Abstract
The Oligocene–Lower Miocene carbonate sequence of northeast Iraq is a potential reservoir rock in many oil fields of the Foot Hill Zone. A comparatively thin section of this sequence is studied at the high folded zone from Golan Mountain near Derbandikhan Town, Kurdistan region of northeast Iraq. The study aimed at revealing the stratigraphic status and differentiation of this sequence through microfacies and sequence stratigraphic analyses. The section is 27-m thick and bounded by sequence boundaries of type 1 (top) and type 2 (bottom). The underlying unit is the Pila Spi limestone Formation of Late Eocene, and the overlying unit is the Fatha Formation of Middle Miocene. Microfacies analysis (nine basic microfacies), and biostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic investigations of this sequence reveal the occurrence of the following formations with their common microfacies (from bottom to top): the Bajwan Formation (Rupelian) with 18-m-thick massive, fragmented to rubbly lagoonal limestone. The microfacies include miliolid-bioclastic wackestone to packstone. Index forams include Archaias kirkukensis, Praerhapydionina delicate, and Peneroplis thomasi. The Anah Formation (Chattian) is thin (3 m) and characterized by grayish, rubbly to massive, lagoonal limestone horizon with foraminiferal-bioclastic packstone as the dominating microfacies. Index foraminiferas include Meandropsina anahensis, Rotalia vienoti and Miliolidae. The uppermost 6 m of the sequence represents a cyclic alternation of limestone (calcarenite) with common microfacies type of oolitic grainstone and pelloidal-bioclastic packstone, and sandy dolomitic limestone of arenaceous bioclastic dolopackstone microfacies. Three complete cycles were recognized, the lower two represent the Aquitanian Euphrates Formation, and the upper cycle seems to represent the Burdigalian Jeribe Formation. A reconstruction of the depositional environments indicates transition from shallow marine lagoonal and carbonate shoals to coastal depositional system. These shallow marine environments and the comparatively thin section of the sequence emphasizes marginal location of the studied section within the sedimentary basin. The depositional history of the section is reviewed within a sequence stratigraphic framework which shows the occurrences of four shallowing upward third-order sequences.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Essa M (1992) The Early Miocene secondary sedimentary cycles at Kirkuk and neighboring fields, North Iraq. Iraqi Geol J 25:41–58
Al-Essa M (1994) Late Oligocene-Early Miocene coral reefs of Kirkuk and neighboring area. Iraqi Geol J 25:17–32
Al-Hashimi H, Amer R (1985) Tertiary microfacies of Iraq. State Organization for Minerals D. G. G. S. M. I. (GEOSURV), Baghdad
Al-Hietee S (2012) Facies architecture and sequence stratigraphy of the Lower and Middle Miocene, Kirkuk area, north Iraq. M.Sc. thesis, University of Baghdad, p 126
Al-Qayim B (2006) Sag-interior Oligocene basin of north-central Iraq: sequence stratigraphy and basin overview. Geo2006 conference technical program abstract
Al-Qayim B (2012) Poly phase foreland basin of NE Arabia: basin differentiation and hydrocarbon potentiality. Oral presentation at the First EAEG workshop on Iraq, Istanbul
Al-Qayim B, Omer A, Koyi H (2012) Tectonostratigraphic overview of the Zagros Suture Zone, Kurdistan Region, Northeast Iraq. GeoArabia 17:109–156
Amirshahkarami M, Taheri A (2010) Biostratigraphy characterization of the Rupelian–Burdigalian carbonate succession at the Chaman–Bolbol area in the Zagros basin. Strat Sediment Res 40:119–136
Bellen RC (1956) The stratigraphy of the “main limestone” of the Kirkuk, Bia Hassan and Qara Cha Dagh structures in north Iraq. J Inst Petrol 42:233–263
Bellen RCV, Dunnington HV, Wetzel R, Morton D (1959) Lexique Stratigraphique, Interntional. International Stratigraphic Commission, Asie, Iraq, Fasc, 10a, Paris
Brandano M, Frezza V, Tomassetti L, Cuffaro M (2008) Heterozoan carbonates in oligotrophic tropical waters: the Attard member of the Lower coralline limestone formation (Upper Oligocene, Malta). Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 272:1–10
Brasier MD (1975) The ecology and distribution of recent foraminifera from the reefs and shoals around Barbuda, West Indies. J Foraminifer Res 5:193–210
Brasier MD (1980) Microfossils. George Allen and Unwin, London, p 193
Brun JA (1971) Some tertiary microfossils and microfacies from Iraq. Elf Exploration Laboratories, Paris
Buxton M, Pedley H (1989) Short paper: a standardized model for Tethyan Tertiary carbonate ramps. J Geol Soc 146:746–748
Dunham R (1962) Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture. In: Ham WE (ed) Classification of carbonate rocks: a symposium, vol 1., Memoir seriesAmerican Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Tulsa, pp 108–121
Embry AF, Klovan JE (1971) A Late Devonian reef tract on northeastern banks island. NWT Bull Canadian Petrol Geol 19:730–781
Flügel E (2010) Microfacies of carbonate rocks; analysis, interpretation and application, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin
Geel T (2000) Recognition of stratigraphic sequences in carbonate platform and slope deposits: empirical models based on microfacies analysis of Paleogene deposits in southeastern Spain. Palaeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 155:211–238
Gerdes KD, Simmons MDW et al (2010) The influence of basin architecture and eustacy on the evolution of Tethyan Mesozoic and Cenozoic carbonate sequences. Geol Soc Lond 329:9–41 (spec publ)
Ghose BK (1977) Paleoecology of the Cenozpoicreefal foraminifers and algae—a brief review. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 22:231–256
Hallock P, Glenn E (1986) Larger foraminifera: a tool for palaeoenvironmental analysis of Cenozoic carbonate depositional facies. Palaios 1:55–64
Haq B, Al-Qahtani A (2005) Phanerozoic cycles of sea-level change on the Arabian platform. GeoArabia 10:127–160
Haq B, Hardenbo J, Vail P (1987) Chronology of fluctuating sea level since the Triassic. Science 235:1156–1167
Holzmann M, Hohenegger J, Hallock P, Piller WE, Pawlowski J (2001) Molecular phylogeny of large miliolid foraminifera (Soritacea Ehrenberg 1839). Mar Micropaleontol 43:57–74
Ibrahim A (2009) Tectonic style and evolution of the NW segment of the Zagros fold—thrust belt, Sulaimani Governorate, Kurdistan Region, NE Iraq. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Sulaimani
Karim K, Khanaqa P, Ismail K, Sissakian V (2012) Facies analysis of the oligocene succession of the Sharwaldir anticline, northeast of Kalar Town. Iraqi Bull Geol Min 8:1–20
Khanaqa P, Karim S, Sissakian V, Kareem K (2009) Lithostratigraphic study of a Late Oligocene–Early Miocene succession, south of Sulaimaniyah, NE Iraq. Iraqi Bull Geol Min 5:41–57
Kharajiany S (2008) Sedimentary facies of Oligocene rock units in Ashdagh mountain-Sangaw district-Kurdistan region-NE Iraq. MSc thesis, University of Sulaimani
Kharajiany S (2014) The occurrence of the Early and Middle Miocene rocks (Euphrates, Dhiban, and Jerebi Formations) in Ashdagh mountain, Sangaw area, Sulaimaniyah vicinity, NE Iraq. Iraqi Bull Geol Min Geosurve 10:21–40
Lawa F, Othman P (2012) New paleoshorelines of the prolific oligocene/aquitanian sequence from Zagros fold thrust belt. Kurdistan Region/N. Iraq. Oral presentation at the First EAEG workshop on Iraq, Istanbul
Lee J (1990) Fine structure of the rhodophycean Porphyridium purpureum in situ in Peneroplis pertusus (Forskal) and P. acicularis (Batsch) and in axenic culture. J Foraminifer Res 20:162–169
Ma’ala KA (2008) Geological map of Sulaimaniyah Governorate; sheet NI-38-3. State Company of geological Survey and Mining, Baghdad
Romero J, Caus E, Rossel J (2002) A model for the palaeoenvironmental distribution of larger foraminifera based on Late Middle Eocene deposits on the margin of the south Pyrenean basin. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 179:43–56
Sadeghi R, Moghaddam H, Tahri A (2009) Biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the Oligo–Miocene succession in Fars and Khuzestan areas, Zagros basin, SW Iran. Hist Biol 21:17–31
Scholle P, Scholle D (2003) A color guide to the petrography of carbonate rocks, vol 77., Memoir seriesAmerican Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Tulsa
Seyrafian A, Moghaddam H, Arzani N, Taheri A (2011) Facies analysis of the Asmari Formation in central and north-central Zagros basin, southwest Iran: biostratigraphy, paleoecology and diagenesis. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geologicas 28:439–458
Sharland P, Archer D, Casey D, Davies R, Hall S, Heward A, Horbury A, Simmons M (2001) Arabian plate sequence stratigraphy: GeoArabia special publication 2. Gulf Petrolink, Bahrain
Tucker ME (2001) Sedimentary petrology: an introduction to the origin of sedimentary rocks, 3rd edn. Blackwell, Oxford
Walker R, Neol J (1992) Facies model: response to sea level change. Geological Association of Canada, St. John’s
Wilson JL (1975) Carbonate facies in geological history. Springer, Berlin
Youkhanna R, Hardecky P (1978) General geological mapping of Khanaqeen–Maidan area. Geosurve Library, Baghdad
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Qayim, B., Ibrahim, A. & Kharajiany, S. Microfacis and sequence stratigraphy of the Oligocene–Miocene sequence at Golan Mountian, Kurdistan, Iraq. Carbonates Evaporites 31, 259–276 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-015-0262-5
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-015-0262-5