Sedimentology and depositional setting of the lower Amdeh Formation, Saih Hatat, north Oman: Surface analogue of Ordovician siliciclastic hydrocarbon producing system of Oman basin.

Over 3500m of sandstone interbedded with siltstone and clay belonging to the Amdeh Formation is well exposed in the Saih Hatat area. It is one of the thickest sedimentary successions of early Paleozoic age having potential to unravel the evolutionary changes associated with early life in the Arabian Peninsula. This very thick sedimentary sequence is important to understand the depositional system of such deposits constituting a large part of the Paleozoic succession in Oman mountains and also its age equivalent hydrocarbon bearing siliciclastic rock sequences in Oman basin. This proposal is submitted to study the lower part of the Amdeh Formation rocks systematically along various sections in Saih Hatat area in order to describe its lithostratigraphy by studying lithological variations across the formation. A major emphasis of the proposal is to study lithofacies association of the formation to interpret its depositional system, particularly in its lower part. Such study will help greatly in understanding the basin evolution during early Paleozoic time hosting such large depositional systems in the Arabian Peninsula. The Amdeh Formation is very thick and makes high ridges in the area which are difficult to approach. It is therefore proposed to map various lithostratigraphic units of the formation with the help of satellite data which is readily available now. Rock samples collected from the study area will be analyzed in lab for their composition and diagenetic changes. The rocks of the Amdeh Formation are host to preserved fragandshy;ments of the armoured, jawless fish Sacabambaspis, an earliest known fossilized fauna from the Arabia (Alan Heward, 2008). The proposed study will attempt to find preserved remains of more fauna from the area.