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fowzia@alsakhriconsult.com Dr. Fowzia Abdullah Geology of the Arabian Gulf and Failaka Island-Review
Petroleum Geology Consultant
ALNAFT ALSAKHRI consultancy
Geology of the ments from the hills and pla- rocks in its northern parts,
Arabian Gulf teaus during the rainy sea- while its southern part is car-
son. These deposits are bonate dominated. This is
mixed with sand and silt de- related the diminishing of
posits carried by wind ac- the effect of Shatt al-Arab
tion. It is mixed with some sedimentation.
aeolian deposits. The tidal
flats are covered with silt, The geology of Failaka is
clay and soft mud. There are correlated with Kuwait’s ge-
ripple marks and bioturbated ology. The study of Holo-
sediments related to some cene rocks indicates that the
gastropods and bivalves. area around Failaka was
The effect of wind is shown probably dry from 18000-
by the formation of coastal 10000 y BP. Around 10,000
dunes in the form of sand BC some of the first Neolith-
ridges )Moustafa, 1988(. ic culture began to settle in
the fertile crescents and in
Summary and 8,000 BC Mesopotamia be-
Recommendation gan to settle and started ag-
ricultural lifestyle. The dry
There are two main domi- land probably connected
nant processes affecting the Kuwait and Failaka with oth-
shape of the Gulf during the er parts of Gulf region.
Pleistocene and Holocene,
eustatic seal-level changes The ancient human settle-
and structural instability. The ments in Failaka Island
dropping of sea water level make it important to study its
during glaciation resulted in geology and to predict the
shifting the sea level and changes in sea level during
Shatt Al-Arab 1000 km away the Holocene time. It is rec-
towards Hormuz at the en- ommended to do a future
trance of the Arabian Sea. detail study of the geology of
Failaka and relate it to the
Quaternary rocks in Kuwait surrounded beach rocks.
are dominated with clastic
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