Arya Christiawan’s Post

Exploring the Geological Marvels of Wahiba Desert, Oman Nestled in the heart of Oman, the Wahiba Desert stands as a testament to the intricate artistry of geological forces. This captivating expanse of sand dunes holds within its grains a chronicle that spans millions of years. The Wahiba Sand roughly divided into northern and southern regions. The Northern Wahiba primarily features a vast megaridge system, while the Southern Wahiba consists mainly of linear dunes, sand sheets, and nabkha fields. The sands in the Northern Wahiba exhibit a high concentration of mafic minerals and are predominantly sourced from local wadis draining the nearby Hajar Mountains. Notably, one significant wadi source, previously contributing to the Northern Wahiba sands, is currently buried under sands in the Southern Wahiba, eliminating it as a present source for the Northern region. In contrast, the sands of the Southern Wahiba display a more mature mineralogical composition, rich in quartz, likely originating from separate sources, such as the Oman coast or adjacent sabkha plains. Previous assumptions leaned towards the coast being the primary source of sands across the entire sand sea, based on the presence of carbonate sand. However, geochemical evidence now suggests that the carbonate grains in the sand sea stem from contrasting sources alongside other grains. The use of desert sands as propping agents may not be the most optimal choice; however, certain experimental hydraulic fracturing projects have utilized sand from the dunes for unconventional fracturing completions. #wahiba #wahibasands #omangeology #fracturing #proppingagent #hydraulicfracturing #fracking #Sharqiyasands #quartenary #aeolian #ophiolite #sunrise #hotairballoon This breathtaking clip I took just after sunrise at Northern Wahiba dunes early December 2023 Source of literature from research done by Patrick P. Pease and Vatche P. Tchakerian