Discovery of hydrocarbon display zone and its exploration significance in the eastern Nima basin, Tibet

In the field geological survey, an oil and gas belt about 55 km long was found in the Zikangle-Kanggale area in the eastern part of Nima Basin, which is hosted in the Cretaceous Jingzhushan Formation.Outcrop studies and geochemical analysis of 24 collected samples indicate that the organic carbon content is high, with an average TOC content of 1.32% and an average potential of generating hydrocarbon of 7.38 mg/g, 12 samples of which have TOC higher than 1%, with moderate compositional maturity, suggesting to be good-very good source rock grade.It is concluded that the hydrocarbon generation conditions of the Saibucuo Depression in the eastern Nima basin are better than those of the Dazecuo Depression.Saibucuo Depression can be considered as the next key target for exploration in this basin.The discovery of this oil and gas belt can provide a basis for the stratigraphic correlation between the Nima basin and Lunpola basin, and open up a new direction for the hydrocarbon exploration.