The thermal history of sedimentary basins is a key factor for hydrocarbon accumulation and resource assessment, and is critical in the exploration of lithospheric tectono-thermal evolution. In this paper, the Cenozoic thermal histories of nearly 200 wells and the Mesozoic thermal histories of 15 wells are modeled based on the vitrinite reflectance and apatite fission track data in Bohai Bay Basin, North China. The results show that the basin experienced Early Cretaceous and Paleogene heat flow peaks, which reveals two strong rift tectonic movements that occurred in the Cretaceous and the Paleogene in the basin, respectively. The thermal evolution history in Bohai Bay Basin can be divided into five stages including（1） the low and stable heat flow stage from the Triassic to the Jurassic, with the heat flow of 53 to 58 m W/m2;（2） the first heat flow peak from the Early Cretaceous to the middle of the Late Cretaceous, with a maximum heat flow of 81 to 87 m W/m2;（3） the first post-rift thermal subsidence stage from the middle of the Late Cretaceous to the Paleocene, with the heat flow of 65 to 74 m W/m2 at the end of the Cretaceous;（4） the second heat flow peak from the Eocene to the Oligocene, with a maximum heat flow of 81 to 88 m W/m2; and（5） the second thermal subsidence stage from the Neogene to present, with an average heat flow of 64 m W/m2.
Paleo-pressure reconstruction in sedimentary basins is one of the most important aspects of hydrocarbon accumulation research.In view of the advantages and disadvantages of the current methods for paleo-pressure research,a new method to reconstruct the paleo-pressure is presented in this paper.According to the geological background,quantitative analyses of the factors that might control overpressure were first conducted to clarify the contributions of each mechanism during different geological periods.Pressure evolution was reconstructed by fluid-compaction modelling with constraints imposed by the paleo-pressures obtained from fluid inclusions or differential stress methods.Determining the mechanisms responsible for overpressures during geological history is the basic prerequisite for paleo-pressure research.Thus,quantitative studies were conducted of the contributions of disequilibrium compaction,gas charging,oil cracking,temperature reduction,and tectonic uplift and subsidence to overpressures.Three case studies of paleo-pressure reconstruction were performed for the Sinian strata in the Sichuan Basin,Ordovician strata in the north uplift in the Tarim Basin and the Permian strata in the Sulige Gas Field in the Ordos Basin,where these three study sites are normally pressured,weakly over-pressured and abnormally low pressured at present,respectively.The new method developed in this paper is very important for the practical reconstruction of the paleopressure in marine strata and ancient strata in deep basins.
