Current Issue

APPLICATION OF CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS FROM THE WANDAN MUD VOLCANO IN HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION

Hsiang-Chin Hung

Department of Industrial Management, I-Shou University, Taiwan R. O. C.

seanhung@isu. edu. tw

Chun-Chi Yang*

Department of Industrial Management, I-Shou University, Taiwan R. O. C.

*Corresponding author : isu11220003D@cloud. isuThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Onshore mud volcanoes in southern Taiwan are primarily formed by faulting and fold-related tectonic processes, mainly occurring along the Gutingkeng Anticline and the Chishan Fault in the southwestern plains. Beneath the Pingtung Plain, anticline structures are likely created through the upward intrusion and uplift of mud diapirs, thereby meeting the critical requirement for hydrocarbon systems—an effective trapping configuration. Such structures may evolve into efficient hydrocarbon traps, making them important targets for future exploration. 

This study aims to investigate the stratigraphic origins of mudflows from the Liyushan Mud Volcano in Wandan Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan, and their potential implications for petroleum exploration. Through biostratigraphic analyses of calcareous nannofossils within the mudflows, we identified an assemblage indicative of the Pleistocene NN19 Pseudoemiliania lacunosa zone. Composed of fine-grained late Pleistocene sediments, this assemblage exhibits an eruption age later than NN19 and is primarily sourced from the upper Gutingkeng Formation. 

Our findings reveal that the Liyushan Mud Volcano, located along a fault zone in Wandan, is capable of transporting deeper stratigraphic materials to the surface, serving as a key geological conduit. The fossil assemblage reflects a complex depositional history shaped by active tectonics and mud diapirism, driven by the ongoing collision between the Luzon Arc and the Eurasian continental margin. Ultimately, our research provides unprecedented insights into otherwise inaccessible deep strata, carrying profound implications for regional geodynamics and hydrocarbon exploration applications. 

Keywords: Nannofossil  identification technology,  Mud Volcanoes, Hydrocarbon, mud diapir