FACIES AND SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT OF THE PERMIAN CARBONATES (KHUFF FORMATION) IN THE UNITED-ARAB-EMIRATES

The Late Permian to Early Triassic Khuff Formation of the United Arab Emirates is a 625-970 m thick sequence of shallow water carbonates (do lomites, limestones and dolomitic limestones with subordinate anhydrit e). It can be subdivided into ten facies units distinguished on the ba sis of their depositional textures, that represent an overall regressi ve carbonate-evaporite sequence. Based on the paleoecology, sedimentar y structures and lithology, four distinct depositional settings can be recognized: supratidal (sabkha), lagoon, shoal and shallow shelf. The Khuff Formation has both primary (interparticle) and secondary (disso lution vugs and intercrystalline) porosities.