Calcareous Nannofossils and the Mesozoic Stratigraphy of Kuwait

A.P. Kadar¹ and K.A. Karam¹

Abstract

Analysis of the Middle Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous interval in Kuwait (Dhruma to Tarayat formations) shows that most formations contain calcareous nannofossils. Their importance in stratigraphy has been demonstrated (Al-Fares et al., 1989; Kadar et al., 2012a). Due to deposition in shallow water palaeoenvironments and post depositional diagenesis, nannofossil assemblages in some of the sampled intervals yield only low abundance, low diversity and usually poorly preserved assemblages. Many of the expected stratigraphical marker species commonly reported in deep-sea sediments are absent or occur sporadically (Crittenden, 2012). A sequence nannofossil biostratigraphic events for Kuwait is recognized based on a combination of global markers (Thierstein, 1976; Sissingh, 1977; Perch-Nielsen, 1985; Bown et al., 1998a-b; Burnett, 1998; Mattioli et al., 1999.), local Kuwait nannofossil events (Packer, et al., 2011, 2012a-b, 2013; Kadar et al., 2012a-b) and the Geologic Time Scale (Ogg et al., 2008).

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90188 ©GEO-2014, 11th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition, 10-12 March 2014, Manama, Bahrain