Sedimentary geological evolution of the Qinghai-Xizang Tethys

The historical evolution of sedimentary geology of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is involved in:(1) the Pre-Tethys stage, when the basement and cover of individual microplates were initiated; (2) the Tethys stage that may be divided into Palaeo-, Meso- and Neo-Tethys stages, when the frameworks of arc-basin systems were developed; (3) the formation of the Plateau continental crust with the collapse of the residual seas and unified stress fields during the latest Eocene, and (4) the formation and uplift of the Plateau since the Miocene and Oligocene. Some large-or medium-sized Mesozoic and Cenezoic basins on the Plateau such as Qiangtang, Coqen and Qamdo basins were once evolved from back-arc basins to foreland basins and reworked without exceptions by the Himalayan orogeny, and thus have the potential of oil and gas resources.