Geochemistry of the lower paleozoic wajid formation in Saudi Arabia -Implications for tectonic setting and provenance

The Paleozoic succession in Saudi Arabia represents one of the most prolific petroleum-producing system in the Arabian Peninsula, in terms of source rocks, reservoirs and seal rocks and their regional distribution and quality. These sandstone proved to be important as unconventional tight gas and shale gas reservoirs. Characterization of these deep sandstone reservoirs has been a challenge because of the complexity of facies, environments and paleogeographic setting. The Wajid Sandstone consists of four members from bottom to top are Dibsiyah (LD & UD), Sanamah (S), Khusayyayn (K), and Juwayl (J), which represent fluvial/ shallow marine, periglacial, fluvial and glacial environments of deposition, respectively. Wajid Basin strata and their equivalent are known to host important groundwater aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study utilizes geochemical elemental approaches to characterize the Wajid sandstone formation for the purpose of revealing their composition an sedimentation history and help in their correlation and description in the subsurface. This study investigates the major oxides, trace and rare earth elements for Wajid Formation in south western Saudi Arabia in details to characterize and compare the sandstone types, provenance, tectonic depositional setting, and paleoclimate.