DOCSLIB.ORG

Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim Et Al

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim Et Al Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 MESOZOIC TETHYAN RADIOLARITE AGE DETERMINATION, ZAGROS SUTURE ZONE, KURDISTAN, NE IRAQ Basim A. Al-Qayim*, Mushir M. Baziany and Bakhtyar M. Ameen * Department of Geology, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan, Iraq, e-mail: [email protected] Received: 8 November 2017; accepted: 16 March 2018 ABSTRACT A regional belt of Mesozoic Tethyan radiolarites extends along the northeastern Arabian plate's margin. Outcrops of this radiolarite were documented from Hawasina series in Oman, and northeastwards to Pichakun Series of southern Iran, to Kermanshah of northwest Iran passing onto the Qulqula Group of northeast Iraq up until the Kocali Series of Turkey. The age of most of these radiolarite suites was already constrained. It is the purpose of this work to investigate the age of the radiolarite Suites in northeast Iraq using Radiolarian microfossils chronostratigraphy. Patches of the Mesozoic radiolarite suites are exposed at the Zagros suture zone in Kurdistan Region of northeast Iraq and known as the Qulqula Group. It consists of complexly deformed and thick slices of pelagic radiolarian chert and siliceous limestone, radiolarian red claystone and siliceous mudstone, and reddish-green mudstone and limestone. These units were sampled from three areas (Naurabab, Penjween, and Hawraman) located to the south and east of Sulaimani city in Kurdistan, for radiolarian micropaleontological analysis. Radiolaria microfossils identification and age determination is done at specialized laboratories. Results of the radiolarian age constraint show that these sediments range from Bajocian to the end of the Cenomanian. Keywords: Zagros; Radiolarite; Qulqula; Age determination INTRODUCTION Radiolarite is oceanic siliceous rocks often developed as tectonostratigraphic suites frequently associated and obducted with ophiolites complexes during convergence between two plates of the oceanic domain. These complicated suites are often cropped out along tectonic suture line between the collided plates in a patchy form. Radiolarites were reported to have been associated with the Zagros Suture Zone from Oman (Hawasina radiolarites) to Iran (Neyris radiolarites, and Kermanshah radiolarites) to Kurdistan of NE Iraq (Qulqula radiolarites) and up into SE Turkey (Fig. 1). These siliceous radiolarian rocks are obducted along with the ophiolites complexes over the 17 Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 Arabian plate margin as a part of a subduction complex during Late Cretaceous Time (Murris, 1980; Berberian and King, 1981; Alavi, 1994; Al-Qayim, 1995). As convergence between the Arabian Plate and Eurasia continued these rocks over-thrust the Arabian margin sediments forming an important part of an intensively tectonized region of the Zagros Suture Zone (Hessami et al., 2001; Alavi, 2004; Ager et al., 2005; Al-Qayim et al., 2012). In Kurdistan NE Iraq, these suites known as the Qulqula Group which were recognized and described for the first time by Bolten (1955 and 1958). The Qulqula Group consists of two Formations: Qulqula Radiolarian Formation, which represents the real radiolarite suites, and Qulqula Conglomerate Formation, which represents the tectonic breccias and erosional products of the first (Al-Qayim et al., 2012). The Qulqula Radiolarian Formation which underly the Qulqula Conglomerate Formation consists of a thick succession of bedded chert, shale, mudstone and siliceous limestone (Bolton, 1958; Buday, 1980; Jassim et al., 1984; Jassim and Goff, 2006). The contacts of both formations are hard to be determined due to intensive structural deformation of the outcrop areas. The boundaries are recognized in most cases as tectonic contacts. The outcrops of the Qulqula radiolarite are distributed in three major areas (Buday and Jassim, 1987), which are: 1) Khwakurk area (KH) at the Iraqi – Turkish – Iranian border junction; 2) Qulqula gorge (Q) at the north of the Qala Diza Town, and 3) Mawat – Halabja area (N) stretched from the northeast, around Nurabab Peniplain, to southwest of the Sulaimani city (Fig. 2). The age and stratigraphic position of the Qulqula radiolarite, is long considered as a controversial issue because of insufficient studies was done and the complicated stratigraphy due to the intensive deformation of its sequence. Heron and Lees (1943) assigned the folded mass of radiolarian chert of the Nappe zone and shale probably of Jurassic age. Waddington (1955) supposed that the formation is older than Jurassic, but did not make any precise determination. McCarthy (1956), in Buday (1980) suggested a Triassic – Jurassic age of the formation. Bolton (1958) mentioned that the Qulqula Series is of Aptian to Albian age. He admits the Jurassic age of the formation in the Halabja area. Smirnov and Nelidov (1962) reported that the formation is of Triassic age. The Czech Team (1976) in Ibrahim (2009) recognizes four lithologic units within the Qulqula Formation showing different ages (i.e. The Qulqula Unit One (QU.1) of the Tithonian – Cenomanian, Qulqula Unit.2 (QU.2) of Valanginian – Lower Aptian, Qulqula Unit.3 (QU.3) of Upper Aptian – Cenomanian and Qulqula Unit.4 (QU.4) of 18 Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 Albian – Cenomanian – Turonian age. Jassim and Goff (2006) divided the Qulqula Group into four units with significant ages differences; 1) shallow water carbonate sequence of Tithonian – Berrasian age, 2) carbonate-chert sequence during the Valanginian – Lower Aptian age, 3) Southern Neo-Tethys Radiolarian chert with the Aptian-Albian age, and 4) Qulqula Conglomerate Formation of Cenomanian – Early Senonian. Recently, Al-Qayim et al., (2012) examine the different units of the Qulqula Group and they subdivide the Qulqula Group into five units. Fig. 1: Regional tectonic map of the Arabian Plate showing the radiolarites location of the study area lies in Kurdistan Region, northeastern part of Iraq (Modified from Woudloper, 2009) where QK: Qulqula – Kermanshah radiolarite; N: Neyriz radiolarite; H: Hawasina radiolarite) 19 Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 Fig. 2: Tectonic map of northeast Iraq showing regional tectonic divisions and the location of the radiolarite outcrops in NE Iraq. (ZFTB: Zagros Fold – Thrust Belt; ZLFZ: Zagros Low Folded Zone; ZHFZ: Zagros High Folded Zone; ZIZ: Zagros Imbricate Zone; ZSZ: Zagros Suture Zone; SZ: Shalair Zone; SSZ: Sanandaj – Sirjan Zone; UDMB: Urumieh Dokhtar Magmatic Belt; MZ: Mesopotamian Zone; ZFF: Zagros Foredeep Fault; ZMFF: Zagros Mountain Front Fault; HZRF: High Zagros Reverse Fault; ZTF: Zagros Thrust Front; ZMRF: Zagros Main Reverse Fault; KH: Khwakwrk area; Q: Qulqula area; N: Naurbab area) (Adapted from Al-Qayim et al., 2012) It is the purpose of this work to investigate the stratigraphy of the Qulqula radiolarite by radiolaria age determination applied to the different lithologic units which can help in setting the order of the complicated sequence of the Qulqula radiolarite. The Mawat to Halabja areas to the east of Sulaimani is selected for this study because of its accessibility, widespread and complete exposures of the succession with clear lithological differentiation. METHODS AND MATERIAL Three master traverses were selected from this area for field examination, stratigraphic measurements, and sampling. These traverses are 1) Nurabab – Surkew, which is located to the northeast of Chwarta town, and extends from Bayanan village to 20 Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 Surkew mountain toe, across the Nurabab plain. 2) Kawlos – Kani Manga, which is located in Nalparez subareas to the north and northeast of Said Sadiq town, and extends from Kawlos village to Milakawa mountain toe at southwest of Penjwin town. 3) Halabja – Avroman traverse, which is located in Hawraman subareas to the north and northeast of the Halabja town and extends to the Hawraman mountain and passing by Biyara village (Fig. 3). In addition, several minor reconnaissance traverses are checked to support the regional stratigraphic evaluation. Detailed field examination of these outcrops was attempted to get the general view of the distribution, description of the traverses and lithological changes in addition to examining vertical and lateral stratigraphic and facial changes (Fig. 4). Samples were collected along the examined traverses in three selected outcrops areas and from each lithologic unit to assist stratigraphic studies. Thin sections were made and studied in the laboratory under binocular and polarizer microscopes for identifying the petrographic features and the important sedimentological characteristics. Fig. 3: Google Landsat image of northeast Iraq with overlaying geological units of Sulaimanyia area by Ma'ala (2008) showing the selected traverses over the study area of the Qulqula radiolarite exposures 21 Iraqi Geological Journal Al-Qayim et al. Vol.51, No.1, 2018 Fig. 4: Schematic cross-sections showin.g the complicated stratigraphy of the three examined traverses of the Qulqula radiolarite due to multiple thrusting and repetition of the different lithologic units (after Baziany, 2013) Twenty-two siliceous samples from chert, siliceous limestone, red siliceous claystone were shipped to the radiolaria micropaleontology and biostratigraphy laboratory at the department of Geological Engineering of the Hacettepe University, Ankara – Turkey. This is an internationally recognized and specialized laboratory in radiolarian micropaleontology and biostratigraphy.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Assessment of Hydrogeochemistry and Environmental Isotopes in Karst Springs of Makook Anticline, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
    Hydrology 2015, 2, 48-68; doi:10.3390/hydrology2020048 OPEN ACCESS hydrology ISSN 2306-5338 www.mdpi.com/journal/hydrology Article Assessment of Hydrogeochemistry and Environmental Isotopes in Karst Springs of Makook Anticline, Kurdistan Region, Iraq Omed Mustafa 1,*, Broder Merkel 1 and Stephan M. Weise 2 1 Institute of Geology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Gustav Zeuner Str.12, 09599 Freiberg, Germany; E-Mail: [email protected] 2 Department Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +49-3731-39-2792; Fax: +49-3731-39-2720. Academic Editor: Okke Batelaan Received: 16 November 2014 / Accepted: 9 March 2015 / Published: 25 March 2015 Abstract: Karst springs of the Makook anticline were investigated to get more insight into the hydrogeologic, hydraulic, and hydrodynamic behavior of this complex karst system. Eight springs were studied in terms of hydrogeochemical constituents as well as δ18O and δ2H during September 2011 to November 2012. For the first time, the local meteoric water line was plotted for the area based on precipitation data from the period November 2011 to April 2012. The regional meteoric line plots between the global and Mediterranean meteoric water lines. The majority of the spring samples plot between the local and Mediterranean meteoric water lines implying influences by Mediterranean air masses, rapid infiltration of rainfall through the karst system and a short residence time (shallow karst aquifers). The correlation of d-excess and saturation index of halite was used to evaluate the evaporation process in karst waters of the area.
    [Show full text]
  • Iraqi Geological Journal Edillbi Et Al
    Iraqi Geological Journal Edillbi et al. 2021, 54 (1E), 29-42 Iraqi Geological Journal Journal homepage: https://www.igj-iraq.org Depositional Environment of the Upper Triassic Baluti Formation in Gara Anticline, Kurdistan Region, North Iraq: Insight from Microfacies and Biomarker Characteristics Ayad N.F. Edilbi1, *, Stephen A. Bowden2, Abdala Y. Mohamed2 and Govand H. Sherwani3 1Department of Petroleum Geosciences, Soran University, Soran, Kurdistan Region, Iraq 2Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen 3Department of Civil Engineering, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq *Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 1 January 2021; Accepted: 25 March 2021; Published: 31 May 2021 Abstract The studied section is located in the core of the Gara Anticline, about 12 km southeast of Amedi Town. The Baluti Formation is generally composed of grey and green shale, calcareous, dolostone with intercalations of thinly bedded dolostones, dolomitic limestones, and silicified limestones which are occasionally brecciated. The petrographic study shows five main microfacies in the Baluti Formation namely; finely laminated dolomudstone, fossil-barren and lime mudstone, fenestral mudstone/packstone, peloids and ooids wackestone, and lithoclasts (intraclasts) grainstones. The mudstones facies with no fauna and radial-fibrous ooids can point to a protected and low energy environment. Moreover, fenestral structures are reliable criteria for identifying a tidal flat environment. The presence of the lithoclasts (intraclasts) with radial ooids and a few terrestrial fragments may represent a quiet environment, albeit one affected by infrequent storm deposits. As a supplementary to microfacies, the biomarker characterizations were used to deduce the depositional environment of the Baluti Formation.
    [Show full text]
  • Paleozoic Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems of the Western and Southwestern Deserts of Iraq
    GeoArabia, Vol. 3, No. 2, 1998 Paleozoic Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems, Iraq Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain Paleozoic Stratigraphy and Petroleum Systems of the Western and Southwestern Deserts of Iraq Adnan A.M. Aqrawi Smedvig Technologies ABSTRACT A stratigraphic scheme for the Paleozoic of the Southwestern Desert of Iraq is proposed based upon the review of recently published data from several deep wells in the western part of the country and from outcrops in other regions in Iraq. The main formations are described in terms of facies distribution, probable age, regional thickness, and correlations with the well-reported Paleozoic successions of the adjacent countries (e.g. Jordan and Saudi Arabia), as well as with the Thrust Zone of North Iraq. The Paleozoic depositional and tectonic evolution of the Western and Southwestern Deserts of Iraq, particularly during Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian, shows marked similarity to those of eastern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia. However, local lithological variations, which are due to Late Paleozoic Hercynian tectonics, characterize the Upper Paleozoic sequences. The Lower Silurian marine “hot” shale, 65 meters thick in the Akkas-1 well in the Western Desert, is believed to be the main Paleozoic source rock in the Western and Southwestern Deserts. Additional potential source rocks in this region could be the black shales of the Ordovician Khabour Formation, the Upper Devonian to Lower Carboniferous Ora Shale Formation, and the lower shaly beds of the Upper Permian Chia Zairi Formation. The main target reservoirs are of Ordovician, Silurian, Carboniferous and Permian ages. Similar reservoirs have recently been reported for the Western Desert of Iraq, eastern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia.
    [Show full text]
  • Structures of the Kirkuk Embayment, Northern Iraq: Foreland Structures Or Zagros Fold Belt Structures?
    GeoArabia, v. 15, no. 4, 2010, p. 147-188 Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain Structures of the Kirkuk Embayment, northern Iraq: Foreland structures or Zagros Fold Belt structures? W. Norman Kent ABSTRACT Several anticlines in northern Iraq and Syria have been studied through the construction of balanced and restored cross sections. Based upon structural analysis, each of the studied anticlines is a fault-propagation fold that developed due to Zagros-related, recent inversion of much older normal faults. Studies on the Iranian part of the Zagros Fold Belt have suggested that the regional variation in the character of the fold belt is related to weak detachment surfaces in the stratigraphic section, primarily the decollement developed near the top of the Hormuz Salt where the salt is present. No evidence for Hormuz Salt has been found within the Kirkuk Embayment, and although detachment surfaces contribute the area’s structural character, the prominent folds seem to originate mainly from basement involved faults. Two distinct inversion structural trends exist: E-W system and a NW system of inverted grabens. In Syria, several of the faults associated with the EW-trending system cut the basement on seismic data and have stratigraphic relationships indicating that their displacement originated in the Neoproterozoic. In Iraq, the thicker sedimentary section did not allow the deep parts of the fault systems to be imaged on the available seismic. While the NW fault system of inverted normal faults could be linked to the Zagros Orogen by a decollement surface in the sedimentary section, regional relationships and potential-field data suggest that this trend also is basement involved and has a Neoproterozoic origin.
    [Show full text]
  • Petroleum System Analysis of the Mishrif Reservoir in the Ratawi, Zubair, North and South Rumaila Oil Fields, Southern Iraq
    GeoArabia, v. 14, no. 4, 2009, p. 91-108 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir in the Ratawi, Zubair, North and South Rumaila oil fields, southern Iraq Thamer K. Al-Ameri, Amer Jassim Al-Khafaji and John Zumberge ABSTRACT Five oil samples reservoired in the Cretaceous Mishrif Formation from the Ratawi, Zubair, Rumaila North and Rumaila South fields have been analysed using Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). In addition, fifteen core samples from the Mishrif Formation and 81 core samples from the Lower Cretaceous and Upper Jurassic have been subjected to source rock analysis and palynological and petrographic description. These observations have been integrated with electric wireline log response. The reservoirs of the Mishrif Formation show measured porosities up to 28% and the oils are interpreted as being sourced from: (1) Type II carbonate rocks interbedded with shales and deposited in a reducing marine environment with low salinity based on biomarkers and isotopic analysis; (2) Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age based on sterane ratios, analysis of isoprenoids and isotopes, and biomarkers, and (3) Thermally mature source rocks, based on the biomarker analysis. The geochemical analysis suggests that the Mishrif oils may have been sourced from the Upper Jurassic Najma or Sargelu formations or the Lower Cretaceous Sulaiy Formation. Visual kerogen assessment and source rock analysis show the Sulaiy Formation to be a good quality source rock with high total organic carbon (up to 8 wt% TOC) and rich in amorphogen. The Lower Cretaceous source rocks were deposited in a suboxic-anoxic basin and show good hydrogen indices.
    [Show full text]
  • Biostratigraphic Correlation of Paleozoic Rocks in Northern and Westren Iraq
    [Al-jubori et. al., Vol.8 (Iss.3): March 2020] ISSN- 2350-0530(O), ISSN- 2394-3629(P) Index Copernicus Value (ICV 2018): 86.20 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v8.i3.2020.163 Science BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC CORRELATION OF PALEOZOIC ROCKS IN NORTHERN AND WESTREN IRAQ Falah H. Khalaf Al-jubori (B.Sc., Ph.D.) 1, Akram K. Youkhana (B.Sc., Ph.D.) 2, Srood F. Naqshabandi (B.Sc., Ph.D.) 3, Dyana A. Bayz (B.Sc., M.Sc.) 1 1 Knowledge university, College of Engineering, Department of petroleum Engineering. Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq 2 Ex- expert Geologist, Ministry of Oil, Oil Exploration Company, Iraq 3 Department of Geology, College of Science, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq Abstract The Paleozoic rocks outcropped in northern Iraq (Ora, Chia Zairi section) are biostratigraphically investigated for their microfossils content. Benthonic foraminifera and algal genera characterize the upper part of the section while palynomorphs (Miospores & Acritarchs) dominated the lower part the section which is consist of clastic sediments. The study also include the stratigraphic succession of the section and its correlation to the subsurface sections penetrated in oil and water wells drilled in the western desert of Iraq in order to determine the regional distribution of the economically important formations, either as reservoir or as source rocks for hydrocarbons. Index palynomorphs including many types of Acritarch genera are identified in the Khabour Formation indicate lower Ordovician time (Tremadocian? Arenigian –Llanvirnian: age) The Perispik Formation has been found barren of any type of microfossils and is composed of red clastic rocks. Pollen and Spores are recorded from the "Ore Group" (Kaista, Ora and Harur Formations ) indicate that these rocks are of Upper Devonian – Lower Carboniferous (Famennian – Tournaisian age ) .A Large number of foraminifera and Algal genera are identified in the Chiazairi rocks,these genera and species are indicated the Upper Permian rocks of Thuringian age.
    [Show full text]
  • Heavy Metals Distribution and Their Correlation with Clay Size Fraction in Stream Sediments of the Lesser Zab River at Northeastern Iraq
    Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 2018, 6, 89-106 http://www.scirp.org/journal/gep ISSN Online: 2327-4344 ISSN Print: 2327-4336 Heavy Metals Distribution and Their Correlation with Clay Size Fraction in Stream Sediments of the Lesser Zab River at Northeastern Iraq Abbas Rasheed Ali, Mohammad Jamil Ali Talabani* Department of Applied Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, Iraq How to cite this paper: Ali, A.R. and Ta- Abstract labani, M.J.A. (2018) Heavy Metals Distri- bution and Their Correlation with Clay Heavy metals (i.e. Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Pb, V and Ga) distribution Size Fraction in Stream Sediments of the and their correlation with clay fraction were investigated. Fifteen samples of Lesser Zab River at Northeastern Iraq. Jour- stream sediments were collected from the Lesser Zab River (LZR), which nal of Geoscience and Environment Protec- tion, 6, 89-106. represent one of three major tributaries of the Tigris River at north-eastern https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2018.64006 Iraq. Grain size distributions and textural composition indicate that these se- diments are mainly characterized as clayey silt and silty sand. This indicates Received: January 20, 2018 that the fluctuation in the relative variation of the grain size distribution in the Accepted: March 30, 2018 Published: April 2, 2018 studied sediments is due local contrast in the hydrological conditions, such as stream speed, energy of transportation and geological, geomorphological and Copyright © 2018 by authors and climatic characterizations that influenced sediments properties. On the other Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Petroleum Reserves and Undiscovered Resources in the Total Petroleum Systems of Iraq: Reserve Growth and Production Implications
    GeoArabia, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2004 Petroleum Systems, Iraq Gulf Petrolink, Bahrain Petroleum reserves and undiscovered resources in the total petroleum systems of Iraq: reserve growth and production implications Mahendra K. Verma, Thomas S. Ahlbrandt and Mohammad Al-Gailani ABSTRACT Iraq is one of the world’s most petroleum-rich countries and, in the future, it could become one of the main producers. Iraq’s petroleum resources are estimated to be 184 billion barrels, which include oil and natural gas reserves, and undiscovered resources. With its proved (or remaining) reserves of 113 billion barrels of oil (BBO) as of January 2003, Iraq ranks second to Saudi Arabia with 259 BBO in the Middle East. Iraq’s proved reserves of 110 trillion cubic feet of gas (TCFG) rank tenth in the world. In addition to known reserves, the combined undiscovered hydrocarbon potential for the three Total Petroleum Systems (Paleozoic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous/Tertiary) in Iraq is estimated to range from 14 to 84 BBO (45 BBO at the mean), and 37 to 227 TCFG (120 TCFG at the mean). Additionally, of the 526 known prospective structures, some 370 remain undrilled. Petroleum migration models and associated geological and geochemical studies were used to constrain the undiscovered resource estimates of Iraq. Based on a criterion of recoverable reserves of between 1 and 5 BBO for a giant field, and more than 5 BBO for a super-giant, Iraq has 6 super-giant and 11 giant fields, accounting for 88% of its recoverable reserves, which include proved reserves and cumulative production. Of the 28 producing fields, 22 have recovery factors that range from 15 to 42% with an overall average of less than 30%.
    [Show full text]
  • Geology of Iraq Lecture-3 (Structural Units of Iraq) Prof.Abed Fayyadh
    Geology of Iraq Lecture-3 (Structural Units of Iraq) Prof.Abed Fayyadh Applied Geology Department College of Science University of Anbar 3ad CLASS 2020-2021 The two basic tectonic units of Iraq are;- A-Arabian Shelf B-Zagros Suture Zone. *Henson (1951) placed the boundary between these units along the eastern border of the folded zone. *Jassim et.al.(,2006), mentioned that the boundary of the Arabian Shelf with the Zagros Suture units is simply defined as the thrusted contact of the allochthonous Cretaceous radiolarian chert, Tertiary volcanosedirnentary units, or metamorphosed Mesozoic units with the underlying autochthonous platform carbonates, flysch & molasse. *The Balambo-Tanjero Zone and the Ora Zone, which were included within the "geosynclinal" units by Buday and Jassim (1984 and 1987), are now considered to be an integral part of the Arabian Shelf. The main structural elements recognized and described before the zonation of (Buday and 1987) related to structures caused by Alpine orogeny vents. *The principle tectonic units thus trend parallel to the Alpine chain ( NE- SW in NE Iraq or E-W in N Iraq. *Tectonic units of other orientation include the Ga 'ara (or Rutba) and Mosul uplifts and the Anah Graben. The two major units of the Arabian Shelf are the :- 1-Stable Shelf 2-Unstable Shelf *According to Buday and Jassim (1984 and 1987), the boundary between these two units Was located at the western boundary o f the Mesopotamian depression. It continues along the Euphrates River near Nasiriya. It then follows the Euphrates Boundary Fault to Razzaza Lake, and the Abu- Jir Fault line to Hit.
    [Show full text]
  • Tectonostratigraphic Overview of the Zagros Suture Zone, Kurdistan Region, Northeast Iraq
    GeoArabia, 2012, v. 17, no. 4, p. 109-156 Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain Tectonostratigraphic overview of the Zagros Suture Zone, Kurdistan Region, Northeast Iraq Basim Al-Qayim, Azad Omer and Hemin Koyi ABSTRACT The northwestern segment of the Zagros Orogenic Belt of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq includes the Zagros Suture Zone which is consisting of allochthonous Tethyan Triassic–Eocene thrust sheets. The zone is bounded by the Zagros Main Reverse Fault in the northeast, and the Zagros Thrust Front in the southwest. Parts of this zone’s rocks are represented by stacks of thrust mega- sheets obducted over the autochthonous Cretaceous–Cenozoic sequence of the Arabian Plate margin. Each sheet represents a specific Tethyan tectono- stratigraphic facies, and includes (from older to younger): isolated Triassic carbonate platforms (Avroman Limestone), Jurassic carbonate imbricates (Chia Gara, Sargelu and other formations), radiolarites (Qulqula Group), sedimentary mélange (sedimentary-volcanic units of the Qulqula Group), ophiolites (Mawat and Penjwin ultramafics complexes), and Cenozoic fore-arc volcano- sedimentary sequences (Walash Group). Petrography, facies interpretation and lithostratigraphic correlation of these allochthons along four traverses across the Zagros Suture Zone of the examined area indicate that they evolved during the closure of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. Their stacking pattern and tectonic association resulted from two important events: the Late Cretaceous obduction processes, and the Late Miocene–Pliocene collision, uplift, folding and suturing between the Arabian Plate and the Sanandaj-Sirjan Block of Iran. Based on these field observations and by using the model of the Iranian Zagros evolution, a tectonic scenario is proposed to explain the history and evolution of the Zagros Suture Zone in this area.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of the Hydrocarbon Potentiality of the Late Jurassic Formations of NW Iraq: a Case Study Based on TOC and Rock-Eval P
    Open Geosci. 2019; 11:918–928 Research Article Swar J. Al-Atroshi*, Govand H. Sherwani, and Srood F. Al-Naqshbandi Assessment of the hydrocarbon potentiality of the Late Jurassic formations of NW Iraq: A case study based on TOC and Rock-Eval pyrolysis in selected oil-wells https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2019-0071 Received Sep 10, 2018; accepted Feb 16, 2019 1 Introduction Abstract: The Late Jurassic Naokelekan and Barsarin for- Many hydrocarbon fields have been discovered in deeper mations of northwestern Iraq have been investigated in Jurassic reservoirs of the northwestern part of Iraq in three wells to assess their potentiality for hydrocarbon gen- the recent years, such as Tawki, Atrush, Swara Tika and eration. Shaikhan fields. The Jurassic period represents a separate The results of Total Organic Carbon content (TOC) and and distinct petroleum systems much distinct from those Rock-Eval Pyrolysis reveal fair to excellent content of hy- of the Triassic systems, in that they their independent in- drocarbon and suggest that the depositional conditions ternal source rocks, reservoirs, and regional seals [1, 2]. were suitable for the production and preservation of or- Atrush and Shaikhan oil fields are located in the High ganic matter. The Thermal Maturity Proxy indicates that Folded Zone which is part of the Zagros Fold and Thrust the studied formations were mature stage of hydrocar- Belt of Iraq, some 85 km northwest and 60 km north of Er- bon generation, with an exception of three samples from bil city respectively. Both are recent oil discoveries in the the Naokelekan Formation in Shaikhan-8 well, and two Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of the NW Zagros Fold-And-Thrust Belt in Kurdistan Region of Iraq from Balanced and Restored Crustal-Scale Sections and Forward Modeling T
    Journal of Structural Geology 124 (2019) 51–69 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Structural Geology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jsg Evolution of the NW Zagros Fold-and-Thrust Belt in Kurdistan Region of Iraq from balanced and restored crustal-scale sections and forward modeling T ∗ E. Le Garzica, , J. Vergésb, F. Sapinc, E. Saurab,d, F. Meressec, J.C. Ringenbachc a Laboratoire des Fluides Complexes et leurs Réservoirs-IPRA, E2S-UPPA, Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, UMR5150, Pau, France b Group of Dynamics of the Lithosphere (GDL), Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera, ICTJA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain c Total SA, CSTJF, Avenue Larribau, 64000 Pau, France d Lithica SCCL, Santa Coloma de Farners, Spain ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: We present the first regional balanced and restored sections across the northwestern part of the Zagros Fold-and- Zagros Fold-and-Thrust Belt Thrust Belt in Kurdistan Region of Iraq and a 2D kinematic model that illustrates the evolution of the belt since Multi-detachment folding Late Cretaceous time. The balanced cross-section, based on surface and sub-surface data, is characterized by Mechanical stratigraphy multi-detachment folds detached above a Lower Triassic basal ductile level, with intermediate detachment levels Late cretaceous obduction that induced internal complexities like accommodation thrusting and/or disharmonic folding. Our work suggests Thin-skinned versus thick-skinned that the two main structural steps in the detachment level in the High Folded Zone may be related to low-angle thrusts rooted at the brittle/ductile transition. Growth strata of Late Cretaceous and Paleocene times have been recognized for the first time in the Kurdistan Fold-and-Thrust Belt.
    [Show full text]