--> Abstract: Mapping the Internal Structure of Sand Dunes in the Jafurah Desert of Eastern Saudi Arabia Using Ground Penetrating Radar, by Ademola A. Adetunji, Abdullatif A. Al-Shuhail, and Gabor Korvin; #90105 (2010)
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AAPG GEO 2010 Middle East
Geoscience Conference & Exhibition
Innovative Geoscience Solutions – Meeting Hydrocarbon Demand in Changing Times
March 7-10, 2010 – Manama, Bahrain

Mapping the Internal Structure of Sand Dunes in the Jafurah Desert of Eastern Saudi Arabia Using Ground Penetrating Radar

Ademola A. Adetunji1; Abdullatif A. Al-Shuhail1; Previous HitGaborTop Korvin1

(1) King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Three-Dimensional Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys were conducted in two locations to map the internal structure of sand dunes in eastern Saudi Arabia. The 400 MHz antenna that was used achieved a 4 m to 6 m penetration depth. The excellent resolution of about 8 cm made it possible to identify the major internal features, such as cross-stratification and bounding surfaces.

The recorded radargrams proved useful in understanding the dune’s growth and migration in this area. Results suggest that GPR is an important tool in any study of recent sand dunes as analogues of hydrocarbon sandstone reservoirs of aeolian origin.

Laboratory analyses showed the presence of elevated amounts of iron-oxide-bearing minerals in some dark layers of the sand in the study area. These elevated iron amounts might be the reason behind the strong electromagnetic impedance contrasts that ultimately generate reflections on the GPR images.