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Biodegradation and the origin of surface bitumens in the Palaeocene Kolosh Formation, Northern Iraq

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Abstract

The bitumen from surface exposures of the Palaeocene Kolosh Formation in three areas (Duhok, Shaqlawa and Dokan) of northern Iraq were investigated using GC, GC-MS, carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of aromatic, NSO and asphaltene to determine their state of alteration (biodegradation, water washing and abiotic oxidation), thermal maturity and potential source rocks. These samples have a high percentage of NSO and asphaltene and minor amounts of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. These bitumens have a distinguished biomarker distribution, which can be attributed to different levels of biodegradation. The samples of Group 1 are moderately biodegraded: their normal alkanes and isoprenoids have been removed, whereas their hopanes and steranes are intact or have been very slightly altered. The samples of Group 2 are heavily to very heavily biodegraded; their steranes and hopanes are degraded without the formation of 25-norhopanes. These samples are more oxidized than those of Group 1. The bitumens have different origins, and their terpane and sterane ratios indicate that they were generated by early mature marine carbonate source rocks that were likely to have originated from Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Formations.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Professor Michael Engel, School of Geology and Geophysics of the University of Oklahoma (USA), who carried out the carbon and deuterium analyses and provided all data used in this study. We would like also to thank GeoMark Research Ltd. for their analysis of the samples, especially Alex Zumberge who supervised the geochemical data presented in this study. Helen Kirkbride is highly acknowledged for her serious review of the manuscript and for her numerous suggestions and improvements to the text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Geology, College of Science, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq

    Mohamed W. Alkhafaji

  2. Department of Refining, College of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

    Mohamed A. Aljubouri

  3. Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

    Falah A. Al-Miamary

  4. 23 rue Saint-Exupéry, 64000, Pau, France

    Jacques Connan

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  1. Mohamed W. Alkhafaji
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  2. Mohamed A. Aljubouri
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  3. Falah A. Al-Miamary
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  4. Jacques Connan
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Contributions

M.W.A. and J.C. took the lead in interpretation the results and writing the manuscript. M.A.A. and F.A.A. contributed to sample collection, and contributed to the interpretation of the results. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis and manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mohamed W. Alkhafaji.

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Responsible Editor: Santanu Banerjee

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Alkhafaji, M.W., Aljubouri, M.A., Al-Miamary, F.A. et al. Biodegradation and the origin of surface bitumens in the Palaeocene Kolosh Formation, Northern Iraq. Arab J Geosci 13, 554 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05579-1

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