This research studies the petrography, mineralogy and diagenetic history of the Sarmord Formation at Sulaimani and Erbil Governorates in Northeastern Iraq. The Sarmord Formation consists mainly of alternated yellowish to bluish gray bedded marly limestone with yellowish gray soft marl beds. Petrographic investigations of the marly limestones were based on 270 thin sections and show that the skeletal grains include bioclasts, foraminiferas, radiolarians, calcispheres, echinoderms, ostracods and cephalopods. The groundmass is composed of micrite with light brown to gray colors, rich in organic materials and iron oxides. The X-ray diffraction analysis of the marls revealed that the abundant clay minerals in the Sarmord Formation are kaolinite and smectite -illite mixed layers, in addition to chlorite traces, which may indicate an increasing influx of detrital minerals from the continental weathering because of the humid Early Cretaceous climate. Non-clay minerals include calcite and quartz with subordinate feldspars. The main diagenetic processes affecting the Sarmord Formation carbonates are micritization, dissolution, cementation, compaction, dolomitization, dedolomitization and authigenic minerals (pyrite and silica). These belong to three diagenetic stages; early (shallow burial), middle and late (deep burial).
The current study deals with microfacies and the depositional environment of the Lower Cretaceous Sarmord Formation at selected sections in Sulaimani and Erbil Governorates, northern Iraq. The Sarmord Formation alternates rhythmically between yellowish grey marly limestones and grey black marls. These lithologies are observed in all studied sections of Sarmord Formation in northern Iraq. Petrographic investigation of this study based on 240 thin sections demonstrated that the carbonate constituents are mainly composed of skeletal and non-skeletal grains. The skeletal grains include a variety of foraminiferas (planktonic and benthonic), bioclasts, calcispheres, ostracods, radiolaria, echinoderms, sponge spicules, ammonoids and be
... Show MoreThis study involves microfacies analysis of the Kometan Formation from northeastern Iraq supported by detailed petrographic investigation for the main components and diagenetic processes using a petrographic microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-Ray diffraction (XRD). The techniques have revealed that the formation includes two microfacies; lime wackestone and lime packstone microfacies which in turn are subdivided into seven sub-microfacies, that were deposited in the quiet and deep marine environment. Planktonic foraminifera (keeled and globular chamber types) are dominant, along with oligostegina in addition to subordinate benthonic foraminifera and fine-grained bioclasts. Calcite forms the main mineralogical compositi
... Show MoreThe Dammam Formation ( Middle-Late Eocene) has a total thickness 150 m , 143 m and 89.7 m at the studied wells (B.H.8, B.H.3 and B.H.1) respectively. They are located in Al- Najaf Governorate, 35 Km southwest of Al-Najaf city. The petrographic components of the Dammam limestone comprises skeletal grainsforaminifera (both benthic and planktonic), echinoderm plates and Mollusca, shell fragments, Bryozoan, Bioclasts are common, non-skeletal grainsare pellets, lithoclast (carbonate and non carbonate), and groundmass (micrite and sparry calcite). In term of mineralogy, the X-Ray analysis shows the presence of non clay minerals is calcite, dolomite as the main minerals and quartz and scattered evaporate, whereas clay minerals as secondary mine
... Show MoreThe present study deals with the petrographic investigations revealed that the sandstone of Gercus Formation the studied samples of sandstone units composed primarily of rock fragments (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic), quartz grains (monocrystalline and polycrystalline), and feldspars (orthoclase, microcline and plagioclase). These components are cemented by carbonate and iron oxides. The studied sandstones are classified as litharenites, Sandstone rocks of Gercus Formation are chemically and mechanically unstable due to the high percentage of rock fragments ,such a grain assemblage infers that the source of the rock fragments is nearby. The petrographic analyses indicate that the studied sandstones are immature mineralogically b
... Show MoreBaluti Formation of the Rhaetian (Late Triassic) age is composed mainly of dolomite, the unit formed with dolomitic limestone, dolomitic breccias and limestone begins with gray or dark gray colored and sugar textured dolomitic limestones including micrite with shale horizons. Baluti Formation was deposited in carbonate platform, and slumped to deeper margins forming carbonate debrites and breccias of various types.
Petrographic examination of the dolomites reveals various crystal habits and textures of the dolomites. Planktonic bivalve, calcisphere and echinoid spicules were found in the Baluti Formation settled in deep-margin carbonate environment. Nine dolomite-rock textures were identified and classified according to the crystal-si
The Pila Spi Formation (middle – late Eocene) was studied in terms of field character, Petrography and geochemistry from two outcrops (Bakhar and Bani bawy) sections, Northern Iraq. The field studies showing massive, lithified limestone to marly limestone high effected by dolomitization. The petrography studies shows that most of the skeletal grains was destroyed due to digenetic processes specifically the dolomitization, and the vast majority of carbonate rocks are mudstone and few beds of wackestone. The geochemical study reveals low CaO% and high MgO% content due to the intense effect of dolomitization, and the carbonate rocks was classified as impure limestone generally of slightly calcareous dolomite. Ca/Mg and Sr/Ca ratios have b
... Show MoreThe Carbonate-clastic succession in this study is represented by the Shuaiba and Nahr Umr Formations deposited during the Albian - Aptian Sequence. The present study includes petrography, microfacies analyses, and studying reservoir characterizations for 5 boreholes within West Qurna oil field in the study area. According to the type of study succession (clastic – Carbonate) there are two types of facies analyses:-Carbonate facies analysis, which showed five major microfacies were recognized in the succession of the Shuaiba Formation, bioclastic mudstones to wackstone, Orbitolina wackestone to packstone, Miliolids wackestone, Peloidal wackestone to packstone and mudstone to wackestone identified as an open shelf toward the deep basin.
... Show MoreThe study includes biostratigraphy of the Lower Sarmord Formation in well Kirkuk-No-109. North of Iraq, two biozones had been distinguished as follow:
1- Choffatella decipiens SCHLUMBRGER Zone.
2- Orbitolina discoidea GARS Zone.
The age of Formation in this study is determanid as Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian-early Aptian).
Keyword: Lower Sarmord, Formation well Kirkuk-109, Choffatella decipiens and Orbitolina discoidea, Lower Cretaceous
Five subsurface sections covering the entire length of the Jeribe Limestone Formation (Early Middle Miocene) were studied from four oilfields in northern Iraq. It is hoped to unravel this formation microfacies ; depositional environment; diagenetic attributes and their parental processes; and the relationship between these processes and the observed porosity patterns. The microfacies were found to include mudstone, wackestone, packstone, and grainstone, which have been deposited respectively in open platform, restricted platform, and edge platform which represent the lagoonal environment, while the deposits of the lower parts of the Jeribe formation especially in well Hamrin- 2 reflect a deeper fore slope environment. By using the lithofac
... Show MoreThe purpose of this study is to determine the mineralogical composition of Lower Diyala River, northeastern of Baghdad, and attempt to define the sources of sediments. 10 samples were collected from Lower Diyala River from the area between Himreen Dam to south Baghdad, where these samples are dealings by the heavy liquid to separated into light and heavy minerals. The light minerals contents are composed mainly of quartz, feldspars, and rock fragments. The main rocks fragments consist of; igneous, metamorphic, carbonate, chert rock fragments, and evaporites. The heavy minerals contents are opaques minerals, chlorite, amphiboles, pyroxenes, epidote, zircon, garnet, muscovite, biotite, kyanite, tourmaline, stauroli
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