PETROLEUM AT THE ROOF OF THE WORLD: The geological evolution of the Tibet (Qinghai‐Xizang) Plateau Part II

Abundant field data collected within the past twelve years or so show that all published explanations for the origin of this 2.4MM sq. km region violates some of these data. Among them, one fact is of paramount importance. This is the discovery that none of the great east‐west fracture zones is a boundary between different, but coeval, lithofacies. Instead, several major facies boundaries (in rocks of various ages) form a zigzag pattern across the various blocks of the region. This fact, in turn, means that most published tectonic interpretations, including those of plate tectonics, are incorrect. In Part 2 of this paper, the Authors now point out that the recently‐proposed surge‐tectonics hypothesis explains all field data. If the surge‐tectonics hypothesis is correct, most of the Tibetan Plateau, including its Cambrian‐through‐Tertiary section, is prospective. They conclude, therefore, that Tibet could eventually become a major petroleum‐producing province of the world.