Tectono-Climatic Control on Jurassic Source-to-Sink Systems in the Central Junggar Basin (NW China): Implications for Investigation of Multiple S2S Systems

Deciphering how tectonic and climatic processes jointly control sedimentary facies distribution in continental lacustrine basins remains a fundamental challenge in source-to-sink (S2S) analysis. Here, we integrate heavy mineral assemblage data from 437 samples collected from 36 wells with RMS amplitude slices to reconstruct the Jurassic S2S evolution in the central Junggar Basin and assess the roles of tectonics and climate. During the deposition of the Badaowan Formation, widespread braided-river deltas developed under a warm–humid climatic setting, with sediments sourced mainly from the Zhayier and Kelameili Mountains and minor input from the Yilinheibiergen Mountains. Lake transgression during the deposition of the Sangonghe Formation shifted the depocenter southward and reduced the number of active S2S systems. Rapid uplift of the Che-Mo paleo-uplift during the deposition of the Xishanyao Formation reorganized sediment dispersal by blocking sediment supply from the north of the central Junggar Basin and modifying sediment-routing pathways. During the deposition of the Qigu Formation, increasing aridity was accompanied by a transition from braided-river to meandering-river delta systems, while the Che-Mo paleo-uplift became the dominant intrabasinal sediment source. The Che-Mo paleo-uplift thus acted as both a tectonic barrier and an active sediment source, whereas climate influenced the types of deltas developed. This study proposes a conceptual S2S evolutionary model for the central Junggar Basin and provides a new perspective for predicting the distribution of high-quality reservoirs for hydrocarbon accumulation in the basin.