Geology and hydrogeology of the Dammam Formation in Kuwait

 The Dammam Formation of Middle Eocene age is one of the major aquifers containing useable brackish water in Kuwait. Apart from the paleokarst zone at the top, the Dammam Formation in Kuwait consists of 150–200 m of dolomitized limestone that is subdivided into three members, on the basis of lithology and biofacies. The upper member consists of friable chalky dolomicrite and dolomite. The middle member is mainly laminated biomicrite and biodolomicrite. The lower member is nummulitic limestone with interlayered shale toward the base. Geophysical markers conform to these subdivisions. Core analyses indicate that the upper member is the most porous and permeable of the three units, as confirmed by the distribution of lost-circulation zones. The quality of water in the aquifer deteriorates toward the north and east. A potentiometric-head difference exists between the Dammam Formation and the unconformably overlying Kuwait Group; this difference is maintained by the presence of an intervening aquitard. Received, February 1997 Revised, June 1997, September 1997 Accepted, January 1998     

Occurrence of diagenetic pseudobreccias within the paleokarst zone of the upper Dammam Formation in Kuwait, Arabian Gulf

A paleokarstic zone capping the Middle Eocene dolomitic Dammam Formation delineates a regional disconformity with the overlying Mio-Pleistocene fluvial deposits in Kuwait. This formation outcrops in a quarry located in the southeast of Kuwait and occurs in the subsurface of Umm Ghudair water field, west Kuwait. Karstification has affected the upper member of the Dammam Formation, which is formed of extensively chertified, vuggy chalky biodolomicrite. Karstification is manifested by two phases: a dissolution phase that was responsible for the occurrence of surface and near surface karst features and a precipitation phase during which a karst carapace and dolocretic and calcitic pseudobreccias were developed. Petrographic investigations of both the biodolomicrites host rock and the karst lithotypes revealed a complex diagenetic history that encompasses the following diagenetic events, arranged in a chronological order: (a) replacive dolomitization, (b) precipitative dolomitization, (c) precipitative silica, (d) replacive silica, (e) karstification, (f) development of karst carapace [calcretization and calcitization (development of calcitic psuedobreccia)], (g) dolocretization (development of dolocretic psuedobreccia), (h) mild karstification, (i) calcite precipitation, and (j) silica precipitation. The development of the karst carapace at the unconformity surface between the Eocene Dammam Formation dolomicrites and the overlying Mio-Pleistocene Kuwait Group clastics has played a significant role in the hydrological characteristics of Kuwait usable groundwater resources. It is recommended that the occurrence of similar diagenetic processes within the Arabian carbonate shelf deposits be investigated.     

Application of visual,statistical and artificial neural network methods in the differentiation of water from the exploited aquifers in Kuwait

The ability of artificial neural network to differentiate water samples from the two aquifers of Kuwait on the basis of their major ion chemistry has been demonstrated. The major ion concentration distribution in the groundwater of the Kuwait Group and the Dammam Formation aquifers of Kuwait appears very similar. Cross-plots, supported by the discriminant function analysis of the data, however, suggest that there are some subtle differences in the overall composition of the water from the two aquifers that make it possible to differentiate the water from the two aquifers in almost 80% of the cases. An artificial neural network improved the differentiation capability to 90% of the cases. It is also possible to estimate the fraction of Kuwait Group water in the flow stream of dually completed wells with the help of an artificial neural network developed for this purpose. Electronic Publication     

Tertiary stratigraphy of Western Australia

This paper is a summary of the present knowledge of the Tertiary stratigraphy of Western Australia. Also included is new information on the Cainozoic of the Carnarvon Basin, a result of petroleum exploration in the area.

Tertiary rocks formed during more than one cycle of deposition in three basins (Eucla, Perth, and Carnarvon), and also as thin units deposited in a single transgression along the south coast. The Tertiary stratigraphy of the Bonaparte Gulf Basin is not well known.

Drilling in the Eucla Basin has encountered up to 400 m of Tertiary in the south central part, with uniform thinning towards the margins. The section begins with a middle‐upper Eocene carbonate unit which represents the dominant event in the Tertiary sedimentation in this basin. More carbonates were deposited in the late Oligocene‐early Miocene and middle Miocene.

Along the south coast, the so‐called Bremer Basin, the Plantagenet Group (up to 100 m) of siltstone, sandstone, spongolite, and minor limestone, was deposited during the late Eocene.

The Perth Basin contains up to 700 m of Tertiary sediment, formed during at least two phases of sedimentation. The upper Paleocene‐lower Eocene Kings Park Formation consists of marine shale, sandstone, and minor limestone, with a thickness of up to 450 m. The Stark Bay Formation (200 m) includes limestone, dolomite, and chert formed during the early and middle Miocene. Events after deposition of the Stark Bay Formation are not well known.

The northern Carnarvon Basin and Northwest Shelf contain by far the most voluminous Tertiary sediment known from Western Australia: 3500 m is known from BOCAL's Scott Reef No. 1. A more usual maximum thickness is 2500 m. Most sediments were laid down in four episodes, separated by unconformities: late Paleocene‐early Eocene; middle‐late Eocene; late Oligocene‐middle Miocene; and late Miocene to Recent.

The Paleocene‐early Eocene cycle consists of about 100–200 m (up to 450 m in the north) of carbonate, shale, and marl of the Cardabia Group containing rich faunas of planktonic foraminifera.

The middle‐late Eocene sediments include diverse rock types. Marine and nonmarine sandstone formed in the Merlinleigh Trough. At the same time, the Giralia Calcarenite (fauna dominated by the large foraminifer Discocyclina) and unnamed, deeper water shale, marl, and carbonate (with rich planktonic foraminiferal faunas) formed in the ocean outside the embayment. Thickness is usually of the order of 100–200 m.

The main cycle of sedimentation is the late Oligocene‐middle Miocene, during which time the Cape Range Group of carbonates formed. This contains dominantly large foraminiferal faunas, of a wide variety of shallow‐water microfacies, but recent oil exploration farther offshore has recovered outer continental shelf facies with abundant planktonic foraminifera. A minor disconformity representing N7 and perhaps parts of N6 and N8 is now thought to be widespread within the Cape Range Group. The last part of this cycle resulted in sedimentation mainly of coarse calcareous marine sandstone (unnamed), and, in the Cape Range area, of the sandstone and calcareous conglomerate of the Pilgramunna Formation. Maximum thickness encountered in WAPET wells is 900 m.

After an unconformity representing almost all the late Miocene, sedimentation began again, forming an upper Miocene‐Recent carbonate unit which includes some excellent planktonic faunas. Thickness is up to 1100 m.

Thin marine sediments of the White Mountain Formation outcrop in the Bonaparte Gulf Basin. They contain some foraminifera and a Miocene age has been suggested.     

Occurrence of hydrogen sulfide in the ground water of Kuwait

Hydrogen sulfide occurs in high concentration (10–200 mg/l) in different parts of Kuwait City and its suburbs at relatively shallow depths (15–40 m from the surface). This was revealed by drilling through the aquifer system underlying the city and sampling and analyzing the ground water at the drilled locations. The near-absence of coliform bacteria in the sulfide-rich zones, the presence of sulfur-reducing bacteria in the deep (>80 m) Dammam Formation aquifer and a linear positive relation between the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and the total dissolved solids content suggested non-anthropogenic origin of the sulfide in the ground water of Kuwait. The upward movement of sulfide-rich water from depth and its differential flushing by surface recharge through outcrops of the aquifers appear to have given rise to the present distribution of hydrogen sulfide in the aquifers underlying the Kuwait City.     

西藏谢通门展咱木部异常区铅锌找矿前景

从区域地质、水系沉积物测量、土壤测量和高精度磁测等方面对西藏展咱木部地区的铅锌找矿前景做初步分析。出露地层主要为第三系始新统年波组的晶屑凝灰岩及安山玢岩,区内出露岩体主要为始新世花岗岩及小面积的花岗斑岩。利用1∶5万水系沉积物测量编制异常图,发现区内Pb、Zn、Ag、Au、Sb、Cu、Ba、Hg、Sn、As等元素有不同规模的明显异常,且Pb、Zn异常规模较大。通过土壤剖面可以看出Pb、Zn异常更显著。高精度磁测结果显示,化探异常位于磁异常附近。磁异常的定性分析对这些金属矿的深部找矿预测可以提供有利证据。磁异常显示该区是热液成矿的有利部位。通过研究元素间组合关系发现,Pb、Zn与Ag、As、Sb、Cu的关系密切,结合化探异常和地质特征,推断区内可能存在与火山岩有关的铅锌多金属矿床类型。研究表明研究区内寻找与火山岩有关的铅锌（银）多金属矿有较好的找矿前景。     

Occurrence of diagenetic alunites within karst cavity infill of the Dammam Formation,Ahmadi, Kuwait: an indicator of hydrocarbon gas seeps

Alunite minerals occur as white powdery lumps and laminated coloured deposits within cavity and solution channel infill of the palaeokarst zone of the Upper Eocene Dammam Formation. This formation is exposed in a quarry located on the Al Ahmadi ridge within the Greater Burgan oil field in southern Kuwait. Field occurrences and sedimentary structures of the alunite deposits were described. Collected samples were petrographically described, and their mineralogy and geochemistry were determined using X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence, respectively. Microfabrics were investigated using SEM, revealing that they are primarily composed of fibrous alunogen (hydrous aluminium sulphate) and pseudo-cubical K-alunite (hydrous potassium aluminium sulphate). Their mode of occurrence suggests a hypogenetic origin, where sulphide gases associated with hydrocarbon gases reacted with an Al-rich solution leached from clay minerals and feldspars of the cavity-fill muddy sand sediments. The hydrocarbon gases may have seeped from sub-surface petroliferous formations within the Greater Burgan oil field along vertical fractures. This study suggests that these acidic seeps may have played a role in the development of the palaeokarst zone of the Dammam Formation.     

Cretaceous to Neogene structural evolution of the Lampedusa Shelf (Pelagian Sea, Central Mediterranean)

Studies of multichannel seismic reflection profiles, calibrated with borehole data, have been carried out in the Tunisian shelf surrounding the islands of Lampione and Lampedusa, in order to define the Mesozoic-Cenozoic stratigraphie and structural evolution of this sector of the Pelagian foreland. The stratigraphy and subsidence history show a subsiding Upper Jurassic carbonate platform buried, by syn- and post-rift neritic to deep marine siliciclastics, marls and limestones of Neocomian-early Eocene age. Thick Middle-Upper Eocene shallow-water carbonates (Halk el Menzel Fm.), lie unconformably over the deep-water sediments and exhibit progradational geometries.
Messinian evaporites are confined to the deepest parts of the Neogene basins and Plio-Quaternary sediments are widespread over the area. Several unconformities affect the stratigraphic column and have been interpreted as related to compressive events during Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary times. These compressive events produced uplift, folding and reverse faulting, trending about NW-SE and partly reactivating Lower Cretaceous extensional structures. The uppermost regional unconformity indicates widespread emergence and erosion during Oligocene and Miocene tintes and was probably related to a younger compressional phase. A strong Upper Miocene-Quaternary extension event also affected the area, characterized by WNW-ESE trending normal faults, parallel to faults flanking the main grabens of the Sicily Strait rift zone. Since the Messinian, the structural evolution of the area has been controlled by rift-related processes which triggered crustal extension in the Pelagian foreland.     

藏南亚东堆纳地区古近纪钙藻化石与沉积环境

西藏南部发育着连续的海相古近纪地层,亚东地区是特提斯演化晚期残留海的居留地,保存着西藏最年轻的海相沉积(即最高海相层),其时代标志着残留海盆消亡的时间。研究最高海相层可以为东特提斯晚期演化及其封闭时限提供良好信息。亚东堆纳地区古鲁浦剖面宗浦组顶部和遮普惹组含有较丰富的钙藻化石,本研究鉴定出红藻门珊瑚藻科7属11种(含3个未定种),绿藻门粗枝藻科4属4种(含1个未定种)及松藻科1属1种,据其分布特征划分出3个化石组合,自下而上分别为： Lithoporella melobesioides Lithophyllum carpathicum、Lithoporella melobesioides Ovulites margaritula、Distichoplex biserialis Jania denotata组合。推测堆纳地区在晚古新世至始新世时期总体处于浅海陆棚环境,海水逐渐变浅,在始新世晚期海水深度可能已不足30 m。     

柴达木盆地归属问题的讨论

柴达木盆地西部已找到17个第三系油源的油田，其主要烃源岩层位是陆相始新统下干柴沟组。也有论文提出下干柴沟组是海侵湖泊沉积，并被命名为下干柴沟海侵。最近又有论文提出该组地层不是深湖相，应属于泻湖相，是塔里木盆地西南始新世海湾泻湖相带被阿尔金断裂东错的残留泻湖部分，或塔里木盆地原型盆地的东部被错移部分，并提出重新认识柴达木盆地西部的油气勘探方向。本文针对上述观点展示了塔里木盆地西部海湾古新统-始新统的吐依洛克组、阿尔塔什组、齐姆根组、盖吉塔格组、卡拉塔尔组的沉积相和典型的海相生物化石群，它完全不同于柴达木盆地古新统-始新统的路乐河组和下干柴沟组沉积相和陆相湖泊生物化石群，两者是截然不同的。不能支持柴达木盆地西部与塔里木盆地西南海湾在老第三纪时属于同一盆地或同一沉积单元。“源控论”依然是指导柴达木盆地西部陆相沉积油气勘探的理论依据。把塔里木盆地西南已知油气田的烃源岩划归老第三系海相沉积，显然是误解，把塔里木盆地西南老第三系海相油气勘探部署推广到柴达木盆地西部陆相沉积区也是一种误导。科学的古地理观将有助于勘探工作的正确部署。     

An overview of the surface and near-surface geology, geomorphology and natural resources of Kuwait

The surface and near-surface geology, geomorphology and natural resources of Kuwait have been reviewed based on the published work. The stratigraphy and structure of the near-surface sediments of Kuwait have been mainly controlled by the Tertiary tectonic activity of the Arabian Shield. The shield started separating from the African mainland by the close of the Eocene and drifted northeastward towards the Asian plate, giving rise to the folding and thrusting of the Zagros Mountains of Iran. The tectonic activity superimposed a northwest–southeast trend over an earlier north–south structural trend, and gave rise to parallel ridges and valleys trending northwest–southeast through differential erosion. It has been possible to identify 15 geomorphic zones and 11 morphostructures from analysis of the surface features of Kuwait. Seven of these morphostructures can be attributed to tectonic processes and two to fluvial processes. It has not been possible, however, to explain satisfactorily the origin of the Jal Az-Zor escarpment or the Ad-Dalmaniyah cliff. The whole of Kuwait can be divided into seven drainage zones. Of these, the internal drainage systems of the Ar-Raudhatain-Umm Al-Aish drainage system and the Ad-Dibdibba drainage system are hydrogeologically most important. The clastic deposits of Kuwait Group sediments, often affected by low-temperature carbonate (calcite and dolomite) and sulfate (gypsum) precipitation, form the surface rock of Kuwait. These are covered by recent aeolian and residual deposits; playa deposits in the enclosed basins; and near the coast, oolitic sediments, beach sands and sabkha deposits. The surface and near-surface deposits of Kuwait contain important reserves of construction sand and gravel as well as the only naturally occurring freshwater reserves of the country. An understanding of the nature of these surface deposits is required for the management of environmental issues like sand encroachment, land-use planning, and soil and groundwater pollution.     

Facies,environments and sedimentary cycles in the Middle Eocene,Bracklesham Formation of the Hampshire Basin: evidence for global sea-level changes?

The Bracklesham Formation is of Middle Eocene age and occurs throughout the Hampshire Basin of southern England. The basin is elongated east-west and filled with Lower Tertiary sediments. Its southern margin is marked by either large, northward-facing monoclines, or faults, both of which underwent differential movement, with uplift of the southern side throughout the Middle Eocene. The Bracklesham Formation, which is up to 240 m thick, shows pronounced lateral facies changes with dominantly marine sediments in the east passing to alluvial sediments in the west. Four principal sedimentary environments: marine, lagoonal, estuarine and alluvial are distinguished. Marine sediments comprise six facies including offshore silty clays and glauconitic silty sands, beach and aeolian dune sands, and flint conglomerates formed on pebble beaches. Offshore sediments predominate in the eastern part of the basin, as far west as Alum Bay, where they are replaced by nearshore sediments. Lagoonal sediments comprise four facies and formed in back-barrier lagoons, coastal marshes and, on occasions, were deposited over much of the basin during periods of low salinity and restricted tidal motion. Five estuarine facies represent tidal channels, channel mouth-bars and abandoned channels. These sediments suggest that much of the Bracklesham Formation was deposited under micro- to meso-tidal conditions. Alluvial sediments dominate the formation to the west of Alum Bay. They comprise coarse to fine sands deposited on the point-bars of meandering rivers, interbedded with thick sequences of laminated interchannel mudstones, deposited in marshes, swamps and lakes. Extensive layers of ball clay were periodically deposited in a lake occupying much of the alluvial basin. In alluvial areas, fault movement exposed Mesozoic rocks along the southern margin of the basin, the erosion of which generated fault-scarp alluvial fan gravels. Locally, pisolitic limestone formed in pools fed by springs emerging at the faulted Chalk-Tertiary contact. In marine areas, flint pebbles were eroded from coastal exposures of chalk and accumulated on pebble beaches and in estuaries. From other evidence it is suggested that older Tertiary sediments were also reworked. The Bracklesham Formation is strongly cyclic and was deposited during five marine transgressions, the effects of which can be recognized throughout the basin in both marine and alluvial areas. Each of the five transgressive cycles is a few tens of metres thick and contains little evidence of intervening major regression. The cycles are thought to represent small-scale eustatic sea-level rises (‘paracycles’) superimposed upon a major transgressive ‘cycle’ that began at the base of the Bracklesham Formation, following a major regression, and was terminated, at the top of the Barton Formation by another major regression. This major cycle can be recognized world-wide and may reflect a period of rapid northward extension of the mid-Atlantic ridge.     

东濮凹陷两种新储层类型——沙河街组河口湾体系的识别与储层预测

东濮凹陷沙河街组河口湾环境发育的最初征兆是出现震积岩（Seismites）和水下脱水收缩裂隙（Synaeresis）,预示其基底有构造性下沉,海水在间歇性地灌入,接着淡水介形类开始大量死亡。与海水有关的生物痕迹如Ophiomorpha、Tigillites屡屡出现,说明此时此地淡水水体已被河口湾咸水水体所取代,最后剖面中见到滨海高能环境下的生物痕迹Arenicolites和鲕粒砂岩、介壳碎屑层等,指示潮道和潮汐坝的存在。至此,这一地区的河口湾以陆相（分流河道）－陆海混合相（河口湾点坝）－海相（潮道）为代表的三元结构,便完整地记录了一次海面升降周期。由陆相动物活动痕迹、植物活动痕迹和古土壤识别出的陆相部分在沙河街组有10层（开31井）,由海相生物痕迹、海相生物及海相内源沉积物识别出的海相部分有12层（开31井、新胡4井）,说明沙河街组沉积期曾有过10次以上的海面升降过程。海面下降时,河流沿兰聊断裂和内黄凸起间断裂谷地侵蚀切割两岸形成可容空间;海面上升期,此可容空间部分或全部被不同类型的沉积物所充填,形成了分流河道、河口湾点坝砂为代表的下切谷型储层和以潮道、滩坝砂体为代表的超覆型储层。     

Paralic parasequences associated with Eocene sea-level oscillations in an active margin setting: Trihueco Formation of the Arauco Basin, Chile

The Eocene Trihueco Formation is one of the best exposed successions of the Arauco Basin in Chile. It represents a period of marine regression and transgression of second-order duration, during which barrier island complexes developed on a muddy shelf. The strata are arranged in classical shoaling-upward parasequences of shoreface and beach facies capped by coal-bearing, back-barrier lagoon deposits. These fourth-order cycles are superimposed upon third-order cycles which caused landward and seaward shifts of the coastal facies belts. The final, punctuated rise in sea level is represented by shelf mudrocks with transgressive incised shoreface sandstones. Relative sea-level oscillations as revealed in the stratigraphy of the Trihueco Formation show a reasonable correlation with published Eocene eustatic curves.     

西藏札达地区上白垩统-下始新统达机翁组:对冈底斯弧前盆地演化的制约

冈底斯弧前区域地层沉积记录,对新特提斯洋消亡和印度-亚洲碰撞过程的研究具有十分重要的意义。位于西藏南部札达地区的达机翁组,北邻冈底斯岩浆弧,南靠雅鲁藏布江缝合带。岩石组成主要包括砾岩、岩屑砂岩、泥页岩和灰岩等。沉积环境分析认为达机翁组形成于扇三角洲相环境。火山灰锆石U-Pb定年、碎屑锆石最年轻年龄以及底栖有孔虫化石组合共同约束达机翁组的形成时代为晚白垩世-始新世早期(即ca.73～49Ma)。物源区分析结果表明达机翁组物源类似于区域上分布的日喀则弧前盆地沉积,直接以北侧冈底斯岩浆弧为主要物质源区。通过与区域弧前沉积对比,为冈底斯弧前盆地海相地层时代提供制约,结果显示新特提斯洋在亚洲大陆南缘的弧前海退存在东西方向上的穿时性,即海水自东向西逐渐退出,并最终在～49Ma退出冈底斯-拉达克弧前区域。     

Characteristic of groundwater potentialities in West Nile Valley South,Minia Governorate,Egypt

The main aim of the present study is to detect the status of groundwater resources in west Mallawi area which represented one of the new reclamation lands. In order to achieve this aim, the hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical studies are carried out, based on the results of 21 pumping tests and chemical analysis of 29 water samples. Two water-bearing units are detected in the study area, namely, the Eocene fractured limestone aquifer which occupies the east portion of the studied area. The second aquifer consists of friable sediments of sand and gravel and may be related to the late Oligocene–early Miocene age and overlies the limestone rocks in the west, and this aquifer were studied for the first time in this work. Regionally, the groundwater flow in the area under study occurs toward the north and east directions. There is a hydraulic connection between both aquifers through the structural pattern affected the area. The partial recharge of the both aquifers takes place through the upward leakage from deep aquifers and the Nile water. There is a general decrease in the water salinity from west to east direction. The groundwater of both aquifers was evaluated for the different purposes and concluded that, it is considered suitable for different uses.     

柴达木盆地始新统沟鞭藻及其油源意义

我国中新生代陆相沉积,特别是咸化湖泊沉积中普遍发现属于“海源陆生”的沟鞭藻化石,由于其良好的生油特性,被认为是我国白垩纪—第三纪陆相油气资源的重要来源。柴达木盆地第三系始新统下干柴沟组是该地区最主要的烃源岩,生油岩及原油中富含公认的沟鞭藻生物标志物4 甲基甾烷和甲藻甾烷,但迄今该地区尚未发现可靠的沟鞭藻化石。本次研究在柴达木盆地北缘昆2井下干柴沟组发现了类型单调但化石丰富的以Subtilisphaera为主的沟鞭藻化石组合,为肯定柴达木盆地第三系原油沟鞭藻的贡献提供了直接化石证据。研究表明,沟鞭藻发育的第三系中始新统可能是本地区最有利的生油层,形成于湿热气候所控制的陆相咸水湖泊。     

鲁西南莱芜、蒙阴、平邑盆地早第三纪地层的划分和对比

鲁西南地区分布着近东西向大致平行排列的早第三纪盆地群。在蒙阴、莱芜盆地早第三纪沉积称为官庄组，在平邑盆地称为卞桥组。依据沉积物特征和沉积旋回都能分为下段、中段和上段。通过对哺乳动物、介形类、轮藻、腹足类和孢粉等化石的研究可确定中段的沉积时代为早始新世，通过对轮藻、介形类和哺乳类动物的研究能确定下段和上段分别为始新世早期和中期。在卞桥组中段和官庄组中段发现介形类Ｃｙｐｒｉｄｅａ属，该属起源于晚侏罗世或早白垩世，在早白垩世繁盛，晚白垩世逐渐衰落，灭绝于晚古新世或早始新世，在早始新世沉积中的发现，是迄今在我国发现的最高层位。     

Sedimentological characteristics of the surficial sediments of the Kuwaiti marine environment, northern Arabian Gulf

The textural characteristics, carbonate content and the coarse fraction components of the Recent bottom sediments of the marine environment off Kuwait are described and the faunal-sediment associations discussed. The sediments were subdivided into seven textural classes, namely sand, silty sand, muddy sand, sandy silt, sandy mud, silt and mud. Most of the study area is covered with muddy sediments whereas sandy deposits are restricted to the rocky bottoms near the southern flat of Kuwait Bay, the southern coast of Kuwait and around the islands and bathymetric highs. The textural classes, carbonate contents and faunal types of the coarse fraction were used to construct a biolithofacies map of the marine bottom sediments off Kuwait, in which nine facies are identified. The sedimentological characteristics of the Recent marine bottom sediments off Kuwait reflect the interaction between autochthonous calcareous fragments mostly of biogenic origin, lime rock fragments derived from beachrocks and submerged reef flats, and allochthonous terrigenous detritus transported to the area mainly by dust storms. The Kuwaiti offshore area is generally a low energy depositional environment with little sediment transport.     

西藏第三纪有孔虫生物地层及地理环境

西藏南部海相第三系自下而上划分为:基堵拉组、宗浦组和遮普惹组。基堵拉组的归属直接关系到白垩——第三系的界线问题。以往在证据不充分的情况下将基堵拉组归于白垩系。本次工作在该组中找到了具时代意义的化石,有双壳类、介形虫、有孔虫等。通过化石群的研究确定了基堵拉组属于古新世丹宁早期。白垩—第三系界线应位于宗山组与基堵拉组之间。通过基堵拉组的横向对比得出了该组在空间上穿时的结论。浮游有孔虫动物群的发现确定了本区最高海相层为遮普惹组上段,时代属于始新世晚期。 西藏第三纪有孔虫类型丰富。据动物群的古生态研究得出了不同时代的有孔虫生物相:丹宁期为Rotalia生物相和Textularia生物相;朗德期为Miscellanea生物相和Ranikotbalia生物相;伊普尔期至路坦丁期包括Orbitolites生物相、Assilina生物相及冈底斯有孔虫生物相;普里亚波期以Globigerina生物相为特征。据有孔虫生物相的特征及氧碳稳定同位素的测试结果综合得出了西藏南部第三纪包括两次海侵旋回,即古新世和始新世旋回。二者又分别包括两回次一级的旋回,即古新世的丹宁期旋回和朗德期旋回;始新世的伊普尔期至路坦丁期旋回和普里亚波期旋回。