New insight on the stratigraphy of the in offshore Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.)

Abstract

An integrated case study of field "A" in offshore Abu Dhabi found that the stratigraphic framework for the uppermost part of the so-called "Thamama Group" required revision. Detailed sedimentological work permitted a subdivision of the succession into lithostratigraphic units (more accurately "allostratigraphic units") and the fossil content permitted their allocation to standard age-related units ranging from Late Barremian through Middle Aptian times. Additional work focused on the so-called "Shu'aiba Formation" and resulted in a new and comprehensive interpretation on a regional scale which differs from published interpretations based on onshore studies in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Oman.

Dynamics of cementation in response to oil charge: Evidence from a Cretaceous carbonate field, U.A.E.

“…1A). The 'Thamama' Group is an informal title and encompasses the uppermost part of the Sahtan Supersynthem, the entire Kahmah Supersynthem, and the lowermost portion of the Wasi'a Supersynthem (Granier et al, 2003).…”

“…All these units were defined by subsurface data correlated throughout the southeastern Arabian Gulf, and are bounded by unconformities (Granier, 2000). They are often, but not always, bounded by transgressive surfaces that often coincide with sequence boundaries (Granier et al, 2003).…”

Analysis of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous algal debris-facies of the Plassen carbonate platform in the Northern Calcareous Alps (Germany, Austria) and in the Kurbnesh area of the Mirdita zone (Albania): a tool to reconstruct tectonics and palaeogeography of eroded platforms

“…Conrad and Radoičić 1972). From the Early Cretaceous offshore area in Abu Dhabi, Arabian Emirates, Granier et al (2003) reported Early Cretaceous algal debris-facies with the dasycladales Cylindroporella, Salpingoporella, Acroporella(? ), Terquemella, Carpathoporella (=Copto-campylodon) and Permocalculus, comparable to the assemblages indicated by Elliott (1958).…”

Draconisella mortoni sp. nov., a Mizzia-like Dasycladalean alga from the Lower Cretaceous of Oman

“…Two facies-driven formations were originally described from Oman: the Rayda and the Salil (Hassan et al, 1975;Granier, 2000;Granier et al, 2003;Granier, 2008). The latest biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic dating of the Rayda (Celestino et al, 2016) shows that this condensed Maiolica-like facies may span most of the Tithonian -Valanginian interval.…”

“…In Abu Dhabi, for decades, practical geologists employed by oil companies have used an interregional stratigraphic framework based on "operational units" (e.g., Hassan et al, 1975). According to Granier (2000) and Granier et al (2003) most of these units prove to be unconformity-bounded units. In addition, because they can also be characterized by their discrete fossil contents, Granier (2008) treats them as genuine regional stages.…”