Sedimentary Basins And Petroleum Geology Of The Middle East

The wealth of petroleum has made the Middle East one of the most actively explored regions of the world. The volume of geological, geophysical and geochemical data collected by the petroleum industry in recent decades is enormous. The Middle East may be a unique region in the world where the volume of subsurface data and information exceeds that based on surface outcrop.This book reviews the tectonic and geological history of the Middle East and the regional hydrocarbon potential on a country by country basis in the context of current ideas developed through seismic and sequence stratigraphy and incorporating the ideas of global sea level change.Subsurface data have been used as much as possible to amplify the descriptions.The paleogeographic approach provides a means to view the area as a whole. While the country by country approach inevitably leads to some repetition, it enhances the value of the volume as a teaching tool and underlines some of the changing lithologies within formations carrying the same name.

This book focuses on the links between deep earth (mantle) and shallow processes in areas of active tectonics in the Arabian Plate and Surrounding Areas. It also provides key information for energy resources in these areas. The book is a compilation of selected papers from the Task Force of the International Lithosphere Program (ILP). It comprises a set of research studies from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean domain focusing on (1) the architecture, geodynamic evolution and modelling of the Red Sea rift system and its surroundings, and tectonics and sedimentation in the Gulf of Corinth, (2) the crustal architecture and georesources of the North Algerian Offshore, (3) Reservoirs, aquifers and fluid transfers in Saudi Basins, Petroleum systems and salt tectonics in Yemen and (4) Cretaceous-Eocene foreland inversions in Saudi Arabia.

This book focuses on the evolution of sedimentary basins of the Arabian Plate and its surroundings. Because these sedimentary basins developed in various tectonic settings, from extensional or transtensional to flexural, transpressional or compressional, their sedimentary sequences provide unique records of the regional geology. Georesources of the Arabian Plate are also described here, including petroleum potential, reservoirs, water resources, fresh water and deep saline aquifers, as well as materials and ore deposits. The book is made by a set of papers authored by geoscientists working in both academia and industry. Numerous chapters describe some regional important geologic features and selected sedimentary basins from the Middle East, North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula domains. Other chapters focus on georesources. A particular focus is given to the geology of Saudi Arabia. This book is an important contribution to the geology of the Arabian Peninsula and its surroundings. In view of the strategic and economic importance of the regional geology and georesources of the Arabian Plate and Surroundings, this volume will constitute an important reference for a wide range of geoscientists interested in the geology of this region, especially those active in petroleum geosciences and related industry. Ultimately, readers will discover important thematic maps in this book.

Reservoirs described in this volume are located in the Middle East, Asia, West Africa, North and South America. The authors explore historical and alternative approaches to reservoir description, characterization, and management, as well as examining appropriate levels and timing of data gathering, technology applications, evaluation techniques, and management practices in various stages in the life of individual development projects. The giant fields discussed address issues important to reservoir description, characterization, and management from both geologic & engineering perspectives.

This memoir provides a thorough review of the geology of the rimmed Arabian Intrashelf Basin, reconciling differing interpretations of lithostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and biostratigraphy. Variation of energy levels and facies due to its setting in the SE palaeotradewind belt are described. The roles subtle tectonism played in developing the basin and in the Late Jurassic creating restriction by uplift and exposure of the Tethys shelf are evaluated. The intrashelf basin formed during rising sea level as a single rimmed carbonate intrashelf basin. A possible global cooling phase resulted in a lowstand which restricted the basin, resulting in petrographically unique carbonate source rock facies dominated by cyanobacterial deposition. Two subsequent 3rd order carbonate sequences largely filled the basin. Eustatic change concomitant with uplift of the Tethys shelf resulted in alternation of carbonates and evaporites (gypsum-anhydrite) across the region. The end result was a sealed intrashelf basin which preserved early-formed porosity and confined generated hydrocarbons within the intrashelf basin facies.