STRATİGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF PİRAMAGROON ANTİCLİNE, SULAİMANİ AREA, NORTHEAST IRAQ

Year 2017, Volume: 154 Issue: 154, 27 - 39, 04.04.2017

Kamal Haji Karim Polla Azad Khanaqa

https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.305987

Abstract

The Piramagroon anticline (or Pira Magrun Mountain)
elongates directly to the northwest of Sulaimani city, Northeast Iraq and its
southeastern part contains two other anticlines, named Harmetool and Yakhyian
anticlines in addition to their complementary synclines and many other smaller folds.
The anticline has experienced intense search for oil in the last few years and
a well is drilled to a depth of 3000 meters but, any evidence of oil or gas
wasn’t found. In the present study, the southeastern part has been studied stratigraphically
and structurally and the previous studies have been critically reviewed which
may help to reason about the absence of oil in the area. In this study the
stratigraphy of the anticline has been determined and Kometan, Gulneri, Dokan,
Balambo and Sarmord formations have been plotted on a geological map and stratigraphic
column and the nannofossils have been used for the aging of intervals with
undetermined ages. The thickness of the Gulneri Formation is 2-4 m and by the analysis
of nannofossils its age was identified as Late Cenomanian-Early Turonian. Lithology
and bedding styles of the Dokan and Upper part of the Balambo formations are
very similar to Kometan Formation and they can be determined either by fossils
or by using Gulneri Formation as marker bed. The outcrop of the Gulneri Formation
is helpful for differentiation since it is soft and can be recognized easily in
the field by its darker color. The structure of the anticline is relatively
complex as it consists of asymmetrical anticlines with southwest plunge mainly in
few places while it changes to overturned fold in others and is deformed by
reverse fault. The anticlines are shaped by detachments on the Gulneri and
Sarmord formations and by the other older soft rocks. The newly formed
anticlines have the style of multi-detachment fold or multi-detachment faulted
fold. 

Keywords

Gulneri Formation, Dokan Formation, Kometan Formation, Nannofossil, Piramagroon Anticline, Stratigraphy of Sulaimani

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