Field Seminars

This field trip offers a comprehensive understanding of the major elements of the Paleozoic Petroleum System of Saudi Arabia at their surface exposures. This includes: Subsurface case studies from Central and Eastern Saudi Arabia will be integrated into discussions at each relevant field stop. This field trip has been successfully conducted many times for Saudi Aramco’s E&P professionals and for geoscience departments at KSA universities, making it a proven educational and professional development experience. Field Trip Program: Day 1: Participants check in at hotel. After lunch, participants will visit a heritage exhibition and return back to the hotel for an evening pre-trip meeting in which the field trip leaders will give an introductory presentation on the Paleozoic Petroleum System of Saudi Arabia and the field trip program. Day 2 (field): Visit to the Qusaiba area to observe and discuss the Middle to Upper Paleozoic (Qalibah to Unayzah) formations, the Qusaiba Anticline, and the pre-Hercynian Unconformity. Late in the day, the group will visit the outcrops of the ultimate top seal of the Paleozoic Petroleum System (Sudair Shale Formation) near At-Tarafiyah. Day 3 (field): Visit to the Kahfah area to observe and discuss the stratigraphic traps, Kahfah anticline, fault and fracture systems, and deformation bands, and adjourn the field trip. Day 4 (Departure): Participants check out from hotel. Material Provided: An introductory presentation on the Paleozoic Petroleum System of Saudi Arabia and an overview of the field trip will be given at the hotel in the evening of Day 1. Each participant will receive a copy of the field trip guidebook. Participants will be given a specially designed T-shirt featuring a unique logo and the title of the workshop. Field Trip Information: The major source rock (Silurian Qusaiba Shale), The major Upper Paleozoic clastic reservoir (Unayzah Formation) Anticlinal traps (Kahfah and Qusaiba anticlines) Examples of the top and lateral stratigraphic and structural seals The ultimate top seal (Sudair Shale) of the whole Paleozoic Petroleum System Some of the fracture systems and deformation bands and their role in reservoir permeability Discussion of the pressure system and hydrodynamics and their role in the petroleum system at relevant field stops Addressing the unconventional hydrocarbon accumulations within the Paleozoic at relevant stops. Date: 24 – 27 October 2025 Field Trip fee: $2,030 Registration Deadline: 25 September 2025 Register during workshop registration Fee Includes: 3 nights accommodation (24th – 27th October) in a 4-star hotel in Buraydah Daily breakfast at the hotel, field lunch boxes with beverages, and dinner. Please note that the fee does not include the travel to and from Qassim which should be arranged by the participants Important Travel Information for the Field Trip The field trip will take place in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, starting and ending in Buraydah City. Participants traveling from Kuwait have the following options to reach Buraydah: Direct Flight – Al Jazeera Airlines operates direct flights from Kuwait to Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Qassim), followed by a 15 km taxi ride to Buraydah. Connecting Flights – Saudia, Kuwait Airways, Etihad, FlyDubai, and Gulf Air offer non-direct flights to Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (Qassim). By Road – A six-hour drive from Kuwait to Qassim via Hafr Al-Batin. Participants are advised to plan their travel accordingly. Field Trip Leaders Mohammed Al-Mahmoud Abdulaziz Al-Duaiji Important Notes Regarding the Field Trip Before purchasing non-refundable airline tickets, confirm that the trip will take place as trips may be cancelled if undersubscribed. Please register well before 25 September 2025. Field trip cancellation due to low enrollment will be considered at this time. No refunds will be allowed on field trips after this date. Field trips are limited in size and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis and must be accompanied by full payment. A wait list is automatically created if a field trip sells out. AAPG will notify you if space becomes available. We will continue to take registrations for field trips not cancelled until they are either sold out or closed. Cancellation Policy Cancellations can be made by contacting Cora Navarro on or before 25 September via email at [email protected] Cancellations received on or before 25 September will receive a refund LESS a US $75 processing fee. Refunds will not be issued after 25 September or for “no shows.” You may substitute one participant for another.

Registration fees to be confirmed shortly Join fellow geoscientists and engineers on November 27, 2025 for a one-day (8am – 2pm) geological field adventure to the iconic Dammam Dome in Saudi Arabia. This trip – a highlight of AAPG’s Decision-Based Integrated Reservoir Modeling workshop – offers an unparalleled hands-on experience that bridges outcrop geology and subsurface reservoir modeling. You’ll explore the very hills that form the surface expression of the Dammam Dome (site of Saudi Arabia’s first oil discovery), and directly connect what you see in the field to what you use in the office for 3D reservoir models and decision-making. Field Trip Highlights and Possible Locations including: Muarikibat Park: Traverse a key outcrop showcasing the Dammam Dome’s structural features. Examine folded and faulted rock layers up close, and learn how these surface structures relate to subsurface reservoirs, and discuss trapping mechanisms and structural influences on reservoir continuity. Dana Park, Dhahran: Visit an accessible exposure in Dhahran that reveals the local stratigraphic column and petrophysical characteristics of reservoir formations. Fieldtrip Outcomes: Hands-on Learning: Conduct field observations of geological features and immediately learn to integrate them with corresponding seismic signatures, structural maps, and petrophysical log data. By comparing outcrop findings with subsurface data, you’ll reinforce an integrated interpretation approach – the cornerstone of decision-based modeling. Porosity-Permeability Insights: Investigate pore spaces and fluid flow pathways in the exposed rocks. Through guided discussions, participants will connect porosity–permeability relationships observed in the field to those used in subsurface models. Cross-Bedding & FMI Analysis: Spot beautiful cross-bedding and sedimentary structures in outcrop, then learn how these features correlate with patterns seen in Formation MicroImager (FMI) borehole image logs. Using real examples, you’ll analyze how high-resolution FMI images capture bedding and fracture details similar to what’s observed in the field. Why Attend? This exclusive field trip adds invaluable context to your reservoir modeling toolkit. By walking through real outcrops, you’ll gain a tangible understanding of subsurface concepts – an experience that lectures and computer models alone can’t provide. Don’t miss this chance to unlock the subsurface secrets of Dammam Dome and elevate your reservoir modeling expertise. Secure your spot on this one-day field adventure and take your professional skills to new heights – where the rocks will tell the story that guides better decisions in your next reservoir model! Field Trip Leaders Mohammed Marhoon Ibrahim Alghamdi Mohammed Saleh Jassim Safwani

In conjunction to the siliciclastic sessions being presented, we are pleased to hold a session displaying a series of cores from around the Arabian Peninsula.  These cores will focus on understanding shallow marine clastic environments from different localities and ages.  The core sessions will be an interactive environment showcasing elements of fluvial, estuarine, mouth bar and shoreface depositional environments.  Participants will be able to evaluate and discuss variations in transgressive versus regressive cycles, sand-to-shale ratios, facies associations, and dominant sedimentary processes whether fluvial, wave borne or tidal.  In addition there will be a particular focus on understanding of the regional variability of the Jauf Formation, along the depositional dip from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.

Field Trip Organizer We are excited to announce an exclusive geological field trip to the Jal Az-Zor Escarpment in Kuwait, as part of the 6th edition of the AAPG Siliciclastic Reservoirs of the Middle East GTW. This field trip offers a unique opportunity to explore one of the most geologically significant outcrops in the Northern Arabian Gulf region, providing invaluable insights into the complex facies architecture of siliciclastic systems. During this trip, participants will visit key outcrop sites showcasing estuarine, estuarine mouth bar/shoreface, microbial facies, and more. These exposures provide an excellent analogue for understanding the depositional environments and lateral/vertical facies variability critical for reservoir modeling. This field trip is a must-attend for geologists, sedimentologists, and reservoir engineers interested in high-resolution depositional analogues and facies-based reservoir characterization. Field Trip Information: Date: 4th December 2025 Time: 8am – 4pm Field Trip fee: TBC More details to be confirmed shortly! Field Trip Leader Dr. Aimen Amer