The study of the geochemical characterization of sandstone rocks contributes to understand the nature of the source rocks, their tectonic setting and the effects of paleoclimate and paleo-weathering. Accordingly, twenty sandstone samples from the red sandstone units of the Gercus Formation were collected from the northeastern limb of Safin Anticline at Shaqlawa Area – Northern Iraq. The studied sandstone samples show depletion in major, trace elements contents, except for CaO, MgO and Ni, Co and Cr respectively, and general depletion in the rare earth elements (REE) contents. Major element geochemistry indicates that the red bed sandstones of the Gercus Formation are of an oceanic island arc (OIA) tectonic setting. On the other hand, the results revealed that the paleo-weathering of the source area of the Gercus Formation experienced intensive chemical weathering under humid and/or warm climate conditions. The maturity and paleoclimate conclusions of the studied samples suggest a low feldspar content and low values of K2O / Al2O3 ratio, which in turn resulted from the dominance of low grade metamorphic and sedimentary rock types in the source area.
This research deals with study of the Petrology and mineralogy of the Rus and Jil Formations at Najif and Al-Muthanna Governorates, Southern Iraq. The Rus Formation consists mainly of evaporites and subordinate carbonates. The evaporites are characterized by nodular structure (compound wispy, wispy, structureless and mosaic structures) with some laminated structure at the studied sections. Compound wispy to wispy structure are the dominant structures. The Jil Formation consists almost entirely of carbonate. The carbonate rocks are dolomitic limestone and dolomite beds, massive, fossiliferous, cavernous sometime friable and bioturbated in its lower part. The Jil Formation contains evaporites as thin beds, sometimes nodular and contains se
... Show MoreThe Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) event, which represented a sudden and abnormal rise in temperature during the early Cenozoic Era, is regarded as one of the most important global geologic phenomena. Two important index microfossils (nannoplankton and Ostracoda) were utilised to understand and predict the paleoenvironment and describe the changes during this period. The basis of the study was 12 cutting samples taken from Aaliji and the lower part of Jaddala formations of a subsurface section of (Ba-8) borehole in central Iraq. Some geophysical data were used to determine the upper and lower contacts of the Aaliji Formation and define the shale rate in the studied formations. The micropaleontologic investigation reveals
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to detect the relation between the fracture sets and systems with the stages of folding. The triple junction area of the research comprises the three faced plunges of three anticlines Bekhair, Brifca and Zawita anticline. GEOreint, ver 9.5.0 was used for analyzing and classifying the data collected from the field measurements on 11 stations in proportion to the orthogonal tectonic axes. The age of exposed rocks ranges from Paleocene up to Miocene. The fractures were represented as joints, veins in addition to different types of faults. The Kinematic analysis of the fractures revealed that the stress caused the (ac) and (hko> a) fractures is coincides with the regional compression stress that form the folds w
... Show MoreIn this research, a geotechnical assessment was conducted for clay of the Gercus Formation to determine its suitability for embankment dams. The selected area is located in the north of Iraq. Six samples were collected from two sites in Dokan (Sulaimaniyah) and Haibat Sultan mountain (Koysinjaq), three samples each. Various geotechnical (physical, mechanical and chemical) tests were conducted based on standard specifications.
The results of the grain size test of clay samples showed their conformity with Zone C curves and their suitability for the construction of embankment dams, according to the Iraqi standard for roads and bridges. The results of the
... Show MoreIn an intensive study of the various species of the Euglenophyceae under different environmental conditions, the algal samples were collected monthly in twelve springs and six related streams from September 2019 to August 2020 within Shaglawa district-Erbil Province in virgin areas for phycolimnological study. Twenty species of Euglenophyceaen are identified as a new record for the algal flora. These taxa consist of Colacium vesiculosum, Lepocinclis salina and L.wangi, Eutreptia viridis, Euglena chlamydophora, E. clavata,
... Show MoreThe climate parameters annual rainfall and average mean temperature are investigated from 2000 to 2019 for Kut, Hilla and Iskandaryia. Evidence of climate change is noticed by decreasing the mean annual rainfall and relative humidity with an increase in the annual mean temperature. The climate water balance has been calculated. Due to high temperature, increased evaporation, and low precipitation rates, there was a large water deficit. The total water surplus in the Kut area is 32.86 mm from November to February, and in Hilla and Iskandaryia is 20.4 and 27.8 mm from December to February, respectively. The climate classification for the three stations was semi-dry to dry climates. The region has a significant water deficit of u
... Show MoreMechanical rock properties are essential to minimize many well problems during drilling and production operations. While these properties are crucial in designing optimum mud weights during drilling operations, they are also necessary to reduce the sanding risk during production operations. This study has been conducted on the Zubair sandstone reservoir, located in the south of Iraq. The primary purpose of this study is to develop a set of empirical correlations that can be used to estimate the mechanical rock properties of sandstone reservoirs. The correlations are established using laboratory (static) measurements and well logging (dynamic) data. The results support the evidence that porosity and sonic travel time are consistent i
... Show MoreIn the Rumaila oilfields in southern Iraq, the Zubair Formation was deposited in a shallow environment as three main facies, delta plain, backshore, and delta front depositional conditions indicating a transition from delta front and delta plain to a highstand level due to the finning upward mode. The facies of the Zubair clasts show well-sorted quartz arenite sandstone, poorly sorted quartz arenite sandstone, clayey sandstone that has not been properly sorted, sandy shale, and shale lithofacies. The minor lithofacies were identified using well-logging methods (gamma ray, spontaneous potential and sonic logs) and petrography. The Zubair clasts are of transition environment that appears to be transported from freshwater and deposited
... Show MoreKeys for 22 species representing ten genera Thripidae collection carried out during 1999-2001 in different localities in the middle of Iraq. Of them four species are described as new to science, Frankliniella megacephala sp. nov; Retithrips bagdadensis sp. nov; Chirothrips imperatus sp. nov; Taeniothrips tigridis sp. nov; Another thirteen species are recorded for the first time in Iraq; Thrips meridionalis (Pri.); Microcephalothrips abdominils (Crawford); Scolothrips pallidus (Beach); Scritothrips mangiferae Pri.; Frankliniella tritici Bagnall; Frankliniella schultzie Trybom; Frankliniella unicolor Morgan; Retithrips aegypticus Mar
... Show MoreThis research was conducted to investigate the water quality of the lesser Zab
river, to evaluate the water suitability for agricultural usings and report the effect of
human activities on this water. Samples were collected along the river stream
starting from Dukan area till the convergence with Tigris River. All the tests were
conducted at the labs of Environmental sciences and Technology College /
University of Mosul and Erbil water project/Erbil city.
The results of using Piper diagram showed that the water is alkine, due to the effect of the origional rock's components of that area on the water quality. While the using of Stiff diagram elucidate that the water samples contain ions belong to the area of the lesser Z