Issaouane Erg

Issaouane Erg
Issaouane-N-Irrararene
Erg
Coordinates: 31°10′N 7°58′E / 31.167°N 7.967°E
Country Algeria
Area
 • Total 15,000 sq mi (38,000 km2)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)

The Issaouane Erg (also called Issaouane-N-Irrararene) is an approximately 38,000 km2 erg (sand sea) in Algeria's portion of the Sahara desert. It is located at 31°11′N 7°56′E / 31.18°N 7.93°E. [1]

Topography

The Issaouane Erg is located near the Ahaggar Mountains. It is part of a major dune field and the erg's southern portion is located in Sudan. The Issaouane Erg is also flanked by the Libyan erg of Murzuq.[2] In the north it ends at the Tinrhert Plateau and in the south at the Fadnoun Plateau.[3]

Sand in the Issaouane Erg, below the level of the sand dunes, has accumulated to a depth of 20 to 30 meters.[4] It has barchan dunes as well as star dunes[3] of 300 to 430 meters high.[5]

Cultural history

Neolithic artifacts, sculptures and paintings have been found in the Issouane Erg.[6] from the Kiffian culture.

Natural resources

The Issaouane Erg contains oil; the Tifernine oilfield is explored by the Algerian state oil company Sonatrach, which began developing the oilfield with foreign assistance,[7] including from Korea[8] and Spain (Repsol signed an agreement to invest and explore in 1990). The oilfield has been in production since late 1998.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Krešić, Neven (2008). Groundwater resources: sustainability, management, and restoration. McGraw Hill Professional. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-07-149273-7.
  2. ↑ Walton, Kennet (2007). The Arid Zones. Transaction Publishers. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-202-30928-6.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Issaouane Erg, Algeria". NASA, Earth Observatory. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  4. ↑ Lancaster, Nicholas (2002). Geomorphology of desert dunes. Routledge. p. 202. ISBN 978-0-415-06094-3.
  5. ↑ Lancaster, Geomorphology, 73.
  6. ↑ Camps, Gabriel (1974). Les civilisations préhistoriques de l'Afrique du Nord et du Sahara. Doin. p. 306. ISBN 978-2-7040-0030-2.
  7. ↑ "Algeria: Oil processing plant inaugurated in Sahara". 1999-10-15. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  8. ↑ "Remarks by President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea at the Korea-Algeria Business Forum". Dynamic Korea. 2006-03-12. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  9. ↑ "Algeria - Oilfield Profiles - Repsol/YPF - Tifernine/Tin Mesnaguene". APS Review Gas Market Trends. 2001-02-05. Retrieved 2010-01-03.