonic sequence stratigraphy and sequence-lithofacies palaeogeography mapping etc. Based on the analysis of research status of Chinese sequence stratigraphy, it is suggested that Chinese geologist should enhance the application of sequence stratigraphy, and also should pay more attention to the basis research, technique improvement and feature development, in order to devote themselves to the development of sequence stratigraphy.