Significance of the evaporite occurrences in the Hawasina

In 2006 and 2007 geologists from MOL Plc. conducted field trips in the central Oman Mountains in order to describe and evaluate the potential hydrocarbon systems; to reveal source-, reservoirand seal rocks and to outline possible hydrocarbon bearing structures.

Bedding, cleavage, fold and fault data were recorded during the field work. Numerous samples were collected for the organic geochemical, rock mechanical and thermochronological measurements. During the fieldwork
we observed several occurrences of small gypsum diapirs in the Wadi Dil and Wadi Hawasina area; these evaporite bodies rise from beneath the Hawasina Nappes. Structural analysis of the wider area suggests that they belong to the Palaeozoic (Infra Cambrian or Permian) of the underlying Arabian Platform or to the Late Cretaceous sequences. In all the three cases the occurrence of the evaporites has a crucial role in the hydrocarbon systems of the area and points to the existence of  the Autochtonous sequence beneath the oceanic nappes. This shows the possibility to explore the classical petroleum systems of the Arabian Peninsula below the Oman Mountains.

Ágoston Sasvári, Tamás Pocsai, László Csontos, Gizella B. Árgyelán