Basement Configuration and its Impact on Permian–Triassic Prospectivity in Kuwait

This chapter reviews the subsurface stratigraphy of Kuwait targeting geosciences educators. The lithostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the reviewed formations (association of rocks whose components are paragenetically related to each other, both vertically and laterally) followed the formal stratigraphic nomenclature in Kuwait. The exposed stratigraphic formations of the Miocene–Pleistocene epochs represented by the Dibdibba, Lower Fars, and Ghar clastic sediments (Kuwait Group) were reviewed in the previous chapter as part of near-surface geology. In this chapter, the description of these formations is based mainly on their subsurface presence. The description of the subsurface stratigraphic formations in Kuwait followed published academic papers and technical reports related to Kuwait’s geology or analog (GCC countries, Iraq and Iran) either from the oil and gas industry or from different research institutions in Kuwait and abroad. It is also true that studies related to groundwater aquifer systems also contribute to our understanding of the subsurface stratigraphy of Kuwait for the shallower formations. The majority of the published data were covered the onshore section of Kuwait. The subsurface stratigraphic nomenclature description is based on thickness, depositional environment, sequence stratigraphy, the nature of the sequence boundaries, biostratigraphy, and age. The sedimentary strata reflect the depositional environment in which the rocks were formed. Understanding the characteristics of the sedimentary rocks will help understand many geologic events in the past, such as sea-level fluctuation, global climatic changes, tectonic processes, geochemical cycles, and more, depending on the research question. The succession of changing lithological sequences is controlled by three main factors; sea-level change (eustatic sea level), sediment supply, and accommodation space controlled by regional and local tectonics influences. Several authors have developed theoretical methods, established conceptual models, and produced several paleofacies maps to interpret Kuwait’s stratigraphic sequence based on the data collected over time intervals from the Late Permian to Quaternary to reconstruct the depositional history of the Arabian Plate in general and of Kuwait to understand the characteristics of oil and gas reservoirs.

Section: Late Paleozoic-early Mesozoicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Khuff Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Khuff Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Khuff Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Subsurface Stratigraphy of Kuwait

Al-Helal

AlRefai

AlKandari

et al. 2022

“…It extends for almost 60 km with a cliff-like face of about 36 m from the escarpment base (Amer et al, 2019a) and reaches up to 135 m from the mean sea level (Al-Sarawi, 1982). It exhibits a predominant NE-SW trend as a result of deep-seated basement faults (Own & Naser, 1958, Fuchs et al, 1968Bou-Rabee & Kleinkopf, 1994;Al-Anzi, 1995;Singh et al, 2011;Amer et al, 2017;. The importance of this fault is discussed in the structural geology chapter.…”

Section: Jal Az-zor Escarpmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Geology of Kuwait

Alrefaei

Najem²,

Amer³

et al. 2022

This chapter represents a comprehensive review of Kuwait’s surface geology and stratigraphy from previous works accomplished by numerous geoscience researchers in the past decades. The surface of Kuwait is characterized by nearly flat topography, featureless to gently undulating, apart from a few tens of meters of escarpments in the north and south, and flat low to moderately elevated hills and ridges. It predominantly consists of siliciclastic sediments and sedimentary rock units ranging in age from Middle Eocene to Holocene. The main stratigraphic exposed successions are located in Jal Az-Zor escarpment, Al-Subyiah (Bahrah) area, Ahmadi Quarry, the Khiran Ridges, and the Enjefa Beach. The oldest exposed rock units are represented by the Middle Eocene Dammam Formation, which is exposed at the Ahmadi Quarry, whereas the youngest recent deposits cover most of Kuwait’s surficial area and lie on top of the Kuwait Group’s deposits. This chapter will illustrate the geology and stratigraphy of Kuwait's surface sediments and sedimentary rock strata. Recommendations and future insights were also documented as part of the way forward to improve the presently available work for the surface geology of Kuwait.

Structures and Tectonics of Kuwait

Naqi

Amer²

2022

Despite the surface geology of Kuwait appears to be scarce and most of the country is covered with Quaternary deposits except for a few outcrops of Oligo-Miocene to Pleistocene age, the subsurface geology of Kuwait is quite unique and astonishing. The discovery of hydrocarbon in Kuwait at the beginning of the last century helped geologists to better understand the structural geology of Kuwait especially by utilizing geophysical methods such as potential field methods (e.g., gravity and magnetic) and seismic reflection. Being part of the Arabian Peninsula, the structural geology of Kuwait shares many of the Arabian Peninsula structural trends. The dominant N-S trending structures of the Arabian Plate are manifested in the Kuwait Arch which is one of the major structures of the country where many of the oil and gas oil fields are associated with. Other dominant structural trends of the Arabian Plate such as NE-SW and NW–SE are resembled in Kuwait as Jal Az-Zor and Dibdibah Trough, respectively. Paleo- and in-situ stress analysis is an important subject for oil and gas exploration, and many studies have been commissioned to better understand them in most of the Kuwaiti fields. The present-day in-situ stress in Kuwait is oriented NE-SW resembling the current tectonic setting of the region due to the collision of the Arabian Plate with the Eurasia Plate since the Oligocene. This chapter will present a thorough review of the previous studies discussing the surface and subsurface structural geology of Kuwait.