Process Sedimentology for Improved Characterization of Arid Mixed Carbonate-Siliciclastic Reservoir Analogues: Red Sea and Arabian Gulf

Summary Mixed depositional systems have received relatively little attention compared to pure carbonate or siliciclastic end members. However, mixed systems are present at some scale in nearly every sedimentary basin, during every geologic age. A complicating factor in characterizing the processes that operate to form mixed reservoir systems is the vast number of variables that must be accounted for to generate effective predictive models. This study attempts to hold as many variables as possible constant by comparing two hyperarid provinces, at similar latitudes, that both contain prolific carbonate factories. In doing so we isolate tectonic scenarios that drive siliciclastic influx and contextualize differing carbonate platform architectures. This study will be of interest to those who seek a better understanding of the controls on reservoir architecture in mixed systems, especially when climatic setting alone is insufficient to predict heterogeneity.