Abstract
The Hartha Formation (late Campanian–Maastrichtian) is one of the most important carbonate hydrocarbon reservoirs in Iraq. Previous studies have focused on stratigraphic and lithological characteristics of the Hartha Formation in the middle and southern parts of Iraq, while this study focuses on the reconstruction of its facies architecture and stratigraphic successions in five oilfields the north and northwestern parts of Iraq. Its thicknesses were recorded for all of the wells studied, along with the occurrences of benthonic foraminifera, rudists, echinoderms, coral, algae and peloids. The main diagenetic processes affecting the formation include dolomitization, cementation, silicification, compaction and micritization. Eleven microfacies are recognized, representing four facies association: outer shelf (I), fore reef and shoal (II), rudist reef and restricted platform (III) and (IV) lagoon. These facies associations occur in a predictable order reflecting regressive shallowing-upward sequences. Lateral facies variation shows that fore reef and shoal environments dominate the Hartha succession, suggesting that it corresponds to a ramp-type carbonate platform depositional model.
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Acknowledgements
The author is very grateful to the University of Mosul/College of Sciences/Department of Geology for their provided facilities, which helped to improve the quality of this work. The author thanks Ali Al-Juboury and Salim H. Hussein (Mosul University, Iraq), Aboosh Al-Hadidy (Northern Oil Company, Iraq) for their help in reading the manuscript and fruitful comments. Saddam Essa from Geology Department of Mosul University is highly appreciated for his help in designing and drawing figures. Thanks are also due to the Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London for their help in XRD and SEM analyses.
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Al-Haj, M.A. Sedimentological Study of the Hartha Formation in Selected Oilfields, Northern Iraq. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Sci 44, 389–400 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-020-00831-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-020-00831-5