Paleogeothermal gradient and geologic thermal history of the Turpan-Hami Basin, Xinjiang

Synthetical research has been done on the geological thermal history of the Turpan-Hami Basin by using vitrinite reflectance, fluid inclusion geothermometry and fission track. The geotemperature of the Turpan-Hami Basin has the character that suggests higher temperature in the past, in the east and south of the basin, and in the areas of large-fracture, and lower temperature in the present day and in the west and north of the basin. This feature is controlled by the difference of burial depth of basement and heat flow values, which made Permian source rock mature in the late Triassic and Jurassic source rock mature at the end of Jurassic and the early Tertiary.