This digital map compilation, which includes geology, geologic provinces, and oil and gas fields of the Arabian Peninsula, is part of a map series of the world produced by the U.S. Geological Survey World Energy Project. The goal of the project is to produce a worldwide assessment of the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources and report these results by the year 2000. To assess the world's petroleum, a sequence of steps is being undertaken proceeding from defining geologic provinces of the world at a comparable scale, allocating oil and gas fields to these provinces, defining petroleum systems within these provinces, and ultimately assessing the undiscovered petroleum potential of selected provinces of the world. For the World Energy assessment, the world was divided into eight energy regions which correspond approximately with the economic regions of the world as defined by the U.S. Department of State. Map units were combined to simplify the map when projected at a larger scale and to maintain consistency with other region maps.
Precambrian rocks are undivided and consist of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous types.
Each region was divided into geologic provinces. Provinces may contain one dominant element or a number of contiguous elements or basins that are genetically related. An attempt was made to number the provinces in geographical order. In the Arabian Peninsula the numbering starts in the southernmost portion of the peninsula, generally increasing to the east and north.