Post-rift geodynamics of the Songliao Basin, NE China: Origin and significance of T11 (Coniacian) unconformity

• New seismic profiles and continuous core sections from Cretaceous Songliao Basin
• We map the deformation nature of T11 unconformity (~ 88–86 Ma) in the postrift stage.
• Postrift thermal subsidence is interrupted by a compression event, documented by T11.
• The T11 was induced by a major reorganization of Pacific plate, culminating at 88 Ma.
• The onset of postrift episodic basin inversion can be advanced to Coniacian time.

The T11 unconformity lies between the Qingshankou and Yaojia Formations in the post-rifting sequence of the Cretaceous Songliao Basin, NE China. It is intimately associated with petroleum reservoirs and considered to be a disconformity forming in the tectonic quiet stage. We present the interpretations from new seismic surveys and cored sections of the Cretaceous Continental Scientific Drilling borehole (CCSD-SK-1) in order to resolve the nature and origin of T11 unconformity. The T11 is often a low-angle unconformity with underlying Qingshankou Formation having been deformed and eroded prior to deposition of the Yaojia Formation. In the post-rift evolution of the basin it marks an abrupt change from a deep lake to shallow lake or subaerial environment, documented by reddening of the lacustrine mudstone, extinction of the ostracod assemblages and a great increase of coarse detrital inputs. The sharp change of depositional environment, the truncation of gentle folds and the cluster of volcanic and paleoearthquake activities, all happened simultaneously, immediately before the development of T11 unconformity, indicating a significant regional compressional uplift event in the basin. The timing of the T11 unconformity formation is within the interval 88–86.2 Ma. Correlations with coeval unconformities in other Cretaceous sedimentary basins in eastern Asia indicate that this compressional uplift coincided with an episode of global plate reorganization between the Eurasian and Paleo-Pacific plates that culminated at 88–87 Ma. During this short interval the northeast Asian margin, in eastern China, South Korea, Japan and Russian Far East experienced widespread violent volcanic and granite emplacement activity triggered by compression resulting from rapid and orthogonal slab subduction. The post-rift basin tectonic inversion occurred during T11 (Coniacian) time; thereafter the basin again evolved in an extension regime. Two subsidence phases in post-rift history took place as the direct consequence of Coniacian compression peak, which defined the distribution of oil sources and reservoirs.