Technical Session - 2

Title:            Mechanism of Phu Khanh Basin Formation and Related Tectonic Context in the Southeast Asia Sea
Authors:       Nguyen Xuan Truong, Nguyen Xuan Huy, Ta Quoc Dung, Do Quang Khanh
Abstract:     Phu Khanh basin is a deep-water area lying offshore along the central Vietnamese East Sea, with
250km of North-South extension and 50 – 75 km wide opening. The area is steeply towards the basin floor to the Eastern (more than 4.000 m water column), whereas the shallow coastline is lying to the West (300 m deep). Gravity survey has been conducted since 1972 to assess the West flank of Phu Khanh Basin. Seismic acquisition just performed in 2008, covering 14,500 km 2-D seismic line by GeoStreamerTM along with the Aeromagnetic Survey (Maringarm, 2012). Further research has been investigated into the area in such of three well were drilled (124-HT-1X, 124-CMT-1X in 2009, and 123-TH-1X in 2011) in the shallow water and uplifted block. The 124-CMT-1X well has been recognized with the the oil show in Miocene Carbonate strata, which make the area potential for Petroleum Exploration. Tectonic activity of the Southeast Asia Sea (SAS) is believe to lead to the formation of Phu Khanh basin. In fact, the study basin is lying next to the opening zone of the SAS, where tectonic framework governs the basin development. It is recognized that two extension phases of the SAS have been recorded in Palaeocene-Eocene and Late Miocene-Early Miocene. The post rift phase experienced a thermal subsidence started in Middle Miocene which affected the deposition settings of Phu Khanh basin, ranging from shelf slope to deep-sea environment. In addition, the opening of SAS has initiate the heat flow regime of the region, in the time, which closely influenced the thermal maturation of the organic content. Therefore, this paper will examine and reason he Phu Khanh basin has been formed under the tectonic happen of the SAS.

Keywords:  Phu Khanh basin, Tectonics, Southeast Asia Sea, Basin Research, Asia Earth Science
Pages:        133-137

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