Diagenesis of Paleogene sandstones and its response to tectonics in Kuqa Foreland Basin, western China

We used the textures and chemical composition of authigenic cements in Paleogene sandstones from DN2 Gas Field of Kuqa Foreland Basin (KFB) and evidence of associated fluids from fluid inclusions and formation water measurements to infer timing of fluid migration and discuss link between fluids and tectonics. Eodiagenesis occurred with the participation of meteoric waters and connate waters. Mesodiagenesis operated in the context of high salinity fluids, which were interpreted to originate from overlying Neogene evaporite. Halite, anhydrite, glauberite, carnallite and thenardite are major minerals for the evaporite. Homogenization temperatures measured in this study and K-Ar dating performed on authigenetic illites by previous study indicate that initial migration of high salinity fluid occurred during the late Miocene (12.4–9.2 Ma). The period is consistent with the crucial phase (13–10 Ma) witnessing the rapid development of southern Tianshan and the stage when calcite and anhydrite veins formed in the studied strata. These results suggest that diagenesis related to high salinity fluids probably occurred as a response to Tianshan’s rapid uplift and related tectonic processes. The flow of high salinity fluids was probably driven by density gradient and channeled and focused by fractures formed contemporaneously.