The sequence in the upper part of the Balambo Formation is composed mainly of limestone alternating with marly limestones and dark grey shale in the Bosheen section (eastern Sulaymaniyah, northeastern Iraq) and has been studied in terms of its rare earth element (REE) content. The REEs are very low compared to modern marine sediments. They are depletion in LREEs, and enrichment in HREEs and (La/Yb)N in the studied rocks, indicating that these sediments retained the REEs pattern of marine waters. The negative Ce anomaly reflects direct sedimentation from marine waters under anoxic conditions with the contribution of terrigenous clays. The positive correlation of ∑REEs with Al, Ti, and Y, and the negative correlation of ∑REEs with CaO, in addition to the variation in Y/Ho ratio, all may indicate the presence of terrigenous fractions as the main source for REEs in the studied strata. The REEs pattern of the upper part of the Balambo Formation mostly shows original characteristics, some of which were modified by detrital input. According to (La/Yb)N ratios, the sedimentation rate varied during the deposition of the Balambo Formation in the function of its position along the continental margin.
Sedimentary structures of Gercus Formation in NE Iraq was little studied in the last decades. In this study the identified sedimentary structures display alternative graded and fining upward cycles, load and flute casts, submarine channels, sand and clay balls and pillow structures, convolute and slump beddings, of marine turbidity origin. The foreland part of Tethys basin characterized by deep marine Tanjero and Kolosh Formations followed by the Gercus formation with conformable relationships. The Eocene aged Flysch comprises predominantly litharenitic sandstones and interbedded mudstones, both of turbiditic affinities and most likely derived from a NE Arabian Plate source. The sediments provide excellent examples of distal fan sands as
... Show MoreThis study deals with the petrology of Injana Formation (Upper Miocene) at
Zawita, Amadia and Zakho areas. The sandstone of Injana Formation is of two
typesnamely, litharenite and feldspathiclitharenite. The rock fragments of Injana
Formation are mostly sedimentary and hence the sandstones are classified as
sedarenite and more specifically chertarenite owing to the predominance of chert
rock fragments. The sandstone is mineralogicallysubmature rangingfrom
mechanically and chemically stable tounstable. The petrographic studies reveal
nearness of source area with arid to semi-arid climate. The source rocks are
sedimentary, low- to medium-grade metamorphic and basic volcanic rocks. They are
mostly supplied from th
In 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 MoreVolcaniclastic rocks of Al Muqdadiya Formation (Pliocene) in Injana area, southern Hemrin anticline, NE of Iraq, were studied ( petrographically, physically, mineralogically and geochemically , as well as the engineering properties) to assess the suitability of volcaniclastic rocks to use them in industry as refractories. The results show that the physical and engineering properties change with the temperature change. The bulk density and the specific gravity increase by increasing temperature while the apparent porosity, water sorption and the linear shrinkage decrease. On the other hand the compressive strength increase by increasing temperature. The volcaniclastics have very low thermal conductivi
... Show MoreVolcaniclastic rocks of Al Muqdadiya Formation (Pliocene) in Injana area, southern Hemrin anticline, NE of Iraq, were studied ( petrographically, physically, mineralogically and geochemically , as well as the engineering properties) to assess the suitability of volcaniclastic rocks to use them in industry as refractories. The results show that the physical and engineering properties change with the temperature change. The bulk density and the specific gravity increase by increasing temperature while the apparent porosity, water sorption and the linear shrinkage decrease. On the other hand the compressive strength increase by increasing temperature. The volcaniclastics have very low thermal conductivity.
The petrography, mineralogy and
This study focused on the soil of the Al-Khassa Sub Basin, thirty-four soil samples were collected from different areas of land use and differences in human activity.
Physicochemical properties of the soil were examined Hydrogen Potential (pH), Organic Matter (O.M), Loss Of Ignition (L.O.I), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and Total Hydrocarbon (THC).
Hydrogen Potential (pH) showed that the soil is alkaline above seven with a mean 7.98.
Organic Matter (O.M) of the study area with a mean 1.28 % and high value found in Agricultural areas.Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) with a mean 42.64 (cmol/kg) that is proportional to the granular size of the soil that silty c
... Show MoreIn this paper, we attempt to predict the depositional environments with associated lithofacies of the main reservoir of the late Cretaceous Mishrif carbonate Formation, depending on the analysis of the created seismic isopach map by integrating seismic and well data. The isopach map was created from a 3D-seismic reflection survey carried out at the Dujaila oil field in southeastern Iraq, which is of an area of 602.26 Km2, and integrated with the data of the two explored wells. Based on the interpretation of the seismic isopach map, the diagram of the 3D-depositional environment model of Mishrif Formation was constructed. It showed three distinguished depositional environments, which were graduated from a back reef lithofacies of a shallo
... Show MoreYamama Formation is an important sequence in southern Iraq. Petrographic analysis was used to determine and analyze the microfacies and pore types. The diagenetic processes and the impacts on the petrophysical properties of the rocks were also identified. The petrographic identification was based on data of 250 thin sections of cutting and core samples from four wells that were supplied by the Iraqi Oil Exploration Company (O.E.C). The present study focuses on the depositional environment and the microfacies analysis of Yamama Formation. The results revealed several types of microfacies, including peloidal wackestone-packstone, algal wackestone-packstone, bioclastic wackestone-packstone, fo
... Show MoreGlobal oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) are events of immense importance for a variety of reasons. For instance, they are not only behind most if not all of the mass extinctions which took place during the Cenozoic era, but they are the harbinger for the world's best oil source beds, which humanity depends on to satisfy its energy need. In spite of this, there was little effort to document their presence in Iraq, to fill in for the void here, and as a first step, this paper will attempt to establish a cause and effect relationship between OAE 2 and the Gulneri Formation timing of deposition and organic matter richness. This was done by showing the prevalent occurrence of the globally known OAE 2 positive ∂13Corg excursion and the unique ro
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