Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 1

13.7.09

5. MIDDLE PERMIAN TO LOWER JURASSIC

This chapter is based on regional information carbonates overlying unconformity surfaces. The
together with high quality data from limited areas. succession in Iraq as thus defined can be correlated
Palaeontological control is scarce. Only in Northern with similar successions in Jordan and Iran (Fig.
Iraq is there sufficient data to allow confident 5.3) (Andrews, 1992a; Sadooni and Alsharhan,
discussion of the prospectivity of the Lower Jurassic 2004). The succession is locally exposed at the
succession. Relevant data comes both from the surface in western Iraq (Fig. 5.4; this map also
original descriptions of outcrops and IPC wells such shows key locations referred to in this chapter).
as Alan-1, Butmah-2 and Adaiyah-1 (summarised The Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic
by Dunnington et al., 1959), and from the few INOC succession in Iraq is here divided into nine separate
wells drilled in NW Iraq such as Sufaiya-1 and units, each bounded by a major unconformity (Fig.
Abtakh-1 (Kaddouri, 1986; Sadooni, 1995; Sadooni 5.3). These units reflect both the level of
and Alsharhan, 2004) (see Fig. 5.1 for well locations). organization of the stratigraphy and the authors’
Data from the Western Desert obtained during ability to correlate them across Iraq. An improved
regional studies by the Iraq Geologic Survey in the scheme will be possible as more palaeontological
1970s was summarized by Buday (1980), Jassim et and wireline log data become available. Each unit
al. (1984), Kaddouri (1992) and Jassim et al. (2006a). constitutes either a “supersequence” containing
Little palaeontological data for the Middle third-order sequences identified by Sharland et al.
Permian to Lower Jurassic succession in Iraq has (2001), or may be made up of only a single third-
been published. Al-Ameri and Al-Dolaymi (2008) order sequence. No attempt has been made here to
presented a range chart for palynomorphs in the divide the supersequences on account of the paucity
Kurra Chine and Baluti Formations (Fig. 5.2); of the log and palaeontological data currently
selected palynomorphs are illustrated in Plate 5.1. available; however, some intra-supersequence
However, the current lack of data has led to correlations are shown in Figs 5.8 and 5.9 below.
discrepancies with equivalent units in neighbouring Units which are considered here as sequences may,
countries to the west (e.g. Hirsch and Gerry, 1974; in time, in fact prove to be supersequences.
Eicher and Mosher, 1974; Cameron, 1974; Imam The nine unconformity-bound units are as
et al., 1980; Bandel and Khoury, 1981; Imam and follows (ages are approximate):
Sigal, 1985; Eshet and Cousminer, 1986; Bebeshev
et al., 1988; Andrews, 1992a). In Syria, for example, A. Upper Middle Permian
formation names have been borrowed from Iraqi – lowermost Triassic (Induan);
stratigraphic terminology but have frequently been B. Lower Triassic (Olenekian);
spelt differently or have been assigned different ages C. Middle Triassic (Anisian);
(see Sharland et al. (2001),Sadooni and Alsharhan D. Middle Triassic (Ladinian);
(2004) and Al-Husseini and Mattner (2007). E. Upper Triassic (lower – middle Carnian);
Sharief (1982a,b; 1983) and Alsharhan and F. Upper Triassic (upper Carnian
Kendall (1986) noted that Middle Permian – Lower – lower Norian);
Jurassic carbonates and evaporites in the Arabian G. Uppermost Triassic – Lower Jurassic
Basin were deposited on an epeiric shelf which was (upper Norian – Sinemurian);
subject to abrupt transgressions and regressions. H. Lower Jurassic (Pliensbachian
The succession forms a single Megasequence (AP6) – lower Toarcian);
which was divided into twelve sequences (P20-J10) I. Middle Jurassic (middle Toarcian
by Sharland et al. (2001). Maximum flooding – lower Aalenian).
surfaces (MFSs) are generally recognised by the These units are discussed in terms of
presence of deeper-water fauna (sometimes indicated stratigraphy and petroleum systems components
by thin-shelled bivalves referred to as “paper later in the chapter after a brief outline of the
pectens”: c.f. Schatz, 2005), or by laterally-extensive structural contols which influenced their
(although often relatively thin) open-marine depositional characteristics.
2 Chapter 5

40° 42° 44° 46°

WELL NAMES T U R K E Y
Ab-1 Abtakh

600
1000
800
Aa-1 Alan
Ad-1 Adaiyah
As-1 Atshan
Sf-1 I R A N
Rf-1
Bm-2 Butmah Bm-15 JKa-1
Ab-1
Ib-1 Ibrahim
JKa-1 Jabal Kand Aa-1
Kh-1 Khleisia
Ib-1 As-1
Mt-1 Mityaha
MTh-1 Mileh Tharthar Ad-1 Ql-1
36° Th-1 Qu-1 36°
Ql-1 Qalian
Mt-1
Qc-1 Qara Chauq

60
Qu-1 Quwair 70
0 Qc-1

0
Rf-1 Rafan
Sf-1 Sufaiya R I A
Th-1 Tel Hajar
Kh-1 50
0
S Y

500
Triassic surface
outcrops
I R A Q

MTh-1
34° 34°

BAGHDAD
100 km
40° 42° 44° 46°

Fig. 5.1. Map of central-northern Iraq showing well locations referred to in this chapter and isopach
(metres) of the Carnian-Norian Kurra Chine Formation (after Sadooni, 1995). Thicknesses are
greatest in the Kand Basin centered on well Jebel Kand (Ka)-1. The map also shows areas where the
Triassic succession is exposed at the surface.

Structural controls: 1978), but this pattern is more difficult to

basins and structural highs demonstrate in Iraq. The thicknesses of the basin
fills can be estimated by adding together measured
Jassim et al. (2006a) identified two Triassic sections. Thus, the basins appear to contain at least
depocentres in Iraq based on gravity-magnetic data 2460 m of Upper Permian – Triassic sedimentary
(Fig. 5.5). The northern depocentre (Fig. 5.1) rocks (834 m of the Kurra Chine Formation; 575 m
extends from the Amadia area of Iraqi Kurdistan of the Geli Khana Formation; 64 m of the Beduh
southwards through Kirkuk to Makhul. It Formation; 200 m of the Mirga Mir Formation; and
corresponds approximately to the Kand Basin 811 m of the Chia Zairi Formation) as indicated by
defined by Sadooni (1995). The second depocentre data in Dunnington et al. (1959). Isopachs (Jassim
in SE Iraq extends from Amara to the Fao et al. (2006a) however suggest that at least 3000 m
Peninsula. The corresponding basins extend out of of Triassic rocks alone are present in the basin
Iraq and merge respectively westwards into the centres. A further 676 m of Lower Jurassic strata
Palmyra Basin of Syria (Sadooni and Alsharhan, may be present (approximately 530 m of the Butmah
2004) and eastwards into equivalent Permo-Triassic Formation, 90 m of the Adaiyah Formation and 56
basins in SW Iran (Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978). m of the Mus Formation at their type localities:
The Kand and Palmyra Basins have been Dunnington et al., 1959).
interpreted as broad downwarps above extensional Upper Triassic facies belts in northern Iraq are
fault zones in the underlying basement (Sadooni illustrated in Fig. 5.6. Widespread evaporite (halite)
and Alsharhan, 2004). Best et al. (1993, p.189) deposition took place throughout northern Arabia
interpreted the Palmyra Basin as a Triassic in the Carnian (Sadooni, 1995; Jamal et al., 2000;
aulacogen situated on a Precambrian plate suture. Sadooni and Alsharhan, 2004). The presence of
Considerable thicknesses of sedimentary rocks are halite rather than anhydrite indicates the
present outside of the depocentres. In Central Iraq, development of relatively landlocked basins in which
the basin appears to be bounded to the SW by the humidity was below about 75% (Kinsman, 1976).
Salman Zone and to the NE by the Makhul-Hamrin Tectonostratigraphic studies (e.g. Lovelock,
Lineament (Fig. 3.5). 1984; Best et al., 1993) show that subsidence of the
The Triassic isopach in Iran closely follows the Palmyra Basin and its extension in Iraq began
Upper Permian isopach (Szabo and Kheradpir, during the Middle Permian. Initial deposition was
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 3

Plate 5.1. Selected palynomorphs

from the Upper Triassic of
Western Iraq. Plate reproduced
courtesy of A. Al-Ameri.

1. Classopollis torosus;
2. Pityosporites chinleanus;
3. Dictyophyllidites mortoni;
4. Luekisporites triassicus;
5. Alisporites australlis;
6. Murasporites bicollateralis;
7. Foviosporites sp.
8. Dauchertisporites chinleanus;
9. Chordosporites singulichorda;
10. Platysaccus papilionis.

Fig. 5.2. Range chart of selected FOSSILS

palynomorphs in the Kurra
SYSTEM PERIOD

Chine and Baluti Formations,

Polysingulatisporites mooniensis
Chorodosporites singulichoroda
Protouapluxypinus pellucidus

NW Iraq. After Al-Ameri and Al-

Luantisporites noviaulensis
Retussotrilites mesozoicus
Trachysporites tuberasum

Duplicisporites granulatus
Todisoprites kedangensis
Limitisporites moersensis

Heliosaccus diamorphus
Froelichsporites traversi

Dolaymi, 2008.
Foveosporites visscheri
Falcisporites australias
Samaranopollinites sp.

Callialasporites minus
Patinasporites sp.
Alisporites australis
Dictyophylidites sp.

Pityosporites sp.
Cycadopites sp.
Corollina torosa
STAGE
Hettangian
JURASSIC

EARLY

Rhaetian
T R I A S S I C

L AT E

Carinian Norian

largely confined to this depocentre. As Neo-Tethys renewed regional extension, consistent with the
began to open at the end of the Early Permian presence of basic igneous rocks of Anisian–Ladinian
(Angiolini et al., 2003), there was a marked age in well Abba-1 in Syria (cf. Daniel, 1963). The
regression towards the west (Hirsch, 1992). A Anisian transgression, and a more extensive
subsequent transgression in the early Anisian led transgression in the Ladinian, resulted in onlap of
to the deposition of platform carbonates containing the basin margins (Druckman et al., 1982; Hirsch,
Tethyan and endemic faunas including the Ra’af 1992). In the early Late Triassic, the basinal area
Formation and the Hisban Formation in the expanded again as indicated on seismic profiles (de
Eastern Mediterranean (Eshet and Cousminer, Ruiter et al., 1995; Jamal et al., 2000). From the
1986; Andrews, 1992a). This was accompanied by late Carnian, most of Iraq subsided during a period
4 Chapter 5

of relative tectonic stability with deposition of the to the Upper Middle Permian – lowermost Triassic
relatively isopachous Butmah, Adaiyah and Mus Supersequence were deposited. The supersequence
Formations. has been recorded in deep boreholes in western and
The Permo-Triassic succession shows significant southern Iraq. We estimate from data in Kaddouri
thickness variations due to onlap onto (and drape (1992) and Al-Hadidy (2007) that its thickness
over) pre-existing Palaeozoic highs, and the Lower generally increases eastwards across Iraq, from 83
Jurassic stratigraphy also thins gently onto m in well KH 5/2 to 442 m in well Atshan-1, 514
palaeohighs such as the Rutbah High. Overall,the m in well West Kifl-1, and 631 m in well Jebel Kand-
succession gradually thins westwards from the 1. Partial penetration of the unit in wells Mityaha-
Zagros thrust front onto the Khleisia High and 1 and Diwan-1 (Al-Hadidy, 2007) are consistent with
towards the Western and SW Deserts (Fig. 5.5). this general scheme. A nearby well at Burgan in
The pattern of Permo-Triassic deposition in Iraq Kuwait penetrated a thickness of 586 m (Khan,
was significantly influenced by the Rutbah High, 1989), indicating the continuity of the
which is a NE-projecting promontory of the Arabian supersequence southwards. The supersequence is
Shield extending from northern Saudi Arabia into absent in wells Akkas-1, Qaim-1 and Khleisia-1 and
southern Iraq (Fig. 3.5). This has an incomplete in most deeper Western Desert “keyhole” (KH) wells
stratigraphy which includes a high proportion of (Kaddouri, 1996; Aqrawi, 1998; Al-Hadidy, 2007).
siliciclastic sedimentary rocks. Its continuation to Rocks in this supersequence are assigned to the
the north (the Khleisia High: Fig. 3.5) is upper part of the Ga’ara Formation (late Middle
characterized by the absence of Permian Permian to earliest Triassic) and the overlying Chia
sedimentary rocks; thus, Triassic carbonates onlap Zairi Formation (Late Permian to earliest Triassic)
the Tournaisian Harur Limestone Formation in (Fig. 5.8) (Al-Hadidy, 2007).
well Khleisia-1 (Sadooni, 1995; Jassim et al., 2006a). The upper part of the Ga’ara Formation
Other highs defining the NE margins of the in general rests disconformably on the lower part
depocentres may have occurred along the Zagros of the formation; the contact may be marked by a
margin of Iraq, by analogy with the Iranian Zagros sharp log break between massive clean siliciclastics
at Kuh-e Dinar where Upper Permian strata onlap below and higher gamma-API siliciclastics above
rocks as old as Ordovician (Szabo and Kheradpir, (e.g. in well West Kifl-1: Al-Hadidy, 2007) (Figs.
1978) (Fig. 5.7). In deep tests in Kuwait, Upper 5.8, 5.9). Locally, the upper part of the Ga’ara
Permian rocks rest on Lower Palaeozoic strata Formation directly onlaps older rocks such as the
(Khan, 1989), interpreted here as Cambro- Tournaisian Harur Formation in well Jebel Kand-
Ordovician. In this case, the Upper Permian is the 1 (Fig. 5.9) (Al-Hadidy, 2007). Its upper contact with
first Upper Palaeozoic unit to onlap the Rayn the Chia Zairi Formation is gradational, and
structures (Al-Husseini, 2000) including the siliciclastic rocks in the Chia Zairi could probably
Salman Zone (see Ch 3, p 000). be re-assigned to the Ga’ara Formation or to pre-
Roychoudhury and Nahar (1980) identified Chia Zairi Clastics.
several speculative basement highs and basins on The upper part of the Ga’ara Formation ranges
the stable shelf which may have controlled facies in thicknesses from 14 m (at West Kifl-1) to 68 m
patterns in the pre-Cretaceous section, including (at Atshan-1), as calculated from re-picked log data
Megasequences AP6 and AP7. These include from presented by Al-Hadidy (2007) (Figs. 5.8, 5.9). There
west to east the Sirhan-Turayef Basin, the Hail- are few published descriptions of this part of the
Rutbah Arch, the Widyan-Awasil Basin, the Safawi formation; shales and coarser siliciclastics are
to Samawa Arch (i.e. the southern part of the recorded in the subsurface, and silty argillaceous
Salman Zone), and the Basra-Kuwait Basin. The limestones, silty dolomites, some shales and
existence of these structural elements needs to be sandstones occur near the base of the penetrated
verified, as their initial interpretation was based section in Atshan-1 (Singh, 1964; Buday, 1980, p.43)
on surface anomalies (such as that to the SW of (Fig. 5.9) and are also present in wells Jebel Kand-
Samawa, where the strike and dip of surface rocks 1 and West Kifl-1 (Al-Hadidy, 2007) (Figs. 5.8, 5.9).
change), which may not reflect the structure at The basal interval of the upper part of the formation
depth. Khan (1989) drew attention to the significance is shaly as illustrated by GR log data, and upwards-
of Triassic uplifts in Kuwait which may represent cleaning cycles are defined in all wells in which the
partial reactivation of the Rayn anticlines. upper part of the formation occurs (Al-Hadidy, 2007)
(Figs 5.8, 5.9). In the Western Desert at Wadi
The Upper Middle Permian – lowermost Dwaiklah, the Ga’ara Formation consists of white
Triassic (Induan) Supersequence to red claystones (Ctyroky, 1973) while the Upper
Permian section in well KH 5/2 consists of
Following initial development of Neo-Tethys in the sandstones (pebbly, calcareous or argillaceous) and
Early Permian, post-rift thermal subsidence shales (Kaddouri, 1992).
resulted in the formation of a broad, shallow basin Singh (1964) described shales in a core from well
across most of NE Arabia in which rocks assigned Atshan-1 with a diverse palynological assemblage
 EPOCH STAGE MA.

SUPER-
SEQUENCE

SEQUENCES
HAMZA/ RISHA SALMAN

STRATIGRAPHY

MEGASEQUENCES
Sharland et al (2001)
JORDAN WA D I S I R H A N JORDAN IRAQ GA`ARA ZONE BAGHDAD IRAQ IRAN
162.2
Callovian
164.7
Bathonian IRANIAN
167.7

AP 7
Bajocian Formation
J20
Names

M i d d l e
171.6 Alan
Aalenian
175.6
Surmeh
Amij Mus Surmeh
To a r c i a n Formation
J10 Silal

y
183.0 Adaiyah
Neyriz

l
Pliensbachian Nimra Muhaiwir Upper Butmah Neyriz Formation

r
J05

J U R A S S I C
Hihi Claystone Mileh Tharthar Clastics
189.6 Evaporites ‘D’

IV
E
Sinemurian Ubaid Lower Butmah

196.5 Tr80 Sefidar

Hettangian
199.5
Rhaetian Baluti
200.5
Abu Abu Upper Kurra Chine Evaporites ‘C’
Zor Hauran
Ruweis Ruweis

Norian

e
t
Mulussa
F o r m a t i o n

a
Tr70 Upper Kurra Chine
216.5

III
L
Abu Ruweis
Evaporites ‘B’
Lower Kurra Chine

AP 6
Carnian
Salit Mulussa Lower Kurra Chine
Tr60
226.5

Ladinian
Upper Geli Khana

T R I A S S I C
Salit Salit
Ga’ara
D a s h t a k

II
Tr50
Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic

237.0
Mukheris Evaporites ‘A’

M i d d l e
Anisian
Hisban Lower Geli Khana
Tr40 Ga’ara
Beduh Aghar Shale
245.0 Kangan
Tr30 Suwayma Upper Migra Mir
Olenekian Formation
Tr20 Suwayma Lower Migra Mir

Early
248.7 Uppermost Chia Zairi
Induan 251.0
Tr10 Upper Chia Zairi
Changhxingian Buwayda
Upper

253.0 P40
Carb. mbr

Buwayda Ga’ara Chia Zairi

I
Wuchiapingian
P30

Lopingian
Satina Member Nar Member
260.4
Capitanian
Chia Zairi
Dalan Formation

265.8 Huwayra
Ga’ara
Lower

Wordian P20
Carb. mbr

268.0

Guadalupian
Roadian
270.5

P E R M I A N
Ga’ara Faraghan
Kungurian Anjara

AP 5
275.0

Fig. 5.3. Chronostratigraphy of the Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic succession in Iraq. The profile extends via the Western Desert into Jordan.
THIS WILL BE A FOLD OUT FIGURE E13
5
 6

Tabri
42°E 44°E
Diyarbaki
Siirt

38°E 40°E 42°E 44°E 46°E 48°E 42°E 43°E 44°E 45°E
T U R K OUTCROP GEOLOGY LEGEND TURKEY
E Y
Mardin Stable Shelf
Shish Shish
Zap Ras
Chal
C
Chh
ha
hal
allki Nasa
Chalki N asara
Nasara Triassic Zap
Banik
Aoda-107
Unstable Shelf Chalki Nasara
Dohuk Banik
A Zalah-16
Ain a
Triassic
37°N
Jebel
J
Jaa
Jabal Kand-1 37°N
Hasakah
Abba-1 Ala
Alan-1 R A N
Mosul
I Sufaiyah-1 Dohuk
Buhayrat Al Asad Tishrin-5 r
Ibrahim-1 Atshan-1
A h IRAN
36°N Tel Hajar-1
ajar-1
a al 1
Qalian-1 Arbil LEGEND
Jebissa-1 Adaiy
i Abkakh-1 Ain Zalah-16
Taq T q1
T q Taq-1 Oil Field

Fig. 5.4. Add caption add caption

Mit
S Y R I Producing field Butmah-2 Jebel Kand-1
A Surdash
h (SE)
(
Chemchemal-2
Chem
h chemal-2 Alan-1
Kirkuk As Sulaymaniyah
Discovered and appraised field
Khleisia-1
eisia-1
s Possible discovery Mosul
Makhul-1
k Sirwan
Sirw Ibrahim-1
M 2
Makhul-2 Gas Field Qalian-1 Arbil
Producing field Adaiyah-1
Tudmor
36°N Taq Taq-1 36°N
Qaim Well location
Anah-1 Najmah-29
Outcrops
34°N Akkas-1
Surdash (SE)
0 50 100 150 200km
Chemchemal-2
Wadi Hauran/ Kirkuk As Sulaymaniyah
Zor Hauran Wadi Ubaid
Khasm Mulussa Awasil-5 B
BAGHDAD
D Kabir Kuh-1
KH-5/8 Wadi Agar Ar Ramadi
Muyat/An Nisr
KH-5/3 Rutbah KH-5/9

Makhul-1
RISHA
Chapter 5

KH-5/4 Behr al Milh 35°N

Makhul-2
Karbala 35°N
KH-5/6
Ad Diwaniyah
West Kifl-1
32°N Kifl-1

Najaf 32°N
I R A Q

Badanah (Ar’ar)-1 Samawa-1

Nasiriyah Mileh Tharthar-1 Samarra
Diwan-1 West Qurna-15

Rumaila N.-172 34°N

S-462 Basra Buhayrat ath Tharthar
Abadan

30°N
Safawi-1 30°N
ST-8

S A U D I
Awasil-5
A Kuwait City Ar Ramadi
R A B I A MAGWA
K U WA I T
BURGAN
33°N
40°E 42°E 44°E 46°E 48°E 43°E 44°E 45°E
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 7

Fig. 5.5. Map of Iraq with isopach of Triassic 40° 44° 48°

sedimentary rocks (metres) as defined from

geophysical and well data (modified after
Sadooni, 1995, and Jassim et al., 2006a). Note 36° NORTHERN
BASIN
36°

that the location of the northern basin does not

correspond to Sadooni’s (1995) Kand Basin (Fig.

3000
SYRIA

20 00 m

m
5.1) which was defined from well data.

1000
IRAN

m
SADDLE
VERY

ABSE
THIN
I R A Q

NT
32° 32°

30
00
SOUTHERN

m
BASIN

SAUDI
ARABIA

K U WA I T
40° 44° 48°

40° 42° 44° 46°

T U R K E Y

LEGEND
Normal marine carbonate Sf-1 I R A N
shelf (Avroman Formation) Rf-1
Ab-1 JKa-1
Bm-2 Bm-15
Highstand restricted
carbonate shelf and Aa-2 Aa-1
shelf lagoon Ib-1 As-1
Lowstand halite in
36° intrashelf basin plus Ql-1
isopach (metres) Th-1 Qu-1 36°
Mt-1
Siliciclastic tidal flat
(Minjur Formation) Qc-1
R I A

WELL NAMES 0
Kh-1
Ab-1 Abtakh
S Y

30 60 9

Aa-1 Alan
As-1 Atshan
Bm-2 Butmah
0

Ib-1 Ibrahim
JKa-1 Jabal Kand
12

I R A Q
0

Kh-1 Khleisia
15

Mt-1 Mityaha
0

MTh-1 Mileh Tharthar

Ql-1 Qalian MTh-1
34° Qc-1 Qara Chauq
34°
Qu-1 Quwair
Rf-1 Rafan
Sf-1 Sufaiya
Th-1 Tel Hajar

BAGHDAD
100 km
40° 42° 44° 46°

Fig. 5.6. Map of northern Iraq and adjacent areas showing first-order distribution of Upper Triassic
facies belts. After Sadooni, 1995.
including 32 genera (49 species) indicating a late The Salman Zone was uplifted during this tectonic
Middle Permian age. In the Western Desert well phase as indicated by the regional seismic section
KH5/2, the upper part of the Ga’ara Formation presented by Mohammed (2006) (Fig. 3.1), and
(from a sample at 227-228 m) yielded bisaccate probably represents a major intrabasinal high
spores indicating a Late Permian (Zechstein) age dividing Iraq into western and eastern basins.
(Kaiserova-Kalibova, 1984, quoted in Jassim et al., Coarse-grained sediments are probably thickest
2006a). The Ga’ara Formation at Wadi Dwaiklah near to the uplifted sediment source areas, although
contains a Cathaysian flora (including total sediment thicknesses will be greatest in
Lobatannularia heianensis, Pteridophyta fam. flanking basins. Internally, the architecture of the
indet., Plagiozamites oblongifolius, Pecopteris sp., uppermost Ga’ara Formation is likely to consist of
Taeniopteris sp., and Protoblechnum sp.) of Middle- a series of prograding cycles of siliciclastics, perhaps
Late Permian age (Ctyroky, 1973). representing a mixed fluvio-deltaic environment,
Onlap occurred across a complex, often dipping related to transgression leading up to the P20
subcrop surface which had been created by the “mid- maximum flooding surface of Sharland et al.
Carboniferous” tectonic event (Ruban et al., 2007) (2001).
(see Chapter 4, page 000),particularly in the In Saudi Arabia, correlative basal clastics are
Western and Southwestern Desert regions (Al-Haba known as the Basal Khuff Clastics and are composed
et al., 1994; Aqrawi, 1998; Jassim et al., 2006a). of alluvial, fluvial and aeolian sandstones (Konert
8 Chapter 5

LURESTAN NORTH FARS AND OFFSHORE HIGH ZAGROS MOUNTAINS BANDAR ABBAS AREA
KABIR KUH-1 KUH-E SURMEH KUH-E GEREH KUH-E DINAR KUH-E FARAGHAN

RESTRICTED CARBONATE SHELF ORGANIC NEAR-SHORE OPEN MARINE CARBONATES

CARBONATE CARBONATES
SHELF (REEFOID) WITH CLASTICS
Northwest Southeast
Tr10
Tr10 P40
Dalan Formation P40
P30

Nar Member
Lalun
P20 Sandstone P30
Faraghan Formation (Permian) Mila
Ordovician Formation
?
Soltanieh Permian
Dolomite

P20

Approximate Faraghan
500 m
Veritcal Scale Formation
ZAGROS UPLIFT (Devonian)

Silurian

Fig. 5.7. NW-SE cross-section through the Upper Permian platform in Iran showing facies changes
with respect to Upper Palaeozoic palaeohighs (based on Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978 but taking
subsequent work into account).

et al., 2001). Upper Permian redbeds similar to can easily be identified in the subsurface, although
those in the Western Desert also occur in the Umm the middle of the formation is commonly dolomitic
Irna Formation in the Zarqa Ma’in area of Jordan, rather than evaporitic (Al-Hadidy, 2007) (Fig. 5.9).
and are interpreted as braided fluvial facies The log responses presented by Al-Hadidy (2007)
(Makhlouf et al., 1991). In the Zap area of SE indicate the presence of a complex cyclicity that
Turkey, thin siliciclastics underlie the Upper may contain the P20, P30, P40 and Tr10 maximum
Permian Harbol Limestone Formation (Fig. 4.9) flooding surfaces of Sharland et al., (2001) (Figs 5.8,
(Janvier et al., 1984). The Faraghan Formation of 5.9), although these are at present difficult to locate
the Iranian Zagros represents a similar onlapping without palaeontological data. Also significant on
siliciclastic system of generally shallow-marine the logs presented by Al-Hadidy (2007), and as noted
character with some alluvial to deltaic components, by authors such as Buday (1980), Nader et al.
and is best developed in the vicinity of palaeohighs (1993b) and Al-Juboury and Al-Hadidy (2008a), is
from which sediment is thought to have been shed the fact that the proportion of siliciclastics increases
(Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978) (Fig. 5.7). away from the type sections southwestwards, from
At its type locality in northern Iraqi Kurdistan the Iraqi Kurdistan outcrops towards well Mityaha-
near the Turkish border, the Chia Zairi 1 to the SW of Mosul City, and well West Kifl-1
Formation is 800 m or more thick (Hudson, 1958) near Najaf (Fig. 5.8). In both of these localities, the
(Plate 4.19). A subsurface type-section in well Jebel thick and massive sandstone units may perhaps
Kand-1, 579 m thick (Fig. 5.9), was chosen by Al- be re-assigned to the Ga’ara Formation.
Hadidy (2007). The formation is 502 m thick in In outcrops in northern Iraq, carbonates of the
well West Kifl-1 (Fig. 5.8) (Al-Haba et al., 1994; Al- Chia Zairi Formation unconformably overlie the
Hadidy, 2007). The formation was initially deposited Carboniferous Harur Limestone Formation
following major rifting and opening of Neo-Tethys (Dunnington et al., 1959) (Plate 4.19). Elsewhere,
(Al-Juboury and Al-Hadidy, 2008a). the formation rests conformably upon the upper part
At its original type section, the Chia Zairi of the Ga’ara Formation (as indicated by data in
Formation is composed of limestones (sometimes Al-Hadidy, 2007).
cherty), dolomitic limestones and dolomites (Hudson, The formation is interpreted to have been
1958; Dunnington et al., 1959). A rich coral and deposited on a homoclinal carbonate ramp. Shales
algal biota, indicating a Mid-Late Permian age, was and mudstones represent outer ramp deposits;
recorded by Hudson (1958). A breccia-dominated unit dolomitic facies with relicts of fusilinids, bryozoans
(the Satina Member) occurs in the middle of the and algae represent mid-ramp deposits; and an inner
formation at the type section, and a thin oolite unit ramp is represented by lime wackstone and
is present at the top containing a mixed Late sandstones (Al-Juboury and Al-Hadidy, 2006).
Permian and Early Triassic “marginifera” fauna The breccias of the Satina Member are
(Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, 1980; Gayara, interpreted to be collapse breccias after original
1992) (probably Spinomarginifera: L. Angiolini, evaporites (Hudson, 1958; Dunnington et al., 1959)
pers. comm., 2008) (Fig. 5.10). None of these units which may represent the highly restricted late
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 9

Mityaha-1 West Kifl-1

STRATIGRAPHY

STRATIGRAPHY
FORMATIONS

FORMATIONS
Density

SEQUENCE

SEQUENCE
Vshale

LITHOLOGY

LITHOLOGY
Vshale
(gm/cc)
DEPTH 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.95 2.95 DEPTH 0.0 0.5 1.0

(m) Gamma Ray Porosity (m) Gamma Ray

(API) (%) (API)
0 25 50 75 100 125 0.3 0 0 25 50 75 100 125

2,650

5,325
2,675
?Tr10
Mirga Mir

Tr10 5,350
2,700

5,375
2,725
P40
5,400
2,750

5,425
2,775

5,450
Chia Zairi

2,800

5,475
2,825 P40
P30
5,500
2,850
T.D.
2,870 5,525

Chia Zairi
= Palynology samples in Nader et al. 1993 5,550
P30
Fig. 5.8. Correlation of the “updip” Middle-Upper 5,575
Permian succession between NE Iraq (well
Mityaha-1) and Central Iraq (well West Kifl-1). 5,600
After logs in Al-Hadidy (2007), modified with
palynological data (black spots indicate data 5,625
control points) in well Mityaha-1 from Nader et al.
(1993b). 5,650

5,675

5,700

5,725

5,750

5,775

P20
5,800

5,825
Ga’ara

5,850 TD
5,854

HST to early TST infill of an intrashelf basin that (Dunnington et al., 1959), may contain both the
developed behind a tectonic sill at the plate margin P40 and Tr10 MFSs of Sharland et al. (2001).
prior to the P30 MFS of Sharland et al., (2001). The Satina Member can be correlated with the
Given the localized proven occurrence of this Nar Member of the Dalan Formation in Iran which
member, it is likely that only the deepest parts of was deposited in an intrashelf basin developed
the Mesopotamian Basin to the east of the Salman behind a tectonic sill on the Tethyan margin (Szabo
Zone may now contain these evaporites and/or and Kheradpir, 1978) (Fig. 5.7), and with the “C”
collapse breccias. The intrashelf basin itself may evaporite of the Khuff Formation (Sharland et al.,
be bordered on all sides by reefal facies (e.g. in 2001). An evaporitic unit in the Permian succession
central and southern Iraq). in Kuwait (Khan, 1989) is the nearest example of
The upper “Spinomarginifera” carbonates can the occurrence of this unit to southern Iraq,
be interpreted as condensed deposits and, on the suggesting that it may be present in the Basra area.
basis of the mixed Permian and Triassic faunas The carbonates and evaporites are known to be
 10
Jebal Kand-1 Atshan-1 Diwan-1
Density
SP (gm/cc)
DEPTH + - 1.95 2.95
Gamma Ray Porosity Vshale Vshale Density
(m) (gm/cc)
(API) (%)

SEQUENCE
DEPTH 0.0 0.5 1.0
DEPTH 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.95 2.95

LITHOLOGY
STRATIGRAPHY
0 25 50 75 100 125 0.3 0 (m) (m)
Gamma Ray
5,100 Gamma Ray Porosity
(API) (API)

SEQUENCE
SEQUENCE
(%)

Mir
LITHOLOGY
LITHOLOGY

Mirga FORMATIONS
FORMATIONS
FORMATIONS

STRATIGRAPHY
0 25 50 75 100 125 0 25 50 75 100 125

STRATIGRAPHY
0.3 0

3,100
Tr10
5,150 Tr10 5,225 Tr10
P40
5,200 3,125
P40 5,250 P40

5,250
3,150
5,275

5,300
3,175
5,300

5,350
3,200
5,325

5,400
3,225

Chia Zairi
P30 5,350

Chia Zairi
5,450

Chia Zairi
3,250
P30 5,375
5,500

3,275
Chapter 5

5,400
5,550

3,300
5,425
5,600 P30
3,325
5,450
5,650

3,350
5,700 5,475

P20 3,375
TD

Ga’ara
5,750 5,482m

3,400
5,800

Harur
Ga’ara
P20
3,425
5,850

TD
5,848
T.D.
3,447

Fig. 5.9. Correlation of “downdip” Middle–Upper Permian stratigraphy between wells Jabal Kand-1, Atshan-1 and Diwan-1. After data in Al-Hadidy (2007).
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 11

thickest closest to the thrust front in Iran (1500 m illite/smectite cementation (Polkowski, 1997;
of Dalan Formation is present in Lurestan: Szabo Konert et al., 2001).
and Kheradpir, 1978), but basins with thick The Unayzah Formation was recently cored in
anhydrites also occur along the axis of the Arabian a deep well in northern Kuwait (Tanoli et al., 2008).
Gulf (e.g. in the vicinity of Lavan Island, offshore Here it comprises sandstones, siltstones and shale
Iran; Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978). The loss of the deposited in braided fluvial, floodplain,coastal plain
evaporitic member in condensed, updip settings and possibly aeolian environments. It overlies the
occurs e.g. in well Kabir Kuh-1 in the Lurestan Basal Khuff clastics.
area (Fig.5.7) and is seen in cross-sections across The Upper Permian Amanus Formation in the
Saudi Arabia (e.g. Sharland et al., (2001), their Palmyra area of Syria includes fine-grained
figure 2.17). Nevertheless, the dolomitic limestones siliciclastics (shales of variable thickness and
and evaporites of the Khuff Formation in northern frequency with interbedded sandstones) and
Saudi Arabia (e.g. in wells Ar’ar-1, ST-8 and S- occasional thin limestones, deposited in a fluvio-
462: Al-Hajri and Owens, 2000) are probably located deltaic to littoral setting (Hips and Árgyelán, 2007).
along strike from the Chia Zairi Formation in the Reservoir quality here depends on the thickness
Southwest Desert of Iraq and may therefore consist and silt content of the sandstone beds. Two wells
of similar facies, as suggested by Sharief (1983), show slight gas shows in this interval.
Kashfi, (1992), Alsharhan et al. (1993) and Aqrawi
(1998). Source rocks
The lowest 20 m of the supersequence in wells Jebel
Petroleum System Components Kand-1, Atshan-1, West Kifl-1 and Diwan-1 may
Reservoir rocks have source potential (Al-Haba et al., 1994). This
In Iraq, no reservoir rocks of Middle Permian – is suggested by the gamma-ray log data presented
earliest Triassic age have been reported; dolomites by Al-Hadidy (2007), which indicates high-API
as well as limestones appear to be tight (Jassim et mudrocks in the uppermost Ga’ara Formation. In
al., 2006a; Al-Hadidy, 2007). No reservoir quality Kuwait, Khan (1989) described a “highly radioactive
data have been reported for the underlying shale” from the middle part of the evaporite member
siliciclastics. However, only a few wells have of the Upper Permian carbonates. It is possible that
penetrated the supersequence, e.g. Atshan-1, this unit may constitute an evaporite-associated
Mityaha-1, Jebel Kand-1, West Kifl-1 and Diwan-1 source rock, as evaporitic environments may be
(Dunnington et al., 1959; Aqrawi, 1998; Al-Hadidy, favourable sites for source-rock deposition (Kirkland
2007). The dataset is therefore small and may not and Evans, 1981). Moreover, Khan (op. cit.)
be representative of the entire country. described this unit’s excellent marker status,
Middle–Upper Permian carbonates such as the implying that it may well extend into southern Iraq.
Khuff Formation are important reservoir rocks in
many parts of the Middle East. The first Khuff Seals
discovery was Awali in Bahrain in 1949 (Alsharhan Aqrawi (1998) suggested that the “Satina Evaporite
and Nairn, 1997), and this was followed by Member” of the Chia Zairi Formation may act as a
discoveries in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Iran and regional seal. However, based on more recently
Oman (Dunnington, 1967). The giant North Dome published well evidence (Al-Hadidy, 2007), this unit
gasfield, Qatar, was discovered in 1971; its extension does not appear to be widely distributed. At outcrop,
in Iranian waters is known as South Pars. The it is represented by collapse breccias of uncertain
Khuff Formation produces gas from up to four origin and/or timing (i.e. the brecciation may be
separate pay zones consisting of oolitic grainstones due to early as opposed to late dissolution). As noted
and intertidal dolomudstones, which are capped by above, it is only likely to be present in the Basra
intra-formational anhydrites (Al-Jallal, 1995). area. Amanus Formation shales form an effective
Reservoir quality is heterogeneous both laterally seal for coeval reservoirs in the Palmyra area of
and vertically due to diagenesis including Syria (Hips and Árgyelán, 2007). In the southern
dolomitisation, anhydrite cement-ation, leaching culmination of the Ghawar field, the basal Khuff
and local fracturing. Oomouldic porosity is the most Formation shales and carbonates seal the
important pore type recorded in the Saudi Arabian underlying Unayzah “A” reservoirs (Wender et al.,
fields (Kamal, 2002). 1998). Given the extensive nature of the P20 MFS
The uppermost parts of the Unayzah Formation of Sharland et al. (2001) and data in Al-Hadidy
contain Early Permian (Kungurian) sandstones (2007), particularly the shaliness of this interval
beneath the Khuff reservoir (Abu Ali et al., 1991). as interpreted from GR logs, such transgressive
The sandstones are interbedded with mudstones and facies probably occur over most of Iraq and could
siltstones (MacGillivray and Husseini, 1992) and seal pre-AP6 reservoirs in stratigraphic and
have porosities of up to 30% and permeabilities of structural traps. An example of such a trap may
up to 1 Darcy. Reservoir properties vary because of be provided by Palaeozoic reservoirs in the uplifted
quartz overgrowth development and kaolinite or Salman Zone.
12 Chapter 5

FORMATION

LITHOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL

AGE
DESCRIPTION
SETTING

Wackestone-packstone, pelagic
pelecypods (Halobia sp.) glauconite,
sulphides.
Basinal

M i r
Thin bedded burrowed mudstone-
TRIASSIC

wackestone, silty, glauconite, interbedded

with marl.
M i r g a

Thin bedded shale and siltstones with

plant remains, shell fragments, Distal Turbidites
glauconite.

Fossiliferous wackestone, diverse fauna, peloids,

Slow rate of sedimentation
abundance of glauconite and sulphides (condensed section)

Dolomitic oolitic grainstone

Bank Margin

Recrystallized oolitic grainstone

N

Z a i r i
A

Recrystallized lime mudstone, brecciated

I

Intertidal
in upper part
M
R

C h i a
E
P

Subtidal
Fossiliferous wackestone
Time
+ Highstand
deposits
Sea level

Condensed
section
Transgressive
Algal fossiliferous wackestone deposits
5m Lowstand
- deposits

Fig. 5.10. Stratigraphy of the Permo-Triassic boundary section near Shish, NW Iraq (after Gayara,
1992).

The Lower Triassic Tournaisian Harur Limestone Formation (Sadooni,

(Olenekian) Supersequence 1995); and in well Akkas-1, where Upper Cretaceous
rocks directly overlie the Palaeozoic (Aqrawi, 1998;
Lower (but not lowermost) Triassic sedimentary Al-Hadidy, 2007). In the Ga’ara area, Lower
rocks in Iraq are assigned to the Mirga Mir Triassic sedimentary rocks have not been described
and overlying Beduh Formations (Fig. 5.3), (Al-Ameri, 1990; Kaddouri, 1992).
present in Iraqi Kurdistan and in well Atshan- The Mirga Mir Formation was first formally
1 (Dunnington et al., 1959). The former described from the Ora area in the Northern Thrust
formation also occurs above the Chia Zairi Zone of Iraqi Kurdistan by Dunnington et al. (1959).
Formation in wells West Kifl-1, Diwan-1, Jebel At its type locality it is about 200 m thick
Kand-1 and Mityaha-1 (Jassim et al., 2006a; (Dunnington et al., 1959). There, the formation
Al-Hadidy, 2007). consists of basal sandy deposits overlain by oolitic
The Lower Triassic Supersequence is limestones and solution/recrystallized breccias with
probably absent from most of the stable shelf thin-bedded argillaceous limestones and shales.
area of west Iraq, as indicated by the absence Bivalves (typically “paper pectens”: Schatz, 2005)
of lower Triassic sedimentary rocks in well are commonly found on maximum flooding surfaces;
Khleisia-1, where the Upper Triassic Kurra for example, Gayara (1992) described a bed at the
Chine Formation rests directly on the base of the formation at outcrops at Shish in NW
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 13

LURESTAN NORTH FARS BANDAR ABBAS AREA

Anjir-1 Dashtak-1 Kuh-e Faraghan

Northwest Southeast

Approximate
300 m
Vertical Scale
Tr80
Dashtak Formation

Sefidar Dolomite Member

Evaporites ‘C’
Tr70
Evaporites ‘B’ Khaneh Kat
Formation Tr60
Tr50
Evaporites ‘A’ Tr40

Aghar Shalemember
Kangan Formation

Fig. 5.11. Triassic facies patterns in Iran (after Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978).

Iraqi Kurdistan containing Halobia and be interpreted for the Mirga Mir in terms of
glauconite (Fig. 5.10) and this was used as the deposition in a shallow-water but restricted,
type section for the Tr20 maximum flooding environment, perhaps in an intrashelf basin.
surface of Sharland et al. (2001). At well The Mirga Mir Formation is equivalent to the
Atshan-1, there is a higher proportion of Amanus Shale Formation of Syria (Jamal et al.,
siliciclastics compared to the outcrop, and 2000) and probably to the Goyan Formation of
anhydrite also occurs (Dunnington et al., 1959); southern Turkey (Altinli, 1966). It is also equivalent
at Jebel Kand-1, anhydrite is also present at to the Kangan Formation (Szabo and Kheradpir,
the top of the formation (OEC, 1989). 1978) (Fig. 5.11) and the lower part of the Khaneh
Fossils found at the type locality include Kat Formation in SE Iran (Furst, 1970). In Saudi
Pseudomonotis (Claraia) claraia, C. aurita, Arabia and southern parts of the Arabian Plate,
Anodontophora fassaensis, A. fassaensis var. the equivalent unit is the Sudair Shale Formation
bittneri, Myophoria cf. ovata and Spirorbis (e.g. in wells ST-8 and Ar’ar-1 close to the Iraqi
valvata; based on this assemblage, the border), where not cut out by the base-Aruma Group
formation was assigned an “early Werfenian” unconformity (Powers, 1968; Al-Laboun, 1986;
age (Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, 1980). Alsharhan and Nairn, 1997).
Gayara (1992) interpreted the bed containing The Beduh Shale Formation is 64 m thick
Halobia more specifically as middle Olenekian. at its type locality in the Amadia district of northern
“Werfenian” faunas are typically endemic to the Iraqi Kurdistan. It consists of red-brown and
eastern Mediterranean area (c.f. Hirsch, 1992). purplish weathering shales and marls, some silty,
The Mirga Mir Formation gradationally with subordinate “ribs” of limestone with sandy
overlies the Chia Zairi Formation. Its upper streaks and forms an excellent field marker
contact with the Beduh Shale is conformable. (Dunnington et al., 1959). In well Atshan-1, the
At outcrop, an abrupt colour change to the formation is more arenaceous and calcareous, and
characteristic purple and red strata of the Beduh is thicker than in surface exposures (Dunnington
occurs with an upwards decline in the et al., 1959).
proportion of limestones. A fauna of Anodontophora fassaensis, A.
The formation is interpreted to be a shallow- fassaensis var bittneri, Myophoria cf.
water to paralic deposit. Oolitic limestones are praeorbicularis, M. balatonis, Gervillia sp.,
interpreted to have been deposited on a shallow, ?Palaeoneilo distincta, Nucula sp. and Gonodon
high-energy shelf. Anhydrite and solution sp. indicates a “probable late Werfenian” age
breccias indicate the existence of sabkhas or (Dunnington et al., 1959).
salinas. The presence of coarse-grained The formation was deposited in mostly
siliciclastic material indicates the proximity of continental conditions which were occasionally
emergent land areas nearby, probably to the paralic. It contains marine intervals, as indicated
west as indicated by the evidence of this unit in by the “paper pecten” fauna representing a
wells Khleisia-1 and Akkas-1 and in the Western considerable period of time with little net deposition.
Desert. Concentrations of thin-shelled bivalves The overall setting would appear to be similar to
such as Halobia within black shales indicate the Mirga Mir Formation, although perhaps slightly
periods of dysoxia and soft substrates (Schatz, more continental. The formation probably
2005) rather than a true epiplanktonic (deeper- represents the lowstand and the TST beneath the
water) habitat (c.f. Wignall, 1994); neither does Tr40 MFS of Sharland et al. (2001).
the endemic nature of the fauna support a truly Equivalents of the Beduh Shale are the Aghar
pelagic interpretation. These features can best Shale Member of the Dashtak Formation in Iran
14 Chapter 5

(Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978) (Fig. 5.11) and the Cousminer (1986), Andrews (1992a), Hirsch (1992)
Sudair Shale of Saudi Arabia (Powers, 1968; Al- and Shinaq (1996) suggest that the Tr40 MFS
Laboun, 1986). corresponded to a regional-scale transgressive event
which resulted in the deposition of carbonates on
Petroleum System Components Lower Triassic and older strata. These onlapping
Reservoir rocks carbonates are dated as early (but not earliest)
The Lower Triassic succession contains several Anisian.
potential reservoir units, none of which has as yet The unit is here interpreted as being made up
been proved to contain commercial volumes of of a single third-order sequence represented by the
hydrocarbons. In the Mirga Mir Formation, basal lower member of the Geli Khana Formation.
sandy oolites may be thickly developed in the At its type locality near Ora in northern Iraqi
subsurface, particularly close to onlap margins Kurdistan, this is 221 m thick (Dunnington et al.,
where the sandstone content may be higher. The 1959), approximately 200 m thick in well Atshan-1
Beduh Formation is locally sandy at outcrop to the SW (Buday, 1980), and 300 m thick in the
(Dunnington et al., 1959) but the proportion of Sirwan valley (Dunnington et al., 1959).
sandstone is probably low in most areas, especially Unfortunately, the thickness data given by Buday
in central Iraq where the unit becomes more (ibid.) cannot be checked against lithological details;
marine, as implied by facies changes detailed by there is therefore some uncertainty in using data
Dunnington et al. (1959). from this source. The formation has been well-
documented in the subsurface in eight wells:
Source rocks Ibrahim-1, Alan-1, Atshan-1, Mileh Tharthar-1,
The correlative Amanus Shale Formation in Syria Jebel Kand-1, Mityaha-1, West Kifl-1 and Diwan-1
is the source of the Triassic oil and gas discoveries (Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, 1980; OEC, 1989;
in the NE Palymra region, as indicated by Jassim et al., 2006a). At its type locality, the
biomarker correlations between source rocks and sequence consists of 156 m of greyish, thin-bedded
oils (Abboud et al., 2005). This formation comprises limestones and hard limey shales with streaks and
alternating dark laminated shales, grey “ribs” of ripple-marked sandstones, passing up into
argillaceous finely-crystalline limestones, and fine- 65m of greyish and yellowish, thin-bedded
grained quartzitic sandstones, up to 300 m thick limestones and shales with bands of
(Abboud et al., ibid.). “recrystallisation breccias” (probably collapse
Shales, marls and argillaceous limestones in the breccias) (Dunnington et al., 1959). In wells in
Mirga Mir Formation and possibly thin bivalve-rich northern Iraq, the basal parts of the formation have
beds in the Beduh Formation may have source rock a high siliciclastic content and include anhydrite
potential; no geochemical data is available for these intervals (Buday, 1980); a thick anhydrite bed
formations in Iraq. However, Bernasconi (1994) and occurs in well Jebel Kand-1 (OEC, 1989).
Bernasconi and Riva (1993) noted that similar At its type locality, the Geli Khana Formation
Triassic bivalve-rich black shales of the has yielded, apparently from the base (Buday, 1980)
Grenzbitumenzone Formation in Switzerland, may (although this needs confirmation), fossils including
contain up to 40 wt% TOC kerogen. Myophoria sp., Spiriferina sp., Trocholina sp. and
Glomospira sp. possibly indicating an Anisian age.
Seals The Geli Khana Formation conformably overlies
By analogy with the Sudair Formation of Gulf the Beduh Shale Formation everywhere. In well
countries, shales, marls and argillaceous limestones Khleisia-1, a thin limestone unit assigned to the
in the Mirga Mir Formation may form Gelo Khana Formation rests unconformably on the
intraformational seals for underlying sandstones Harur Limestone Formation (Jassim et al., 2006a).
and oolites, and for uppermost Chia Zairi Formation The upper contact is not well described, but may
carbonates. The Beduh Formation may act as a be interpreted as a sequence boundary across which
seal for potential reservoirs in the uppermost Mirga late highstand evaporites pass up into deeper-water
Mir Formation. The correlative Lower Triassic euxinic limestones; there may have been significant
Sudair Shale and Aghar Formations are an subaerial exposure on this contact, given the
excellent regional seal, for example for the super- development of collapse breccias beneath it.
giant Khuff gas reservoirs at the North Dome/ The lower member of the Geli Khana Formation
South Pars fields of Qatar/Iran (Alsharhan and represents a prograding highstand carbonate
Nairn, 1997; Insalaco et al., 2006). platform which terminated with local evaporite
deposition. It has been interpreted as a nearshore
The Middle Triassic (Anisian) Sequence and occasionally lagoonal deposit laid down in a
“strongly subsiding” basin (Buday, 1980). It is
The Middle Triassic (Anisian) sequence in northern probable though difficult to demonstrate that
Iraq contains the Tr40 maximum flooding surface intrashelf basins developed in the depocentres, and
of Sharland et al. (2001). Data in Eshet and were the sites of thickest evaporite deposition.
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 15

40°E Mardin High 45°E 50°E 55°E

TURKEY

N
Arid
Arid Shallow
Shallow
Mixed
Mixed Shelf
Shelf
Evaporites
fill intrashelf basin Deep Marine
during lowstands Sediments
Clastics

SYRIA Open Shelf

Evaporites Carbonates
35°N 35°N
fill intrashelf basin
N

during lowstands
NO

Tidal-Subtidal Evaporitic IRAN

BA

Carbonate Platform
LE

IRAQ

Arid Shallow Shallow Mixed Shelf

Mixed Shelf

JORDAN
Alluvial Plain

30°N Erosion Limit

30°N
100 km
SAUDI
ARABIA 40°E 45°E
K U WA I T

Fig. 5.12. Anisian – Ladinian palaeogeography. Modified after Sadooni and Alsharhan, 2004.
The Geli Khana platform may have formed part Petroleum System Components
of a basin system which became established during Reservoir rocks
the Anisian and which extended westwards into the Reservoir intervals may occur within the lowermost
Eastern Mediterranean region and Turkey (Sadooni Geli Khana Formation, which includes shallow-
and Alsharhan, 2004; Fig. 5.12). The basin system water (locally oolitic) carbonates with associated
has a distinctive (endemic) biota and persisted until evaporite collapse breccias and/or karstic fabrics
the deposition of middle Carnian evaporites (Hirsch, at the top of the sequence.
1992). In Syria, the equivalent Middle Triassic
formation is the mis-named “Kurrachine Source rocks
Formation” (Abboud et al., 2005). Supposed Anisian No proven source rocks are known from this
volcanics are reported from the Dolaa-1 and Abba- interval in Iraq. However, the equivalent
1 boreholes in Syria (Dubertret, 1966 p. 288; “Kurrachine Formation” is recognized to be a source
Ponikarov (ed.), 1967, p.25), and indicate that local rock in the Palmyra Basin of Syria (Abboud et al.,
igneous activity accompanied subsidence. An 2005), suggesting that some source potential may
equivalent in Iran is the Dashtak Formation “A” exist in Iraqi wells containing thicker, shalier and
Evaporite of Szabo and Kheradpir (1978) (Fig. 5.11). more evaporitic successions (e.g. perhaps Jebel
In the NW corner of the Western Desert Kand-1; OEC, 1989).
bordering Jordan, palynological data from well KH
5/8 indicates that deposition of the Ga’ara Seals
Formation continued into the Anisian (Al-Ameri, Basal argillaceous units and uppermost evaporitic
1990). This is interpreted to be a fluvial deposit; units in the lower Geli Khana Formation are
the undated clastic stratigraphy in nearby well KH potential seals. The equivalents of the evaporitic
5/3 may be similar (Kaddouri, 1992) (Fig. 4.27), as units are the anhydritic “A Evaporites” of the
mapped by Sadooni and Alsharhan (2004) (Fig. Dashtak Formation in Iran (Szabo and Kheradpir,
5.12). However, other wells nearby (e.g. KH 5/2, 1978). These may provide seals in SE Iraq.
KH 5/6) (Fig. 4.27) only contain the Mulussa
Formation of later Triassic age (Kaddouri, 1992), The Middle Triassic
and therefore large areas of the Western Desert were (Ladinian) Sequence
probably emergent during the Early–Middle
Triassic and are represented by an unconformity Ladinian rocks throughout most of Iraq are assigned
(Fig. 3.14). to the upper member of the Geli Khana
Formation (Fig. 5.3).Thicknesses range from 353
16 Chapter 5

m at the Geli Khana location (from data in of later Triassic age (Kaddouri, 1992), and these
Dunnington et al., 1959) to 150 m in the Sirwan areas were therefore probably emergent during the
Valley and 260 m in well Atshan-1 (Buday, 1980). Middle Triassic and are represented by an
At its type location, the upper Geli Khana unconformity, as in the Anisian (Fig. 3.14). The
Formation commences with 154 m of bluish shales Ga’ara Formation in the Western Desert is overlain
intercalated with yellowish limestones and by the Mulussa Formation. The contact between
occasional sandy bands. These pass up into 138 m the two formations was described as “possibly
of hard, fine-grained cliff-forming limestones with disconformable but apparently gradational and
alternating thin and thick beds, with intercalations concordant” by Dunnington et al. (1959).
of olive-green shales and yellow-brown marls in the
lower part, and occasional bands of chert nodules Petroleum System Components
near the top. These are followed by 58 m of dark, Reservoir rocks
foetid dolomites with bands of grey dolomitic Reservoir rocks may occur within the shelfal
limestones containing abundant recrystallised carbonates in the uppermost part of the Geli Khana
gastropods; and finally a 3.5 m thick, laminated Formation. Karstic porosity has been described from
ferruginous dolomite with streaks of black chert both outcrop and subsurface studies at the upper
and nodular haematite (Dunnington et al., 1959). contact of the formation (Dunnington et al., 1959).
At the base of the Upper Geli Khana is the Tr50
MFS of Sharland et al. (2001). Source rocks
In the Sirwan Valley section, basal argillaceous Source rocks have not been recorded in this interval
limestones contain the “paper pecten” bivalves in Iraq. The mid-Triassic “Kurrachine Formation”
Daonella indica, D. cf. indica, D. lomelli and D. may have source potential in the Palmyra Basin,
lomelli-taramelli (Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, Syria (Abboud et al., 2005).
1980). These suggest a Ladinian age (Dunnington
et al., 1959). The top of the Geli Khana Formation Seals
is a prominent disconformity marked by Intra-Geli Khana Formation flooding surface Tr50
haematization, silicification and dissolution. In the (Sharland et al., 2001) may seal potential reservoirs
Sirwan area, it is covered by a red marlstone bed in the lower part of the formation.
with ferruginous crusts and limonitized pisolites;
in the Chalki (Nazdur) area in northern Iraqi The Upper Triassic
Kurdistan, ferruginous staining and patches of (lower–middle Carnian) Sequence
weathered saccharoidal dolomite occur
(Dunnington et al., 1959). The lower-middle Carnian succession in Iraq
At its type locality, the upper member of the represents further onlap of post-Carboniferous
Geli Khana Formation comprises deeper-water palaeohighs and was initiated by the Tr60 MFS of
deposits than those encountered in the lower Sharland et al. (2001). The Carnian-Norian
member (Buday, 1980). The lithological succession succession is assigned as a whole to the Kurra
(and faunal data from the Sirwan Valley) indicate Chine Formation (Figs. 5.14, 5.15), which is
that it was deposited as an upwards-shallowing and some 834 m thick in NE Iraq (Dunnington et al.,
-cleaning, possibly prograding, carbonate ramp that 1959) and over 1000 m thick at a number of well
developed following establishment of deepwater locations (Buday, 1980; Sadooni, 1995) (Fig. 5.1).
conditions (c.f. Ahr, 1973). The Kurra Chine Formation passes laterally into
Bandel and Khoury (1981), Bandel and the Mulussa Formation, which is an order of
Waksmundzki (1985) and Eshet and Cousminer magnitude thinner in the Western Desert
(1986) noted that an earliest Ladinian transgression (Dunnington et al., 1959) (Fig. 3.14).
(well-dated regionally by conodonts, ammonites and Both the Kurra Chine and Mulussa Formations
palynological data) occurred to the west of Iraq. To represent two sequences (Fig. 5.13), which are
the SE in Iran, carbonate units equivalent to those probably of early–middle Carnian and late Carnian
in the upper Geli Khana occur above the “A to early Norian ages, respectively. The formations
Evaporites” of the Dashtak Formation (Szabo and probably pass into the lower part of the Avroman
Kheradpir, 1978; Fig. 5.11); these facies may also Formation towards the NE, but the Avroman
be present in SE Iraq. Formation (Buday, 1980; Sadooni, 1995) has not
In the NW of the Western Desert at well KH 5/ been subdivided possibly because it is poorly
8, deposition of the fluvial siliciclastics of the stratified (Fig. 5.13).
Ga’ara Formation continued in Ladinian time, At the type section outcrop near Ora in Iraqi
as indicated by palynological data (Al-Ameri, 1990). Kurdistan, the Kurra Chine Formation is thick but
The undated clastic stratigraphy in nearby well KH poorly described. It consists of dark brown and black
5/3 may be similar (Kaddouri, 1992; Fig. 4.27). limestones alternating with papery shales and
However, other wells nearby (e.g. KH 5/2, KH 5/ thick-bedded dolomites showing slump structures
6) (Fig. 4.27) contain only the Mulussa Formation (Dunnington et al., 1959). Detailed and measured
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 17

WESTERN
AGE DESERT
NORTHWEST NORTHEAST

RHAETIAN ZORHAURAN BALUTI BALUTI

Tr80TST

MULUSSA Tr80
LST
C A R N I A N - N O R I A N

Tr70 AVROMAN
HST
FS
7 0M
Tr

KURRA
CHINE
Tr70
LST

LEGEND Tr60 S
HST MF
Limestone r 60
T
Dolomitic limestone
Marly limestone
Anhydrite
Shale
100m
Sandstone
Halite
Marl

Fig. 5.13. Generalized Upper Triassic stratigraphy in west, NE and NW Iraq. Modified after Sadooni,
1995. Positions of the MFS and SB in the Avroman Fomation are uncertain.

field descriptions are lacking in the public domain. relatively diverse biota including Simeonella
Dunnington et al. (1959) interpreted outcropping brotzenorum, Involutina sp. 1., Sinous sinous,
breccia beds at the type section to result from Trocholina sp., radiolaria and ostracods suggesting
(probably recent) recrystallization and dissolution a Carnian-Rhaetian? age (Kaddouri, 1986). Other
of evaporites by meteoric waters. This interpretation characteristic fossils include Posidonia wengensis,
is confirmed by the presence of thick evaporite P. altior, P. idriana and Estheria minuta
intervals in the subsurface, where the Kurra Chine (Dunnington et al., 1959). Palynomorphs allow
Formation consists of alternating limestones and further control and establish a Late Triassic age
dolomites, shales, anhydrites and some halite (Al-Ameri and Al-Dolyami, 2008) (Fig. 5.2). The
(Buday, 1980; Kaddouri, 1986; Sadooni, 1995; Kurra Chine Formation rests disconformably on
Sadooni and Alsharhan, 2004) (Fig. 5.14). Two the Geli Khana Formation almost everywhere
carbonate units and two overlying evaporite (Dunnington et al., 1959).
members are known from the subsurface (Fig. The Kurra Chine Formation was probably
5.13). Carbonates represent the Tr60 and Tr70 deposited on an epeiric platform (Fig. 5.15),
MFSs of Sharland et al. (2001) and their subsequent dominated by subtidal to supratidal cycles with
highstands. Anhydrites represent lowstand deposits local development of sabkhas; this occurs for
at the base of sequences Tr70 and Tr80. Microfacies example at carbonate-dominated basin-margin
include oolitic wackestone-packstones, stromatolitic wells such as Khleisia-1. However, thicker
limestones and the “Paleotrix” facies of IPC evaporitic units in depocentres (as typified by Jebel
geologists which consists of packed “paper pecten” Kand-1) and black shales containing abundant
bivalves and dolomite (Sadooni, 1995; Sadooni and “paper pectens” may represent third-order late
Alsharhan, 2004). highstand to early lowstand infills of starved
Hay and Algawi (1958, cited in Buday, 1980) intrashelf basins that had developed immediately
described “relatively thick” sandstone beds from the behind the main Tethyan carbonate margin (Fig.
lower part of the formation in well Mileh Tharthar- 5.16). The provenance of the sandstones at the base
1. A sandstone unit occurs in wells Awasil-5 (Buday, of the succession is also important in the
1980) and Mityaha-1 (Sadooni, 1995) (Fig. 5.14). interpretation of the formation. According to Buday
At well Tel Hajar-1, the formation contains a (1980), the presence of these sandstones “indicates
18 Chapter 5

Kifl-3 Mityaha-1 Butmah-15

GAMMA (API) NEUTRON (LPU) GAMMA (API) NEUTRON (LPU) GAMMA (API) NEUTRON (LPU)
80 120 45 15 -15 90 130 45 15 -15 80 120 45 15 -15
4000 Top 3983m Top 1393m Top 2790m
1450 2800
4050
2850
1500
4100
Tr70 2900
1500
4150 2950
1600
4200 3000
1650
4250 3050
1700
4300m 3100

The well ended in the Kurra Chine Formation 1750

3150
1800 3200
Tr70 1850 3250

1900 3300
Limestone 1950 3350
Anhydritic limestone Tr70 3400
2000
Dolomite
2050 3450
Anhydrite
2100 3500
Shale
3550
Sandstone 2150m
3600
Salt Bottom of the Kurra Chine Formation is 2174m
3650

3700m
The well ended in the Kurra Chine Formation

Khleisia-1 Tel Hajar-1 Ibrahim-1 Sufaiya-1

GAMMA NEUTRON GAMMA NEUTRON GAMMA NEUTRON SONIC
(API) (LPU) (API) (LPU) (API) (LPU) (∆t)
90 140 45 -150 70 120 45 -150 100 150 45 -150 140 40
Top 1225.9m Top 3661m Top 2590m Top 2811m
2600
1250
3700 2850
1300 2650
3750 2900
1350 2700
3800 2950
1400 2750
3850 3000
1450 2800
Tr70 Tr70 3050
3900
Tr70
1500 2850
3950 3100
Tr70 2900
1550
4000 3150

Tr60 1600 2950

4050 3200
1650m 3000
4100 m 3250
Bottom of the Kurra Chine Formation 1668.7m 3050
3300
The well ended in the Kurra Chine Formation 3100
3350
3150
3400
Tr60? 3200
Tr60? 3450
3250m
3500m
Bottom of the Kurra Chine Formation 3256.5m
Bottom of the Kurra Chine Formation 3496m

Fig. 5.14a, b. Stratigraphic columns for the Kurra Chine Formation in various wells in Iraq (after
Sadooni, 1995). Figure modified to show likely positions of MFSs, and hydrocarbon shows (oil: black
dots; gas: unfilled dots) (from data in Sadooni, 1995 and Sadooni and Alsharhan, 2004).
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 19

Basin Marls, Limestones and Shales

40°E TURKEY 45°E 50°E 55°E

Shallow
Carbonate N
Tidal-Subtidal Shelf
Carbonate Shelf
Carbonate Evaporite
Platform

Intrashelf Basin SYRIA

(evaporite filled
35°N during lowstands) 35°N
N
NO

IRAN
BA

Erosion
LE

Limit Shallow
Carbonate
Platform

Intrashelf Basin
IRAQ (evaporite filled
during lowstands)
Aridxed S

JORDAN
Mi
Sha helf

SAUDI
llow

30°N
ARABIA 30 o N
100 km

40°E 45°E
KUWAIT

Fig. 5.15. Generalized Carnian – Norian palaeogeography. Modified after Sadooni and Alsharhan,
2004.

both the transgressive nature of the formation and Kaddouri (1992) noted that a sandy “Minjur” facies
the proximity of the land”. In a carbonate- of Triassic age is present in wells KH 5/3 and 5/8.
dominated succession where coarse silicilastics are The basal part of the formation in well KH 5/8
not normally sourced from within the deposystem, is of Carnian age (Al-Ameri, 1990); Jassim et al.
the abrupt appearance of siliciclastic sediments may (2006a) also dated the formation as Carnian. In
indicate proximity to a basin margin, or the wells KH 5/4 and 5/9 (Figs. 4.27, 5.17), the lower
development of an updip angular unconformity or part of the Mulussa Formation carbonates appear
sequence boundary, further supporting the possibility to be Ladinian (Kaddouri, 1986; 1992) based on
of a major break between the Geli Khana and Kurra sparse palaeontological data.
Chine Formations. The Mulussa Formation is interpreted to indicate
The Mulussa Formation (Fig. 5.17) is the a relatively near-shore and higher energy, more
most prominent Triassic rock unit exposed in the littoral environment than the generally low-energy
Western Desert. It contains the “i” marker which Kurra Chine Formation.
is a conspicuous oolitic-peloidal, locally limestone The basal units of the Kurra Chine equivalents
clast conglomerate; only the sub-“i” marker member in the eastern Mediterranean (Abu Ruweis and
is considered to occur within the Tr60 (early–middle Mohilla Formations) have been accurately dated
Carnian) sequence. The Mulussa Formation varies from palynological, conodont and ammonite studies
in thickness due to Cretaceous erosion, although (Parnes, 1962; Bandel and Khoury, 1981; Bandel
where it is complete the lower member is 107 m and Waksmundzki, 1985; Eshet and Cousminer,
thick between Wadi Agar Muyat and Al-Alaif 1986; Abu Hammad, 1994). These confirm the
(Dunnington et al., 1959). It consists of massive to Carnian age of the maximum flooding surface which
thin-bedded, crystalline or micro-crystalline, oolitic was originally (but poorly) defined in Iraq (c.f.
to “pseudo-oolitic” (?peloidal) and sandy limestones Sharland et al., 2001). A Late Triassic age has been
with subordinate yellow marlstones and marly assigned to the undifferentiated Ramtha Group
limestones, all of which are extensively dolomitised carbonates in the Risha area of Jordan which
with some silicification (Dunnington et al., 1959). unconformably overlie Palaeozoic sedimentary rocks
The Mulassa Formation is generally more sand- (Andrews, 1992a) and which are lithologically
rich in the west than in the east (Sadooni, 1995). similar to the Mulussa Formation. In adjacent parts
Buday (1980) suggested that it passes into the of Syria, Iran and the eastern Mediterranean, a
Minjur Sandstone Formation of Saudi Arabia. similar pattern in which anhydrite beds thicken
20 Chapter 5

Open
water of
NeoTethys
Interior Salina basin
Clastics at
onlap limit Tidal flat /
supratidal
High energy
shoal belt
t High
en
Subtidal bioturbated

d
e
wacke-packstones t ec
An
Anhydrite Halite basin-
wedge centre plug Organic-rich Megalodont
laminates barrier

High may be structurally

controlled or inherited
topography from older
margin

Fig. 5.16. Schematic model for third-order Triassic intrashelf basin sequences, from maximum flood
to lowstand.

and pass into halite facies towards depocentres has Seals

also been recorded (Druckman, 1977; Jamal et al., No sealing facies appear to be present within this
2000). sequence, perhaps explaining the lack of discoveries
In summary, a transgression at the base of in the uppermost karstified part of the Geli Khana
the lower–middle Carnian sequence covered the Formation.
Khleisia and Rutbah Highs, which then became
sites of carbonate deposition for the first time since The Upper Triassic (upper Carnian –
the Early Carboniferous. This established a wider lower Norian) Sequence
area of carbonate production than had occurred
before in the Triassic. In general, the varied The upper Carnian – lower Norian succession is
lithologies and often great thicknesses of Carnian up to 600 m thick along the palaeo-Sinjar fault zone
units in Iraq and nearby countries indicate high and in the Kand Basin in northern Iraq (Sadooni,
overall sediment productivity. This was ultimately 1995) (Fig. 5.1). It contains the the lower evaporite
expressed as thick platforms built up around and upper carbonate members of the Kurra Chine
intrashelf basins into which there was only minor Formation in the subsurface, and the upper
progradation and infilling during HST conditions member of the Mulussa Formation in the
(Fig. 5.16). During lowstands, the basins became Western Desert outcrops and subsurface (Fig. 5.13,
restricted and were infilled or partially infilled by G53), and part of the Avroman Formation in
anhydrite and halite (Fig. 5.16). The locally slumped Zagros outcrops. Where it can be identified, MFS
evaporitic units, that thicken into depocentres, Tr70 was located in strata at the base of the
typified by anhydrites in well Tel Hajar-1, are carbonate succession by Sharland et al. (2001) (Fig.
difficult to explain in the context of a flat-topped 5.13); this MFS is not well-dated in Iraq.
platform model. Meanwhile, clastic sediment These members of the Kurra Chine
entered the basin from onlap margins (Fig. 5.16) Formation may attain thicknesses of 350-400 m,
located to the SW, probably in southern Jordan and e.g. in wells Tel Hajar-1 and Jabal Kand-1 (from
NW Saudi Arabia. data in Kaddouri, 1986; OEC, 1989). In the Sirwan
area, the Kurra Chine formation contains lenses of
Petroleum System Components gypsum (Dunnington et al., 1959). In the
Reservoir rocks subsurface, the formation contains significantly
Reservoir intervals may occur in the lowermost more anhydrite than at outcrop (Sadooni, 1995),
carbonate-dominated member of the Kurra Chine particularly in the middle part of the unit at wells
Formation, although most successful tests of the Mileh Tharthar-1 (Dunnington et al., 1959) and
formation in Iraq are reported to be from carbonates Mityaha-1 (Sadooni, 1995) (Fig. 5.14). Halite occurs
in the upper part. In Syria, however, most locally at the base of the evaporite units, such as in
production comes from the top of the equivalent well Mityaha-1 (Fig. 5.14). The halite defines a “salt
“Kurrachine Dolomite”, for example at Souedie, basin” (Fig. 5.6) whose location was roughly that of
Hamza, Rumelan, Jebissa and Tishreen fields in the present-day Mesopotamian Basin. Overall it
NE Syria (May, 1991; Sadooni, 1995; Sadooni and would appear that anhydrite beds thicken and pass
Alsharhan, 2004), and north of Shamal Alhosin in into halite facies towards depocentres, although the
NE Palmyra (Abboud et al., 2005). thickest anhydrites (some 800 m in the well Jebel
Kand-1) appear to be present without interbedded
Source rocks halites (OEC, 1989). These occur in the Kand Basin
No source rocks are known to occur in the Lower which was separated from the “Salt Basin” to the
Kurra Chine carbonates, although some potential SSW by a high recognisable in the isopach map of
may exist in the centre of the intrashelf basin. Sadooni 1995) (Fig. 5.1), although at present the
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 21

significance of these intrabasinal elements is not Deposition of carbonates associated with the
fully understood. basal MFS records a major Late Triassic
At the base of the upper carbonate member are transgression throughout the Mediterranean region
dolomites and dolomitic and oolitic limestones, (Hirsch, 1992). Reliable dates have been obtained
generally occurring as alternating (metre-scale) from carbonates resting on Middle Carnian
beds, for example in wells Sufaiya-1 and Ibrahim- evaporites in the eastern Mediterranean area, from
1 (Sadooni, 1995). palynology, conodonts and ammonites (Eshet and
Hassan (1986) and Kaddouri (1986) dated the Cousminer, 1986; Hirsch, 1992). In the later stages
uppermost Kurra Chine Formation carbonates as of platform development, restricted intrashelf basins
Norian-Rhaetian, based on the foraminifera present with remnant accomodation space may have
in overlying units. This is consistent with recent become sites of massive evaporite deposition in both
palynological studies (Al-Ameri and Al-Dolaymi, Iraq (Sadooni, 1995) and Iran (Szabo and Kheradpir,
2008) (Fig. 5.2). 1978). At the Hazro outcrops in SE Turkey,
As with the underlying sequence, the upper equivalent units contain megalodont bivalves
carbonate part of the Kurra Chine Formation (Fontaine, 1981); similar reefal facies occur in the
appears to have initially been deposited on an epeiric Kaneh Kat Formation of Iran (Szabo and Kheradpir,
platform, dominated by shallow subtidal to 1978) (Fig. 5.11). A major erosional surface was
supratidal cycles with local sabkhas; this is identified at the top of this sequence between the
particularly applicable to carbonate-dominated Neyriz and Dashtak Formations in Iran at well
basin-margin wells such as Khleisia-1. In other Kuh-e Siah-1 (Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978). To the
wells are well-developed black shales with abundant west, the end-Triassic to earliest Jurassic was
“paper pectens”. Deposition of the pecten facies marked by uplift, erosion, emplacement of intrusive
indicates restriction of oxygen supply and a “soupy” rocks and volcanism (Zak, 1963; Dvorkin and Kohn,
substrate (c.f. Schatz, 2005), and most probably 1989; Hirsch, 1992). Equivalent units in Kuwait
occurred in intra-shelf basins isolated from Neo- (Yousif and Nouman, 1997) (Fig. 5.18) and NE
Tethys such as the Kand Basin (Sadooni, 1995). Saudi Arabia (Powers et al., 1966) are assigned to
Close to the NE basin margin in the north Iraqi the Minjur Formation, which consists of clastic
Kurdistan thrust zone, upper Carnian –Rhaetian facies associated with coastal onlap.
limestones and marls are assigned to the Avroman
Formation (Buday, 1980; Sadooni, 1995) and are Petroleum System Components
interpreted as platform margin, basinal and slope Reservoir rocks
deposits. Buday (1980) suggested that the Avroman The uppermost Triassic succession is thought to
Formation was deposited in an “aerated, neritic include the most prospective reservoir rocks in
environment”. It is an allochthonous unit (Jassim Megasequence AP6 in Iraq, although very little data
and Goff, 2006b). is available. Reservoir rocks include porous and
The upper part of the Mulussa Formation fractured Triassic carbonates (dolomites and oolitic
is 52 m thick at its type section near Mulussa in limestones) in northern Iraqi Kurdistan and Syria,
Wadi Hauran, and consists of lithologies similar to which are up to 350 m thick in Butmah-15 (Fig.
those in the lower member but with a higher marl 5.14) (Sadooni, 1995; Sadooni and Alsharhan, 2004;
content (Dunnington et al., 1959). Oolitic facies Jassim and Al-Gailani, 2006). Al-Ameri and Al-
occur in the basal part of this sequence, in “member Dolaymi (2008) recorded the presence of channel,
i” (Dunnington et al., 1959). Fossils recovered from vuggy and intergranular porosity in rocks with
the “i” marker include Myophoria aff. postera, reservoir potential. Jassim and Al-Gailani (2006)
Mytilus minus trus, Gervillia sp., Archaediscus sp. suggested porosities ranging from 4 to about 12%
and Trocholina sp., with frondicularids, textulariids at approximately 3500 m in Butmah-15 (Fig. 5.14).
and ostracods (Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, The Kurra Chine Formation contains oil in
1980). Palynological studies of the Mulussa northern Iraq at Butmah, Sufaiya and Alan. In NE
Formation yield a Carnian date at its base (Al- Syria,the equivalent “Butma” Formation contains
Ameri, 1990), and by inference, a probable Norian oil at Twinan (Palmyra) and Ouda (Abboud et al.,
or Rhaetian age for its upper member. The upper 2005). The lower “Mulussa Formation” carbonates
contact of the Mulussa Formation is conformable (members A-C) in the Euphrates Graben, which
and gradational with the overlying Zor Hauran are equivalent to the Kurra Chine Formation in
Formation (Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, Iraq, includes low net:gross reservoir rocks with
1992) (Figs. 5.17, 3.14). low porosities and permeabilities (de Ruiter et al.,
The upper member of the Mulussa Formation 1995). In Jordan, the age-equivalent Abu Ruweis
is a mixed carbonate-clastic inner shelf deposit, Formation has porosities of up to 25% and
which probably reflects fairly shallow-water permeabilities of up to 1000 mD (Sadooni and
conditions which were likely to have been restricted. Dalqamouni, 1998) (Fig. 5.19).
The “i” marker represents more open-marine and Siliciclastic reservoir intervals may occur locally
relatively deeper-water conditions. in the Kurra Chine Formation; Dunnington et al.
22 Chapter 5

FOSSILS

LITHOLOGIC LOG

Algae (Dascycladaceae-Acicularia)
Neritina sp. (small Gastropods)
Involutina sinousa pragsoides

Ophthalmidium ? ubeyliense
ROCK UNITS

Involutina sinuosa sinuosa

TIME UNITS

Arenovidalina pragsoides
Glomospirella cf. pokornj

Frondicularia woodwardi

Pelecypod (small forms)

Involutina eomesozoica
DEPTH (m)

Glomospirella cf. friedli

Trocholina multispira
Involutina communis

Glomospira grandis

Turritella cf. carnica

Involutina impressa

Trocholina procera
Involutina ionuis

Multisepridal n.sp.
Triassina hantkeni
Involutina gaschei
SAMPLE

Earlandinita sp.
Trocholina sp.

Endothyra sp.
Glomospirella
Involutina sp.
Vidalina sp.

Nodosauri
RHAETIAN

551
ZOR HAURAN 564
580

625
631
640
644
400 663
T R I A S S I C

M U L U S S A

711
CARNIAN

712

LEGEND

729 Dolomite
500
-

Claystone
LADINIAN

Clayey dolostone
Gypsum / anhydrite
945 Anhydritic dolomite

600

Fig. 5.17. Palaeontological characteristics of the Mulussa Formation, well KH 5/8.

After Al-Ameri, 1990.

(1959) and Sadooni (1995) reported that the lower succession, for example in the Euphrates graben.
part of the formation becomes increasingly Grunau (1983) and Sadooni (1995) suggested that
siliciclastic towards central Iraq. However, reservoir the Kurra Chine Formation contains source and
quality will probably be poor to moderate by reservoir rock intervals in northern Iraq. This has
comparison with the slightly younger “Mulussa F” been demonstrated by recent geochemical studies
reservoirs of the Euphrates Graben (de Ruiter et (Al-Ameri and Al-Dolaymi, 2008) which recorded
al., 1995). TOCs of up to 5% in Jebel Kand-1. Maximum TOCs
occur in the middle of the Kurra Chine and the
Source rocks Baluti Shale Formations in Ain Zalah-29. Al-Ameri
The source of the oil in Triassic reservoirs is and Al-Dolaymi (ibid.) noted that the organic matter
controversial due to the paucity of published data. is Type II/III, deposited under suboxic-anoxic
Some researchers favour an indigenous source; lagoonal conditions.
others have suggested that the reservoirs were Shales and argillaceous carbonates in the Abu
charged either by Silurian source rocks or from Ruweis Formation of Jordan (equivalent to the lower
Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous source rocks to the evaporites of the Kurra Chine Formation of Iraq)
east. may constitute fair to good source rocks for oil and
Thode and Monster (1970) found that oils in gas; the shales mostly occur in the basal part of
Triassic reservoirs in Iraq have different sulphur the formation (Shinaq, 1996). Beydoun et al. (1994)
isotope ratios compared to oils in younger Mesozoic reported that Triassic source rocks in Jordan consist
and Tertiary reservoirs. Thus the S34/S32 ratio was of argillaceous sediments containing mixed oil-
on average + 2.4 (n=3) compared to an average of - prone Type II and gas-prone Type III kerogen, and
5.4 for Cretaceous/Tertiary reservoired oils. have low-to-moderate organic contents. In well
Metwalli et al. (1972) analysed crude oils from Northern Highlands-1, shaly and carbonate
Jebissa field in NE Syria, and likewise showed that intervals (AR-4 unit) have TOC contents of 0.5-1.9
the Triassic reservoired oils have different % and are thought to constitute oil-prone source
characteristics (ligher, low-sulphur, and low- rocks (Shinaq, 1996).
asphaltene) to those of oils in Cretaceous and Potential source rocks are probably best
Tertiary reservoirs. May (1991) suggested that developed in the mudstones which are interbedded
Triassic oils in Syrian and Iraqi oilfields could have with the Kurra Chine Formation evaporites; upper
been sourced from Middle to Lower Triassic and Carnian mudstones will probably charge overlying
Permian shales and limestones, or possibly by long- Norian reservoir intervals.
distance migration from Jurassic source rocks. Abboud et al. (2005) noted that the equivalent
Beydoun (1988,1993) favoured sourcing by thin “Butma Formation” at the Ouda field has source
shales which occur within the Triassic carbonate rock characteristics.
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 23

STRATIGRAPHY
LITHOLOGY

SEQUENCE
PERIOD / FORMATION LDL GENERAL
1.7 2.7 DEPTH
EPOCH / UNIT / GR LITHOLOGIC
(m)
AGE MEMBER CNL DESCRIPTION
60 0

Hith Anhydrite interbedded and

TITHONIAN Formation intermixed with limestone
and minor shale
3500

1st Salt
L AT E ( M A L M )

1st Anhydrite J100

Gotnia Formation

2nd Salt

Salt and anhydrite interbeds

KIMMERIDGIAN 2nd Anhydrite with occasional limestone J90
3750
and shale streaks
3rd Salt

3rd Anhydrite J80

C
MIDDLE (DOGGER)

4th Salt
4th Anhydrite J70
I

OXFORDIAN Interbedded grainstone, J60

Najmah
Formation argillaceous limestone J50
S

and bitumen J40

CALLOVIAN 4000
Sargelu Interbedded wackestone,
mudstone, grainstone and J30
Formation
S

BATHONIAN
bitumen.
BAJOCIAN Dhruma Shale with minor limestone J20
A

Formation laminations
AALENIAN
Interbedded limestone,
R

Unit ‘A’ wackestone, and calcareous

shale.
TOARCIAN
U

Limestone with occasional

Unit ‘B’ 4250 shale interbeds and dolomite
J

and anhydrite streaks

PLIENSBACHIAN
Marrat Formation

The Main Marrat Reservoir:

Peloidal grainstone,
wackestone and minor
E A R LY ( L I A S )

packstone
Unit ‘C’ Limestone with occasional
packstone and grainstone,
and with minor shale J10
dolomite and anhydrite
interlaminations towards AP7
SINEMURIAN 4500 bottom. AP6
Unit ‘D’ Interbedded lime mudstone,
dolomite, anhydrite and
shale.

Unit ‘E’ Interbedded lime mudstone,

HETTANGIAN dolomite, anhydrite and
shale.
TRIASSIC

RHAETIAN
L AT E

NORIAN Minjur
Formation 4750
CARNIAN

Fig. 5.18. Stratigraphy of Jurassic units in Kuwait, based on well Minagish-27. (After Yousif and
Nouman, 1997).

Seals The Uppermost Triassic –

Evaporites in the lower part of the Kurra Chine Lower Jurassic (upper Norian –
Formation seal reservoir intervals in underlying Sinemurian) Sequence
carbonates.This appears to be the case in the Alan/
Adaiyah/Ibrahim area of NW Iraq (Sadooni, 1995; Upper Norian – Sinemurian rocks comprise the
Sadooni an Alsharhan, 2004). However, particularly uppermost evaporitic part of the Kurra Chine
towards Iraqi Kurdistan, this seal capacity may be Formation, the Baluti Formation, and the lower
compromised due to facies changes and a reduction part of the Butmah Formation in the subsurface,
in the anhydrite content of the formation. the Zor Hauran and Ubaid Formations at outcrop
in the Western Desert (Fig.3.14); and the Sarki
Formation at outcrop in Iraqi Kurdistan
24 Chapter 5

Fig. 5.19. Reservoir quality in the

1000 Abu Ruweis Formation, Jordan
(Sadooni and Dalqamouni, 1998).
The Abu Ruweis is an equivalent
of the Kurra Chine Formation.
Permeability K (mD)

100

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Porosity Ø (%)

(Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986; Hassan, intercalations of thin-bedded (less than 10 cm thick)
1986). The basal part of this stratigraphy comprises finely crystalline dolomitized limestones showing
evaporitic and mostly continental deposits of late solution brecciation which may have resulted from
Norian to Rhaetian age. Thick and clean, low-energy the dissolution of anhydrite (Dunnington et al.,
carbonates typify the basal parts of the post- 1959).
Rhaetian stratigraphy throughout Iraq. These pass Fossils in the Baluti Shale include Glomospira
up into more heterolithic facies, which are sp.,ostracods and indeterminate molluscs; a
terminated by a sequence boundary which is Rhaetian age has been suggested for this unit
overlain by clastic units and heterolithic facies. The (Dunnington et al., 1959). The upper contact
Tr80 MFS was not precisely dated by Sharland et appears to be sharp although conformable.
al. (2001). On the basis of the Rhaetian age of the The Baluti Shale Formation probably represents
underlying Zor Hauran Formation (Kaddouri, the later part of lowstand to early transgressive
1986), the MFS may on further examination prove deposits of mostly continental origin, possibly with
to be of very earliest Jurassic rather than latest some aeolian (loess) contribution; the dolomite is
Triassic age. interpreted to be of possible peritidal to sabkha
A transition from oolitic grainstones which are origin. The Baluti Formation is therefore
assigned to the Tr70 HST up into massive to comparable in terms of depositional setting if not
laminated, locally slumped anhydrite with some lithology to the older Beduh Shale Formation.
graded beds is recorded at well Tel Hajar-1 in the The Baluti Shale Formation can be correlated
Sinjar Graben (Sadooni, 1995). Anhydrites are with the Zor Hauran Formation (sensu Buday,
thickest in depocentres and are apparently absent 1980) which at outcrop in the Western Desert. It
or only very poorly developed in basin margin consists of 27 m of variegated gypsiferous marls
settings such as Khleisia-1. Halite has not been and shales (Dunnington et al., 1959) and contains
recorded in this sequence. foraminifera dated as Rhaetic (Kaddouri, 1986, his
Uppermost parts of the Kurra Chine Formation chart 1; Kaddouri, 1992) (Fig. 5.17). Carbonates
are characterized by sabkha and salina deposits beneath the upper contact of the Zor Hauran
(Sadooni, 1995) (Figs. 5.13, 5.14). The anhydrite Formation are reddened. Local erosion and the
may represent maximum restriction, isolation and presence of siliciclastics in the overlying Ubaid
high salinity conditions in these basins during the Formation indicate the development of a
late highstand of Tr70 to early TST of Tr80. The disconformity at its upper surface (Jassim et al.,
laminated fabrics, graded beds and slumps in the 2006a) (Fig. 3.14), suggesting that the Zor Hauran
anhydrites of well Tel Hajar-1 (Sadooni, 1995) is a latest highstand to early lowstand deposit. The
suggest development of depositional slopes and Zor Hauran Formation is interpreted as a generally
perhaps syn-sedimentary tectonic activity within continental deposit, probably with clastic sediment
a relatively deep-water setting in some of these derived via aeolian processes but with some
basins (c.f. Sharland et al., 2001). Dunnington et indications of restricted marine intervals, similar
al. (1959) suggested that the Kurra Chine to the Baluti Formation.
Formation passes conformably and gradationally The Butmah Formation comprises 450-600
up into the Baluti Shale Formation. m of limestones, dolomites, shales, traces of
The Baluti Shale Formation is 58.5 m thick sandstone and locally well-developed anhydrites
at the Sarki locality in Iraqi Kurdistan (Dunnington et al., 1959). The formation can be
(Dunnington et al., 1959). At its type section south divided into five members. The lower two members
of Amadia City, it consists of grey and green, (Lower Butmah Formation) are here assigned to
calcareous and dolomitized shales with the upper Norian – Sinemurian sequence. The upper
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 25

three members (Upper Butmah Fomation) are here chert nodules (Jassim et al., 2006a). The uppermost
assigned to the overlying Pliensbachian – lower part of the formation is gypsiferous.
Toarcian sequence. Microfauna in the Ubaid Formation are
The lower Butmah Formation begins with 146 dominated by ostracods and foraminifera such as
m of a distinctive massive dolomite at the type well Involutina sp.; larger fossils include
Butmah-2. The overlying 150 m consists of thin ?Neomegalodon sp. and ?Grammatodon sp. of the
beds of green-grey to black mudstones, argillaceous genus Protodiceras (Kaddouri, 1986) and ?Mytilus
dolomites, dolomitised wackestones and packstones, sp., ?Modiolus sp. and ?Cardita sp. (Jassim et al.,
and nodular anhydrites (Dunnington et al., 1959). 2006a). Fossils in the Ubaid Formation include
The formation becomes increasingly anhydritic Spiriferina muensteri and Spiriferina walcotti
towards Syria, with cyclic beds of evaporites (Jassim et al., 1984), dated as Sinemurian – late
reported from well Sufaiya-1 (Kaddouri, 1986). Pliensbachian (Hassan, 1986; Kaddouri, 1986). The
No detailed palaeontological data for the Butmah upper contact of the Ubaid Formation with the
Formation is available. Dunnington et al. (1959) Hussainiyat Formation is a ferruginous surface
recorded gastropod debris in bioclastic limestones, (Jassim et al., 2006a). It is a highly karstified
macrofossil debris, sponge spicules, fish debris, disconformity with dolines up to tens of metres wide
ostracods and coprolithic pellets (Favreina sp.) and 50 m deep, containing infills of laterite, bauxite
together with Glomospira sp., Archaediscus, and siliciclastic material. Some of these features
Problematina sp. and small textulariids. An Early may be due to later (pre-Cretaceous) emergence
Jurassic age was suggested for the formation by (Kaddouri, 1986; Jassim et al., 2006a).
Kaddouri (1986). The contact of the upper part of The former presence of evaporites is indictaed
this interval is apparently conformable and by abundant dissolution features. Skoceck and
gradational with the overlying unit. Hussein (1980) thus interpreted the Ubaid
The lower Butmah Formation is interpreted to Formation to have been deposited in shallow
indicate a significant transgression which resulted hypersaline conditions with separate shoal,
in relatively open-marine conditions over a wide area lagoonal, supratidal pond and marsh environments.
of Iraq. These gave way to more restricted However the presence of brachiopods indicates at
environments that were more strongly cyclic, such least temporary open-marine environments.
as prograding tidal flats and sabkhas. These In Iraqi Kurdistan, the Sarki Formation is
interpretations are consistent with the 303 m thick at its type locality (Dunnington et al.,
palaeoenvironmental significance of the associated 1959). The lower 122 m is composed of dolomites or
rather restricted biota. dolomitic limestones with beds of marlstone, often
The Ubaid Formation in the Western Desert with chert and collapse breccias (Dunnington et al.,
is 75 to 125 m thick (Dunnington et al., 1959; 1959; Kaddouri, 1986). A thin, massive, dark brown
Jassim et al., 2006a). The formation is composed of dolomite characterizes the base of the formation
a clastic-carbonate pair (Jassim et al., 2006a) (Fig. (Dunnington et al., 1959, p.253; Kaddouri, 1986)
3.14). The basal clastic member is absent in the (Fig. 5.20). The middle division of the Sarki
Rutbah area but thickens to the east to about 40 Formation consists of thin-bedded cherty and
m, as a result of onlap onto an unconformable basal dolomitic limestones, cherty shales and sucrosic
contact (Buday, 1980; Al-Jumaily, 1984; Kaddouri, dolomites, with thin bands of shell-breccia, oolitic
1986). It contains narrow channels infilled with limestone and breccia (Dunnington et al., 1959;
ferruginous limestone clast conglomerates in Wadi Kaddouri, 1986). The upper part (121-180 m thick)
area (Jassim et al., 2006a). The basal part of the of the formation consists of extensively weathered
overlying clean carbonate unit (sensu Buday, 1980; and cavernous dolomites alternating with cherty
formerly asigned to the upper part of the Zor Hauran dolomite and shales and blocky marlstones
Formation of Dunnington et al., 1959), is dominated (Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986).
by oolitic facies (Jassim et al., 2006a).It comprises The basal dolomites (“Cyrenia” beds) contain
argillaceous limestones, and “oolitic and pseudo- fossils including Eomiodon indicus,
oolitic limestones and dolomitised limestones with Spongiostroma, ?Trocholina sp. and ?Glomospira
thin beds of mudstone and yellow/green sp. (Dunnington et al., 1959). Fossils in the upper
gypsiferous marl” (Dunnington et al., 1959). These part of the formation include Archaediscus,
clean carbonates represent a maximum flooding Problematina, fish debris and algae (Jassim et al.,
surface (the MFS Tr80 of Sharland et al., 2001), 2006a). The contact of the formation with the
which is followed by generally shallow-water HST overlying Sehkaniyan Formation is sharp and
strata which were initially deposited in relatively conformable (Dunnington et al., 1959).
open-marine conditions and then become more Jassim et al. (2006a) noted that the transition
restricted. Ubaid Formation carbonates include from the evaporitic Butmah Formation into the less
locally dolomitic, sandy and marly limestones evaporitic Sarki Formation occurs over a palaeohigh
(Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986), overlain (their “Taq Taq-Dohuk” palaeohigh), which may
by a similar thickness of crystalline limestones with have promoted restriction in the basin to the SW.
26 Chapter 5

The high may relate to a lineament in the the presence of oils in bituminous shales of the
Chemchemal area, also identified from Cretaceous Butmah Formation in well Samawa-1.
data by Haddad and Amin (2007), and its possible
extension. Seals
The massive dolomites at the base of the Butmah The massive evaporites in the upper part of the
Formation are probably equivalent to the Sefidar Kurra Chine Formation and the associated shales
Member of the Dashtak Formation (Szabo and and argillaceous limestone form good seals to known
Kheradpir, 1978). This represents the MFS and accumulations such as the Triassic reservoirs
early highstand to Tr80, while overlying “D discussed above (pp. 26-27). However, de Ruiter et
Evaporites” represent the subsequent early al. (1995) downgraded the Lower Mulussa plays in
lowstand (from data in Szabo and Kheradipir, 1978). the Euphrates Graben area because of perceived
Low-GR carbonates in the Mulussa “D” interval in problems with intraformational seals. The thickness
the Euphrates Graben and the “Muss Formation” of evaporite units decreases away from depocentres
in Palmyra (Jamal et al., 2000) are also probably (Jamal et al., 2000), while the proportion of coarse
equivalent to the basal clean carbonates of the siliciclastic sediments increases towards
Butmah Formation of Iraq, although the Syrian palaeohighs. These factors may also reduce the
succession is generally not well dated. In Jordan, effectiveness of Triassic -Lower Jurassic seals over
rare thin clean carbonates occur at the top of the palaeohighs in Iraq. Minor seals may also occur
Abu Ruweis Formation (Andrews et al., 1992a) (Fig. within the shales and anhydrites overlying the
5.3) and can also be correlated with the basal basal dolomite unit of the Butmah Formation.
Butmah Formation; younger sediments appear to
be absent due to erosion. The Lower Jurassic (Pliensbachian
A major erosional surface was identified in the – lower Toarcian) Sequence
Euphrates Graben where the Mulussa “F” clastics
unconformably overlie older Mulussa units (Jamal Regional correlation with the better-dated
et al., 2000). In the eastern Mediterranean, the stratigraphy in the eastern Mediterranean suggests
?Pliensbachian (Gvirtzman and Steinitz, 1983) that a Pliensbachian – early Toarcian age should
Asher Volcanics rest on older strata with an angular be assigned to the upper part of the Butmah
unconformity, and locally overstep rocks of Carnian Formation in the subsurface of Iraq, whose
age (Dvorkin and Kohn, 1989). Erosion associated thickness totals 236 m (Dunnington et al., 1959).
with this basal unconformity, and due to doming At outcrop in the Western Desert, rocks of this age
resulting from volcanism, may be the source of the are assigned to the Hussainiyat Formation
siliciclastics present above this sequence boundary which is up to 120 m thick and consists of lower
in eastern Syria and Iraq. (siliciclastic) and upper (carbonate) members (Al-
Mubarek et al., 1981; Jassim, 1981; Jassim et al.,
Petroleum System Components 2006a) (Fig.3.14). Correlative outcrops in Iraqi
Reservoir rocks Kurdistan are represented by the lower division of
There are no proven reservoir rocks in this interval. the Sehkaniyan Formation, which is 85 m thick
Clean carbonates at the base of the Butmah at Surdash (Dunnington et al., 1959).
Formation may locally have reservoir potential. The upper part of the Butmah Formation
Basal sandstones in the Ubaid Formation at outcrop commences with a siliciclastic-dominated unit that
in the Western Desert may act as reservoirs, by is 51 m thick at the formation’s type section in well
analogy with the Mulussa ‘F’ reservoir units in Butmah-2 (Dunnington et al., 1959). This clastic
Syria. Roychoudhury and Nahar (1980) suggested interval is well-developed in the Mileh Tharthar-1
that the Butmah Formation clastics may form good well (Dunnington et al., 1959) where it is known
reservoirs over tectonic highs in southern Iraq. informally as the “Mileh Tharthar clastics” (Jassim
Significant reservoirs associated with karst and et al., 2006a). It occurs as far south as Samawa-1
collapse breccias may also be present beneath the (Roychoudhury and Nahar, 1980) while age-
upper boundary of the unit. equivalent clastics are present in Kuwait (Burgan
field; Al-Naqib, 1967). To the NW, siliciclastics
Source rocks including reddish marls, siltstones, purple shales
Possible upper Carnian–Rhaetic source rocks were and marls with haematitic sandstones are recorded
reviewed as part of the previous section. in wells Alan-1, Mileh Tharthar-1, Makhul-2,
Younger (Hettangian–Sinemurian) source rocks Qalian-1, Butmah-2, Sufaiya-1, Ibrahim-1 and
have not yet been identified in Iraq or neighbouring Butmah-15 (Dunnington et al., 1959; Buday, 1980;
countries. Argillaceous sediments associated with Roychoudhury and Nahar, 1980; Kaddouri, 1986).
thick evaporites in the Butmah Formation may The uppermost part of the Butmah Formation, 185
have source potential, by analogy with the m thick at its type section (Dunnington et al.,
“Kurrachine” Formation of Syria (Abboud et al., 1959), comprises calcareous mudstones, dolomitised
2005). Roychoudhury and Nahar (1980) reported argillaceous lime mudstones, pelletal wackestones,
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 27

thin peloidal-oolitic packstones and nodular

LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY
FOSSILS
anhydrites. Thin beds of cherty mudstones and

LITHOLOGIC LOG
cherty dolomites occur throughout.

Pseudomelania kidugallaensis

STRATIGRAPHY
The palaeontology of the Butmah Formation was

SEQUENCE
Protocardia besauriei
discussed in the previous section; the only

Ammonite fragment
Cylindroporella sp.

Posidonia becheri
Frondicularia sp.

Macroporella sp.
significant difference between its top and base is

SAMPLE

Haurania amijii
SYSTEM

Cornuspira sp.
STAGES

Trocholina sp.

Posidonia sp.
Valvulina sp.

Chlamys sp.

Lucina sp.
that Archaediscus sp. is not abundant at the top

Lima sp.
(Dunnington et al., 1959). The upper part of the
Butmah Formation contains beds of anhydrite and
passes gradationally into the overlying Adaiyah
Formation (Dunnington et al., 1959).

Chia Gara
B a t h o n i a n - Ti t h o n i a n
The upper part of the Butmah Formation
probably represents stacked tidal flat to supratidal/ K10 ?

sabkha deposits, alternating with higher-energy

oolite and peloid shoals, whose abundance depend J110
on cycle stacking patterns. Most depositional
J100

Naokelekan Barsarin
J90

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
J80
environments were probably highly restricted with J70
J60
respect to salinity. Clastics in the Butmah J50
Formation are thought to have been derived from
the Hail-Rutbah Arch to the west/SW
J40

*
(Roychoudhury and Nahar, 1980).

Bajocian

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Sargelu
J U R A S S I C J30
At outcrop in Iraqi Kurdistan, the lower part of

*
the Lower Member of the Sehkaniyan
Formation is a 60 m thick, brown massive J20

dolomite, with saccharoidal dolomites and dolomitic

Pre Toarcian

Sehkaniyan
- Toarcian

*
*
*

*
limestone towards the top (Dunnington et al., 1959;
Kaddouri, 1986; Hassan, 1986). It contans
indeterminate gastropod and lamellibranch debris J10

*
(Dunnington et al., 1959).
The lower division of the Sehkaniyan Formation
Upper Sarki

*
represents a restricted carbonate platform, although
?Pleinsbachian - Hettangian

this was probably more subtidal and less cyclic than

the facies in the Butmah Formation towards the
SW. This may indicate proximity to the open waters
of Tethys.
In the Western Desert, the lower (siliciclastic)
Lower Sarki

Member of the Hussainiyat Formation is 54 m ? J05

thick in Wadi Hauran; it is also present to the east,
but it is absent in the Rutbah area (Fig.3.14). This
is the most extensive siliciclastic unit of Early
*
*
*
*
*
*

Jurassic age in western Iraq. It contains stacked Tr80 ?

fluvial channel sandstones, channel lag deposits

*
*
*

with ironstone pebbles, silicified tree trunks, plant

stems, prints of leaves and ferruginous mudstones LEGEND

(Jassim et al., 2006a). The upper (carbonate) Limestone Bioclastic Limestone

member of the Hussainiyat Formation comprises Cherty Limestone Dolomitic Limestone

dolomitised limestones with relict pellets, Marly Limestone Shale

intraclasts and bioclasts.

Fossils in the Hussainiyat Formation
carbonates include five gastropod species and eleven Fig. 5.20. Log of the Lower Jurassic to
bivalve species together with ostracods, valvulinid, Neocomian succession in the Benavi area,
textulariid and nodosarid foraminifera, and northern Iraqi Kurdistan. The logged column
occasional “algal structures” (Jassim et al., 2006a) represents 200 m of stratigrapy. After Kaddouri,
1986.
that may be microbialites. These are tentatively
dated as Toarcian–Bajocian (Hassan, 1986;
Kaddouri, 1986). The presence of Cyas sp. indicates
tropical climatic conditions (Jassim et al., 2006a).
The siliciclastic basal member of the Amij
Formation rests disconformably on the Hussainiyat
Formation (Kaddouri, 1986; Jassim et al., 2006a).
28 Chapter 5

Close to the onlap margin in the SW, the basal Seals

clastic member was deposited in a flood-plain Minor evaporite and shale seals may occur within
environment; to the NE, its depositional the upper part of the Butmah Formation.
environment is interpreted to have been deltaic
(Kaddouri, 1986). The carbonate member of the The Middle Jurassic (middle Toarcian –
Hussainiyat Formation was probably deposited in lower Aalenian) sequence
a lagoonal environment, although the upper part
appears supratidal. This sequence consists of the Adaiyah and Mus
Siliciclastic facies at the base of the sequence in Formations in the subsurface (130-150 m thick;
well Anah-2 (Jassim et al., 2006a) can be correlated Dunnington et al., 1959; Jassim et al., 2006a), the
with the Mulussa “F” Formation of the Euphrates upper part of the lower and the middle division of
Graben, Syria (Jamal et al., 2000). Siliciclastic the Sehkaniyan Formation at outcrops in Iraqi
input may have been related to uplift of Palaeozoic Kurdistan (120 m thick; Dunnington et al., 1959),
rocks, probably associated with rifting in NW Syria and the Amij Formation in the Western Desert,
(Delaune-Mayere, 1984) and basaltic volcanism in which is up to 80 m thick (Kaddouri, 1986) (Fig.
the Levant (Dvorkin and Kohn, 1989). A 3.14).
transgression following the deposition of these basal The Adaiyah Formation consists at its type
siliciclastic units has been identified in the flooding section in well Adaiyah-1 of 90 m of bedded and
surfaces present in the eastern Mediterranean, nodular anhydrites with limestones and shales
where the well-dated Nirim Formation (Dunnington et al., 1959). Only locally, as at well
(Pliensbachian) overlies the ?Pliensbachian Asher Makhul-2, does the formation contain halite (Jassim
Volcanics (Dvorkin and Kohn, 1989). The uppermost et al., 2006a).
Butmah Formation is probably equivalent to the Fossils reported from the Adaiyah Formation
locally massive black to green dolomites towards include Nodosaria sp, Glomospira sp., lituolids,
the base of the Neyriz Formation in Iran, for ostracods, small-shelled gastropod debris and
example in Kaneh Kat (Szabo and Kheradpir, 1978, echinoid elements (Dunnington et al., 1959). The
their fig. 34); the overlying heterolithic facies of the formation is assumed to be of probable late but not
Butmah is probably equivalent to the top of the latest Early Jurassic age because of its context and
Neyriz Formation. regional correlation (Dunnington et al., 1959). The
contact at the top of the formation is generally
Petroleum System Components conformable and sharp; it is overlain by the Mus
Reservoir rocks Formation.
Sandstone-rich intervals in the upper part of the The Adaiyah Formation probably represents
Butmah Formation may locally have reservoir sabkha-salina deposition in an arid environment
potential, particularly where draped over tectonic (Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986), possibly
highs for example in southern Iraq (Roychoudhury within a shallow intrashelf basin.
and Nahar, 1980). Fluvial and coastal sandstones The upper 25 m of the Lower Division of the
in the basal Hussainiyat Formation are potential Sehkaniyan Formation includes
exploration targets in the Western and SW Deserts. “pseudobreccias” after solution-brecciated marls,
Correlative Mulussa “F” fluvial siliciclastics are a which are probably collapse breccias formed by
secondary pay in the Euphrates Graben with a dissolution of evaporites (Dunnington et al., 1959;
net:gross of 25% and porosities of up to 20% (de Kaddouri, 1986).The upper contact with the middle
Ruiter et al., 1995). Similar sandstones may occur member is marked by a pronounced and sharp
in extensions of the graben system in western Iraq. change up into thinly-bedded bioclastic limestones
Carbonates within the uppermost Butmah, (Dunnington et al., 1959).
Hussainiyat and lower Sehkaniyan Formations The Mus Formation is on average 40 m thick
may have reservoir potential, particularly when but reaches 56 m in its type section at well Butmah-
oolitic and/or dolomitised. Reservoir potential may 2 (Dunnington et al., 1959). It is dominated by
also be associated with collapse breccias in the upper dolomitic peloidal limestones with marly limestones,
parts of these formations. shales and rare anhydrites. Roychoudhury and
Nahar (1980) noted that the Mus Formation may
Source rocks contain oolites and sandstones in southern Iraq.
No source rocks have yet been identified in this The formation has a distinctive microfacies and
sequence in Iraq or neighbouring countries. a unique but limited foraminiferal fauna. Abundant
Argillaceous strata associated with evaporites in algal-encrusted grains (oncolites) are a
the Butmah Formation may have source potential characteristic feature of this formation. Other
by analogy with the Kurra Chine Formation. Oil faunal components include gastropods (locally
has been recorded in bituminous shales in the abundant), bivalve debris (uncommon) and
Butmah Formation in well Samawa-1 ostracods, together with textulariids, Glomospira
(Roychoudhury and Nahar, 1980). sp, nodosarids and Ammodiscus sp (Dunnington
 Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic 29

et al., 1959). An early Toarcian – Aalenian age is with laminated to domal microbialites (Jassim et
assigned to the Mus Formation (Dunnington et al., 2006a).
al., 1959). The upper contact of the Mus Formation A rich assemblage of endemic molluscs is present
is generally sharp and conformable (if not in the basal carbonates, including Grammatodon
gradational) as it passes into the overlying Alan sp., Oxtyoma sp., Pinna sp., Corulomya sp.,
Formation, although locally the Sargelu directly Tancredia? sp., Pleuromya sp., Plagiostoma sp. and
overlies the Mus Formation (Dunnington et al., Mytilus sp. (Jassim et al. (2006a). According to
1959). However, in the Mileh Tharthar-1 well, the Jassim et al. (ibid.), the Amij Formation is the basal
Mus is unusually dolomitised and is terminated by part of an uppermost Toarcian – Callovian interval.
an erosional unconformity. The basal Alan The age of the formation is considered (Jassim et
Formation at this locality consists of sandy al., 2006a; Hassan, 1986) to be “older than
conglomerates containing clasts of Mus Formation Bajocian”, although a Bajocian age cannot be
limestone (Dunnington et al., 1959). excluded. No equivalents of the evaporitic units
The Mus Formation is interpreted as a subtidal present in the subsurface are known from the top
low- to moderate energy shelf deposit. Although of the Amij Formation, which appears to be in sharp
oncolites commonly occur in muddy environments, contact with basal sandstones of the Muhaiwir
a degree of hydraulic energy is required to ensure Formation (Jassim et al., 2006a).
their continued growth (Flügel, 2004). The fauna and associated microbialites,
Towards the High Folded Zone of NE Iraqi recrystallised algae and plant debris indicate a
Kurdistan (e.g. in Sulaimaniyah Province), the Mus restricted brackish-water depositional environment,
Formation is replaced by the Middle Division of which contrasts strongly with the open-marine
the Sehkaniyan Formation. The Middle Division fauna of the overlying Muhaiwir Formation
at its type locality consists of 44 m of highly carbonates (Hassan, 1986) and suggests a major
fossiliferous, organic and peloidal limestones, locally re-organisation of the basin. This interpretation is
dolomitised, with silicified fossils and some chert consistent with the location of the boundary between
(Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986). Bed Sharland et al.’s (2001) Megasequences AP6 and
thicknesses increase from 20 cm at the base to 1 m AP7 between the Amij and Muhaiwir Formations.
at the top (Dunnington et al., 1959; Kaddouri, 1986) Time-equivalent deposits in the region include
(Fig. 5.18). the Marrat “C” Member in Kuwait, which comprises
Fossils in the Middle Division include Lithiotis up to 200 m of peloidal oolitic wackestone to
sp., Spiriferina sp. cf. S. ampla, Zeilleria sp., grainstones (Yousif and Nouman, 1997) (Fig. 5.18).
Haurania sp. and Lituola sp.; algae include Boueina Thicknesses of the Marrat ‘C’ increase by about
hochstetteri var. liasica (Dunnington et al., 1959). 25% compared to off-structure areas and represent
Lithiotis is locally abundant and consequently the barriers and shoals, facing into lower energy
unit is referred to informally as the “Lithiotis subtidal areas (Yousif and Nouman, 1997). Buday
Limestone”. (1980) suggested that the Adaiyah Formation may
Bed thicknesses and facies of the Middle Division actually be replaced by the clastic Marrat
can be interpreted in terms of classic “upwards- Formation in extreme SW Iraq, whilst Yousif and
shallowing” architecture. The facies and biota Nouman (1997) proposed that the Adaiyah is
suggest that the middle member of the Sehkaniyan equivalent to the evaporitic Marrat “D” and “E”
Formation is probably slightly more open marine Members in Kuwait (Fig. 5.18).
than the Mus Formation, although it is a similarly
low energy shelf carbonate. Petroleum System Components
In the Western Desert, the Amij Formation Reservoir rocks
(= Upper Butmah Formation of Hassan, 1986) is Exploration activities during the 1980s were
42–80 m thick (Kaddouri, 1986) (Fig. 3.14). The directed towards the Middle–Upper Jurassic
basal siliciclastic-dominated intervals comprises 20- succession in the Mesopotamian Foredeep. Well
30 m of fine-grained sandstones with cross bedding, West Qurna-15 produced condensates from what
herringbone cross-lamination and oscillation ripple was initially considered to be part of the Najmah
marks; darker laminae contain heavy mineral Formation. Later correlation, however (Samarrai
grains (zircon, ilmenite). Sandstones are associated 1988, pers. commun. to F.S.), indicated that the
with siltstones, red-green mudstones and thin productive reservoir unit is part of the Lower
gypsum beds, overlying a red claystone unit (Jassim Jurassic Mus Formation. The equivalent unit in
et al., 2006a). These sediments are interpreted to Kuwait, the Marrat “C”, is a significant oil reservoir,
have been deposited in a shallow-marine particularly where dolomitized (Yousif and
environment. The J10 maximum flooding surface Nouman, 1997; Singh et al., 2006; Kumar et al.,
of Sharland et al. (2001) can be placed within the 2006). The Marrat “C” produces 8000 b/d oil from
basal part of the Limestone Unit of the Amij six wells in the Humma Marat field (Meddaugh et
Formation, which comprises white to yellowish, al., 2006); single well production and tests show
argillaceous dolomites and dolomitic limestones, rates of 2400-5700 b/d oil and 4-18 MM scf/d of gas
30 Chapter 5

(Singh et al., 2006), with 70-75% of the production successions which are proven only by the deeper
from the lowermost “C” Member at Humma Marat. wells. A maximum of just over 3 km of stratigraphy
Average porosities are 12- 22% and permeability 1- is present to the east of the Salman Zone. Due to
10 mD (Meddaugh et al., 2006). the abundance of dolomite and anhydrite,
micropalaeontological analysis has not proven to
Source rocks be particularly successful and the detailed
In well Jebel Kand-1, Al-Haba (1988 unpublished stratigraphy of this interval will probably only be
and cited by Al-Sakini, 1992) found that the Mus revealed by the application of palynological and
Formation has a low organic matter content. Liquid possibly conodont dating techniques, as have begun
oils have been recorded in bituminous shales in the to be applied in basins to the west of Iraq.
Mus Formation in well Samawa-1, and also in Overall, the stratigraphy shows progressive
coastal wells which penetrated the Marrat onlap onto the Khleisia and Rutbah highs, with
Formation in Saudi Arabia (Roychoudhury and clastic sediments restricted to updip areas with
Nahar, 1980). Palaeozoic sediment source terranes. Between the
Tethyan reefal belt and the clastic onlap margin, a
Seals succession of shelves and intrashelf basins were
The massive evaporites in the Adaiyah Formation, developed. The shelfal areas are not particularly
and the associated shales and argillaceous prospective since they appear to be dominated by
limestones, potentially provide good seals; however, low-energy, low-porosity platform interior
they are not known to act as a seal to any carbonates. Within the basins, transgressions
hydrocarbon accumulation in the region. appear to have resulted in the deposition of higher-
The Mus Formation has been suggested as a energy and relatively open-marine carbonates which
seal in southern Iraq (Roychoudhury and Nahar, form local reservoirs in fields such as Butmah.
1980). Restriction probably began during later highstands
and continued through the lowstand into the
Concluding Remarks following transgression, and the basins became
potential sites of source rock deposition. During
The Middle Permian to Lower Jurassic stratigraphy lowstands, the basins accumulated often thick
throughout most of Iraq is characterised by evaporites, typically anhydrite; however, along the
carbonate-evaporite platform and intrashelf basin Salman Zone, halite is present.