The early Carboniferous Harur Formation from the Ora outcrop section of northern Iraq consists of black shale, calcareous shale and carbonate. The mineralogical and geochemical investigations (major and trace elements) of the black shale and calcareous shale units have been conducted to evaluate paleoenvironmental conditions including paleoclimate, paleoredox conditions, paleoproductivity, sedimentary rate, and to evaluate their effects on organic matter accumulation. The geochemical proxies such as the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), A-CN-K plot, Sr/Cu ratio, and the relation between the ratio of Ga/Rb and Sr/Cu suggest moderate to intense chemical weathering under humid conditions. The Rb/K and Sr/Ba ratios indicate a freshwater environment during deposition. Multiple paleo-redox indicators such as ratios of V/(V+Ni) and Th/U) and U index indicates deposition under depleted marine oxygen conditions and consequently recording an Ocean Anoxic Event (OAE). The Th/U ratio indicates that the sedimentary rate at the lower part of the section is less than that of the upper part of the section. The terrigenous clastic input index (Ti and Al) shows that clastic input reduced from the lower to the upper section which implies that the sea level rose first lower to the upper section. Both Al and Ti have positive correlations with TOC (Total Organic Carbon) which reveal that clastic input was advantageous for OM accumulation. The high ratios of (Fe + Mn)/Ti and the presence of nacrite minerals indicate hydrothermal activity during deposition. Hence, the main control factors of OM accumulation in the black shale and calcareous shale of the Harur Formation were terrigenous clastic fluxes, in addition to paleo-redox conditions and hydrothermal activities. On contrary, paleoproductivity proxies play a relatively less significant role in OM accumulation.
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 MoreThis 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 Quantitative high-resolution planktonic foraminiferal analysis of the subsurface section in three selected wells in the Ajeel Oil Field (Aj-8, Aj-12, and Aj-15) in Tikrit Governorate, Central Iraq has revealed that Shiranish Formation deposited in Late Campanian- Latest Maastrichtian age. This formation consists mainly of marly and marly limestone yielding diverse planktonic foraminiferal assemblages and calcareous benthic foraminifera, with a total of 46 species that belong to 23 genera, Three zones and four subzones, which cover the Late Campanian to the Latest Maastrichtian, were identified based on the recorded planktonic foraminifera and their ranges. They are as follows:1. Globotruncana aegyptiaca Zone that dated to be Lat
... 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 MoreStable isotopes 18O/16O and 13C/12C in the carbonate rocks of the Mishrif Formation are examined here to define the depositional characters in the basin includes paleo temperatures and paleo depth.
The Mishrif formation (Cenomanian – Early Turonian) has extensive distribution in Iraq and Middle East. Mishrif Formation composed of organic detrital limestone. Four boreholes in four oilfields, Noor – well (11), Amarah – well (14), Buzurgan – well (24), Halfaya – well (8), in south east of Iraq have been studied.
The studied samples have negative δ18O isotope values studied well, with Average (-4.11‰), (
... Show MoreThe research aims to study Sabkha mineralogy to determine the mineral types, the nature of the precipitation, and the patterns of salt crystallization. Two Sabkhas in Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, were studied. It was found that the Sabkhas were formed in flat ponds from saturated solutions in a semi-arid to arid climate. Halite predominates, followed by anhydrite and gypsum as evaporite minerals. As for the minerals of the Sabkha soil, it consisted of feldspar, calcite, quartz, and dolomite, in addition to the clay minerals represented by kaolinite, illite, and chlorite. Needle forms, hopper shapes, dendritic crystals, and polygon shapes are the main crystallization patterns dominantly found in the Sabkhas. All these types of crysta
... Show MoreThe identification of a bed’s lithology is fundamental to all reservoir characterization because the physical and chemical properties of the rock that holds hydrocarbons and/or water affect the response of every tool used to measure formation properties. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate reservoir properties and lithological identification of Nahr Umr Formation in Luhais well -12 southern Iraq. The available well logs such as (sonic, density, neutron, gamma ray, SP, and resistivity logs) are digitized using the Didger software. The petrophysical parameters such as porosity, water saturation, hydrocarbon saturation, bulk water volume, etc. were computed and interpreted using Techlog software. The lithology prediction of Nahr
... Show MoreCalciturbidites are similar to siliciclastic turbidites in structure, texture, basin physiography and processes of deposition; nevertheless, their clasts (grains) are carbonate minerals. Turbidity currents transport carbonate grains from carbonate source areas and coastal areas to the deep basins after passing the shelf (peri-platform). These currents are triggered by short-lived catastrophic events, such as tsunamis, earthquakes, marine slides, and typhoons. The Late Cretaceous Zagros Foreland and Hinterland in NE-Iraq (Kurdistan Region) was an active source for the shedding of voluminous sediments to the deep basin of Zagros Foreland Basin. During late Campanian, Shiranish Formation was deposited in the foreland basin; it occurs in the
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