Field seminar to examine outcrops of Permian to Cretaceous carbonates representing analogues to producing Middle East Fields

Objectives

The aims of this field seminar are to:

• demonstrate the principles of carbonate sequence stratigraphy at outcrop
• examine selected Late Triassic - Cretaceous sequence boundaries in a variety of on-shelf, platform slope, continental rise and basin floor settings
• examine a superbly exposed carbonate platform slope facies association
• emphasise the critical importance of platform margin ("offlap break") successions in sequence stratigraphic analysis

Who Should Attend

This seminar will be of interest to geoscientists wanting to gain an understanding of the principals of carbonate sequence stratigraphy and to those wanting a rapid overview of Arabian Mesozoic geology.

Geological Setting

The Northern Oman Mountains comprise four broadly contemporaneous tectono-stratigraphic units:

• shallow water outer platform (Hajar Supergroup)
• platform slope (Sumeini Group)
• lower slope and continental rise (Hawasina Group)
• ocean crust (Semail Ophiolite)

Shelf margin facies are superbly exposed in the Musandam Peninsula, while laterally equivalent platform-slope turbidites, grain flows, slumps, slides, rockfalls and spectacular megabreccias occur in the adjacent Dibba Zone. Obducted continental rise and ocean crust terrains will be examined in the area south of Dibba. Together the platform slope, continental rise and ocean crust terrains form a ca.14km-thick piggyback thrust stack which becomes progressively more distal in character from base to top. The top slab of the thrust stack, the Semail Ophiolite, is onlapped by shallow water conglomerates, siliciclastics and carbonates of the Maastrichtian Qahlah and Simsima Formations (Skelton et al., 1990). Those Tertiary facies will be briefly examined in the Al Ain area (time permitting).

Course Format

Long and moderately strenuous days in the field. ‘Hands-on’ field discussions and informal evening sessions.

Course Details

• Duration: 3-6 days
• Proposed dates: to be arranged
• Location: The 3-day fieldtrip starts and finishes in Dubai. Longer trips can be arranged to take in adjacent areas including eastern Musandam, Jebel Sumeini and/or Jebel Akhdar.
• Cost: By quotation, includes field transportation, instruction, accommodation and a comprehensive field manual.
  Clothing: Participants should be equipped with stout walking boots and waterproofs.
• Insurance: Participants should ensure that their employers liability insurance cover (including medical insurance) is in order, particularly for personal accident and loss or damage of equipment, as Oolithica Geoscience Ltd cannot accept responsibility for claims arising from this or any other field seminar
• Attendance Limit: minimum 7, maximum 15 participants