Geology of the Bu Hasa 1:100 000 map sheet, 100-25, United Arab Emirates

Farrant, A.R.; Price, S.J.; Lee, J.R.; Goodenough, K.M.; Thomas, R.J.; Merritt, J.E.; Burke, H.F.; Newell, A.J.. 2012 Geology of the Bu Hasa 1:100 000 map sheet, 100-25, United Arab Emirates. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 43pp.

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Abstract/Summary

This Sheet Description describes the Quaternary and solid geology of the Bu Hasa 1:100 000 scale geological map. The Bu Hasa district covers an area of 2780 km2, approximately 130 km southeast of Abu Dhabi. This district spans the transition from the exposed, deflated Miocene outcrops near the coast to the extensive aeolian sands of the Rub Al Khali desert. This district is particularly important for its exposures of the Miocene bedrock along its northern margin, particularly the carbonates of the Hamra Member with their Probosidean trackways. It is economically important in hosting the giant Bu Hasa and Bida Al Qemzan oil fields. The oldest rocks in the area are the Miocene rocks of the Baynunah Formation, which form a gently sloping escarpment running east-west along the northern margin of the district. The formation comprises three members which are all well developed in the area. The lower, fluvial, Barakah Member, with its characteristic basal bone bed occurs in low-lying ground between a series of northwest to southeast trending ridges and headlands. The overlying Hamra Member caps these ridges, and comprises a sequence of interbedded calcareous siltstones, siltstones and fine sandstones, laid down in a low-energy fluvio-lacustrine system. These outcrop in an arc across the northern part of the sheet, capping the Miocene escarpment and locally forming extensive bedrock pavements. The Sahil Member, the highest part of the Baynunah Formation, is locally present, cropping out beneath the overlying Quaternary sediments. Much of the central and southern part of the district consists of Quaternary sediments. Away from the Miocene escarpment, the modern dunes are underlain by the weakly cemented aeolian and playa sediments of the Madinat Zayed Formation which forms locally extensive northwest to southeast trending mesa outcrops between more recent dunes. These outcrops are largely, but not exclusively, restricted to the northern half of the Bu Hasa district. The Madinat Zayed is overlain by, and sometimes locally interdigitated with, the Ghayathi Formation. The latter is made up of moderately cemented, carbonate-dominated palaeo-dune sandstones that crop out along a narrow zone in the north of the district, resting on either Miocene bedrock or the Madinat Zayed Formation. The major part of the Bu Hasa district consists of aeolian dunes with various morphologies. These include large areas of sand sheet, sometimes with rib or hook shaped linear dunes, low dunes and northwest to southeast trending dune ridges. In the far south of the district, more extensive areas of larger barchan dunes occur, which extend south onto Sheet 100-27 (Arada). Areas of unconsolidated aeolian sand and sand veneer are found across the district, whilst small areas of sabkha are restricted to low lying areas in the north of the district.

Item Type:	Publication - Book
Programmes:	BGS Programmes 2010 > BGS Corporate
ISBN:	9780852727331
Funders/Sponsors:	Ministry of Energy United Arab Emirates
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	This item can be purchased from https://www.moenr.gov.ae/en/our-services/geological-reports/geological-reports.aspx
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	02 Aug 2012 07:55 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/18781

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