Provenance of the lower Es2 in the Shanghe area of the Huimin sag

The provenance of the lower Es2 in the Shanghe area was determined from an approach incorporating analysis, elemental ratios, paleocurrent direction, the typomorphic characteristics of detritus and the distribution of conglomerate and gritstone in the peripheral basin. Typical elemental ratios characteristic of the sedimentary area were compared with those from the source areas as abstracted from sediments of the Huimin sag using cluster analysis. The results show that the distribution pattern focuses on Mg/Mn, Fe/K, Al/Na, Ba/Mn and Al/Mg. Mg/Mn is the highest ratio, from 25 to 45. This is similar to the pattern from the Precambrian. Furthermore, paleocurrent direction was used to determine provenance by examining the distribution of gritstone and the seismic progradational reflections. The research results indicate that the provenance is to the northwest in the Precambrian strata where the sand grain size is rough. To the east there is siltstone, fine sandstone and mudstone. This is significant for the exploration of oil and gas within the study area.