Sedimentological and Stratigraphic Characterisation of the Izhara and Hamlah formations, Abu Dhabi: Unlocking Underexplored Jurassic Carbonates

Summary This work presents a high-resolution study integrating comprehensive core descriptions and well-log interpretation to reconstruct depositional environments and characterise the stratigraphic evolution of the Izhara and Hamlah formations, offshore Abu Dhabi. The Hamlah Formation is dominated by interbedded dolomite and dolomitic limestone, with facies ranging from mudstones and laminated wacke-packstones to grain-supported, pack-grainstones and grainstones, reflecting variable energy conditions in shallow-water intertidal to subtidal inner ramp settings. The Izhara Formation comprises a wide range of textures evolving from bioturbated, clay-rich mudstones to floatstones with a peloidal grainstone matrix enriched in coated grains. These facies are indicative of subtidal clay-rich, low-energy to clean high-energy, inner ramp settings. An intermediate- to high-order stratigraphic framework was also suggested, defining two intermediate-order, transgressive-regressive cycles in the Izhara Formation and three in the Hamlah Formation, each containing nested high-order cycles, providing an initial architectural basis for reservoir and field-scale studies.