Microbialitic third-order Rupelian cycles of the Kuwait Formation, and their global correlative surfaces

The microbialites identified in the Kuwait Formation (also known as the Kuwait Group) at the Jal Az-Zor escarpment were largely misclassified as calcrete beds. Through detailed geological field observations, five distinct microbial beds have been identified and are found to occur at the end of each depositional cycle. Over these cycles, three main facies have been identified; these are bioturbated cross-bedding, calcareous sandstones, and microbial facies. The combination of field and petrographic analyses indicates that these sequences are dominated by siliciclastic facies, with microbial facies primarily manifesting as thrombolites or laminites, with the former being more common. Mineralogical analysis of the microbial facies indicate that over 60% of this facies is composed of calcite, and energy dispersive spectroscopy measured a significant percentage of organic carbon that reached up to 39.3% wt. Scanning electron microscope imagery of the microbial facies identified filamentous bacteria and flagellates as the principal constituents of these microbial assemblages. The bioturbated cross-bedding facies is found to be deposited in an estuarine central bay, the calcareous sandstone facies is deposited in an estuary mouth bar system that transitions laterally into a shoreface setting, and the microbial facies is deposited in a peritidal setting. Strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) dating of the five microbial beds indicates that these beds were deposited at 33.99 Ma, 32.6 Ma, 31.5 Ma, 30 Ma, and 29 Ma, respectively, suggesting that the associated sequences are of a Rupelian 3rd order hierarchy. Our analysis correlates the Jal Az-Zor sequences with New Jersey's Oligocene oxygen isotope sequence boundaries and the La2004 obliquity nodes, suggesting a continued uplift rate during the Rupelian age at the studied area. This article challenges the assumption that the Oligocene success is absent in Kuwait and the surrounding region, opening the door for further assessment of these deposits. •The average depositional duration of each of the Kuwait Formation exposed sequences is found to be 1.2 Ma.•Identified three facies: bioturbated cross bedding, calcareous sandstones, and microbial facies in a marginal marine setting.•Microbial facies contain over 60% calcite, up to 39.3% organic carbon, mainly thrombolites and laminites.•Strontium isotope dating of microbial beds indicates a Rupelian 3rd order sequence hierarchy.•The microbial beds are correlatable with the global