Abstract
The geology of the Farasan Islands was studied using an integration of field investigation, Paleontological analysis, reinterpretation, and regional correlation of existing wells data. This investigation indicated that the sedimentary and stratigraphic succession in the islands consists of five major units: (1) sand, (2) coral reef limestone, (3) marly limestone, (4) shale, and (5) evaporite. Paleontological analysis of surface and subsurface shale samples indicated a Miocene age. In the subsurface, a thick evaporate succession underlies the area extending to 668 m depth. None of the boreholes in the islands have penetrated the basement. Between the Farasan limestone of Pleistocene and Pliocene age and the underlying evaporite succession, it is evident in boreholes data that there is shale unit with varying thickness and interbedded gypsum levels. Regional correlation of available wells data suggests that similar sedimentary and stratigraphy succession ably to the region.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology for financial support for Khalid Almalki and the Saudi Geological Survey for providing the core samples. Sincere thanks to Eng. Hesham Esmael, for his help and advice. The authors acknowledge Hussien Awad for his fieldwork assistance. We also thank Ahmad A. Al-Aswad, Laurent Ailleres, and Peter G. Betts for their constructive comments that greatly improved the paper.
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Almalki, K.A., Bantan, R.A. Lithologic units and stratigraphy of the Farasan Islands, Southern Red Sea. Carbonates Evaporites 31, 115–128 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-015-0247-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-015-0247-4