Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of the Lopingian (Late Permian) coal measures in southwestern China

► Lopingian coal measures in southwest China were deposited from fully terrestrial to marine environments. ► Fifteen laterally extensive marine bands act as marker horizons enabling correlations among different settings. ► Sixteen fourth-order sequences and three composite sequences (third-order) are delineated for the whole Lopingian coal measures. ►Seaward peat accumulation predominantly correlates with early TSS, but more landward, it shifts to middle TSS and late HSS. ►Variations of peat accumulation within the sequence stratigraphic framework are attributed to variations in subsidence and background siliciclastic input rates in different depositional settings.