Program Overview

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology offers a comprehensive range of programs, including the ERPE 210 course, which focuses on the fundamentals of carbonate geology.

Program Overview

The ERPE 210 course addresses key fundamentals of carbonate geology, covering aspects such as the historical development of the field, mineralogy of carbonate rocks, components, diagenesis, and classification systems. The course provides an overview of the making of carbonate rocks, investigating depositional systems and their products, and the impact of environmental factors.

Course Details

• The course consists of 2 lectures of 1.5 hours per week, which can be held online or in a classroom.
• An essential component of the course is the review and presentation of research papers by students, with 2 presentations per week.
• Lectures are accompanied by a mandatory laboratory session of 1.5 hours per week, where components and concepts are demonstrated with samples, rocks, and thin sections, and exercises.
• Provisionally, 2-3 field excursions are planned, including two 1-day weekend field excursions near KAUST and a 2 ˝ day weekend trip to Abu Dhabi to investigate modern depositional systems of the Arabian Gulf.

Credits and Prerequisites

Credits

• The course is worth 3 credits.

Prerequisite

• Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of Geology, including historical development of carbonate fields, carbonates mineralogy, depositional environments, classification systems, evolution from sediments to rocks, diagenesis, and dolomitization.

Program Structure

The program is structured to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of carbonate geology, including:

• Depositional environments and systems
• Diagenesis and porosity systems
• Stratigraphy and facies analysis
• Carbonate rock systems for the oil industry
• Lab work, including core description, petrography, microscopy, and geochemical tools.

Note