Main controlling factors for hydrocarbon reservoir formation and petroleum distribution in Cratonic Area of Tarim Basin

The Cratonic Area of the Tarim Basin is lo-cated in the central part of the basin, developing primarilywith Cambrian marine source rocks and secondly Middle toUpper Ordovician marine and Carboniferous-Permiantransitional facies source rocks. The source rocks werematured in the changeable period and space, formingmultiple hydrocarbon generating centers during the periods.The Cratonic Area experienced multiple tectonic orogenies,forming several palaeouplifts. The matching conditionbetween effective hydrocarbon generating centers and thepalaeouplifts in various periods is the main control factor forthe formation and distribution of hydrocarbon reservoirs.The palaeouplifts have experienced multiple hydrocar-bon-filling phases, several periods of modifications and evenbreakdown. The palaeouplifts and the adjacent slopesaround the effective hydrocarbon generating center composethe most favorable places for hydrocarbon accumulation.The hydrocarbon phase is related with the evolution of thehydrocarbon generating center. In the Tarim Basin'sCratonic Area, reservoirs were mostly formed during lateHercynian. The originally formed hydrocarbon reservoirswhich are adjacent to source kitchens and in the goodpreservation condition are the most favorable prospectingtargets. Hydrocarbon is richly accumulated under theregional caprock, surrounding the faulted trends, and overand below the unconformity surfaces. Reservoirs in theCarboniferous sandstone, Ordovician karstic weatheredcrust and carbonate rock inside the buried hill compose themain intervals for hydrocarbon accumulation. Carboni-ferous and Silurian sandstone pinchout reservoirs andcarbonate lithologic reservoirs with rich fractures and poresare the main targets for further prospecting.