Petroleum geology and exploration potential of Volga-Ural Basin：one typical foreland

The Volga-Ural Basin is a typical foreland basin in the eastern margin of the Eastern Europe Platform.Subsidence continued from Riphean of pre-Cambrian to Quaternary of Cenozoic.Good assemblages of source rock,reservoir and seal exist in the marine facies carbonate rocks of the middle and upper Paleozoic,resulting in giant petroliferous region which has great potential for petroleum exploration.The tectonic evolution of the basin can be divided into four stages including:1) clastic rock in intracontinental rift;2) carbonate tableland in passive margin;3) foreland basin of orogenic belt;4) clastic rock in foreland basin.Studies show that the basin has underwent a complete"Wilson Circle"from continent rift to continent collision,and is regarded as a typical giant foreland basin.Biological carbonate rocks generated during the passive margin stage contributed to hydrocarbon generation.Severe regional tectonic movements of orogenic belt when foreland basin formed provided driving force for petroleum migration and accumulation.Folds in the east of the basin are targets for future exploration.