Yongliang Bai

Past Visiting Overseas Student

Visited from China University of Petroleum

Research Project
Crustal structure and tectonic evolution of the South China Sea.

Project Summary
The South China Sea is a young and hydrocarbon rich, marginal sea. The crustal structure of the South China Sea is a critical parameter for understanding processes of continental rifting and break-up in this region and for the evolution of petroleum systems within passive margins. Gravity inversion will be used to obtain crustal thickness estimates by taking into consideration the effect of variations in sediment density related to burial depth; thermal expansion and overburden stress-driven compression. The reference depth and crustal density derived from gravity inversion will be compared with deep seismic interpretations, to arrive at a best-fit model.

Previous reconstructions of the South China Sea development have been based on rigid plate approximations. I will create a full-fit palinspastic reconstruction to help our understanding of the evolution of the South China Sea, in particular, to determine the episodes of extension that may have preceded seafloor spreading. The reconstruction will be developed using crustal thickness estimates, geological evidence for conjugate margins, estimates of the volume of magmatic underplating and/or intrusions and the extent of thrusting under Borneo within the 'Dangerous Grounds' region.

This research project will form part of my PhD dissertation: “Multi-scale geological modelling and potential field simulations”.

Supervisors
Prof Dietmar Müller and Dr Simon Williams (University of Sydney).
Prof Zhan Liu (China University of Petroleum).

Research Funding
China Scholarship Council (http://ww.csc.edu.cn).

Publications

• Yongliang B., Williams, S.E, Müller, R.D., Liu, Z., and Hosseinpour, M. (manuscript submitted). Mapping crustal thickness using marine gravity data: methods and uncertainties. Geophysics.
• Yongliang Bai, Zhan Liu, (in press). Multi-scale Geological Modelling and Display. Journal of Earth Science.
• Yongliang. B. Zhan, Liu et al. 2012. Reservoir Sub-blocks: Data Organization Mode and Rapid Display Method. Journal of the China University of Petroleum, Vol. 36(4), p.61-65 (in Chinese).
• Zhan, L. Yongliang, B. et al. 2011. Marine Gravity Data Processing Technology and Software Realisation. Marine Geology Frontiers, Vol. 27(9), p. 60-64 (in Chinese).
• Yongliang, B. Zhan, L. et al. 2009. Marine Magnetic Data Processing Technology and Software realisation. Ocean Technology, Vol. 29(4), p.34-37 (in Chinese).
• Yongliang, B. Zhan, L. et al. 2009. Study Method of Reservoir Four-Dimensional Display Based on Open Inventor. Xi'an Shiyou Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue Ban), Vol. 27(1), p. 94-98 9in Chinese).

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