COURSE OVERVIEW:

The tectono-stratigraphy of the Arabian Plate involves the study of the complex interaction between tectonic events and the resulting sedimentary sequences across one of the world's most prolific hydrocarbon provinces. This course examines the evolution of the Arabian Plate from its Proterozoic assembly to its current configuration, bordered by divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries. Participants will explore how major tectonic phases—such as the Hercynian orogeny, the opening of the Neo-Tethys, and the Alpine orogeny—controlled the distribution of source, reservoir, and seal rocks.

The scope of this course details the development of the diverse basin types found within the plate, including the massive interior platforms, the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, and the rifted margins of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The curriculum emphasizes the genetic link between plate-scale tectonic movements and the sequence stratigraphic framework of the region. By analyzing the tectono-stratigraphic megasequences, participants will gain a deep understanding of why the Arabian Plate hosts such vast petroleum systems and how structural growth has influenced hydrocarbon maturation and entrapment.

Coverage includes the analysis of regional unconformities, salt tectonics in the Hormuz basins, and the impact of the Arabian-Eurasian collision. The course provides a comprehensive overview of the stratigraphic architecture of major reservoirs across the Middle East and how they relate to the changing tectonic stress fields over time. Mastering this regional context is essential for geoscientists involved in exploration, appraisal, and development projects within the Arabian Plate and its adjacent basins.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Describe the tectonic evolution of the Arabian Plate from the Precambrian to the Cenozoic.
• Identify the major tectono-stratigraphic megasequences of the Arabian Plate.
• Explain the impact of the Hercynian (Late Paleozoic) event on regional stratigraphy.
• Analyze the opening and closing of the Neo-Tethys Ocean and its sedimentary response.
• Differentiate between the structural styles of the Zagros, Oman, and Red Sea margins.
• Evaluate the role of the Hormuz Salt in shaping the structures of the Gulf region.
• Map the distribution of major source rocks within a tectonic framework.
• Relate regional unconformities to global eustasy and plate-scale tectonic events.
• Predict the location of reservoir facies based on paleogeographic reconstructions.
• Analyze the timing of hydrocarbon generation relative to major tectonic phases.
• Interpret the structural evolution of the Dead Sea Transform and its impact.
• Assess the tectonic drivers behind the formation of the Rub' al Khali and Greater Ghawar basins.
• Formulate a regional play fairway model based on tectono-stratigraphic principles.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Exploration Geologists, Geophysicists, Regional Basins Analysts, and Geoscientists working on Middle Eastern assets.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.