Virginia Tech
    • Log in
    View Item 
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • ETDs: Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • Masters Theses
    • View Item
    •   VTechWorks Home
    • ETDs: Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    • Masters Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Facies, Sequence Framework, and Evolution of Rudist Buildups, Shu'aiba Formation, Saudi Arabia

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    CompleteShuaibaThesis.pdf (4.432Mb)
    Downloads: 614
    Date
    2006-05-19
    Author
    Al-Ghamdi, Nasser Mohammad
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    The Cretaceous (Early Aptian) Shu'aiba Formation, Shaybah field, Saudi Arabia, is 60 km long by 12 km wide and 150 m thick, and is a giant carbonate reservoir. It formed on a regional carbonate ramp bordering an intrashelf basin. The succession consists of a composite sequence of seven high frequency sequences. Sequences 1 and 2 formed a deeper open platform of Palorbitolina-Lithocodium wackestone, with maximum flooding marked by planktic foram mudstone. Sequence 2 built relief over northern and southern blocks, separated by an intraplatform depression. They form the composite sequence TST. The remaining sequences developed a platform rimmed by rudist rudstone backed by rudist floatstone back-bank and lagoonal fine skeletal peloidal packstone; slope facies are fine skeletal fragmented packstone. Aggradational sequences 3 to 5 make up the composite sequence early highstand. Progradational sequences 6 and 7 are the composite sequence late highstand marking the deterioration of the Offneria rudist barrier and deposition of widespread lagoonal deposits, where accommodation may have been created by syn-depositional growth faulting that moved the northern block down. Shu'aiba deposition on the platform was terminated by long-term sea-level fall and karsting.

    The succession is dominated by approximately 400 k.y., 4th order sequences and 100 k.y. parasequences driven by long term eccentricity and short term eccentricity respectively, similar to the Pacific guyots of this age. This suggests that early Cretaceous climate may have been cooler and had small ice sheets and was not an ice-free greenhouse world.

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33225
    Collections
    • Masters Theses [19615]

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us
     

     

    VTechWorks

    AboutPoliciesHelp

    Browse

    All of VTechWorksCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Log inRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    If you believe that any material in VTechWorks should be removed, please see our policy and procedure for Requesting that Material be Amended or Removed. All takedown requests will be promptly acknowledged and investigated.

    Virginia Tech | University Libraries | Contact Us