GeoArabia, v. 14, no. 4, 2009, p.

91-108 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq

Gulf PetroLink, Bahrain

Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir in the Ratawi,

Zubair, North and South Rumaila oil fields, southern Iraq
Thamer K. Al-Ameri, Amer Jassim Al-Khafaji and John Zumberge

ABSTRACT

Five oil samples reservoired in the Cretaceous Mishrif Formation from the Ratawi,
Zubair, Rumaila North and Rumaila South fields have been analysed using Gas
Chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). In addition, fifteen core samples
from the Mishrif Formation and 81 core samples from the Lower Cretaceous and
Upper Jurassic have been subjected to source rock analysis and palynological and
petrographic description. These observations have been integrated with electric
wireline log response. The reservoirs of the Mishrif Formation show measured
porosities up to 28% and the oils are interpreted as being sourced from: (1) Type
II carbonate rocks interbedded with shales and deposited in a reducing marine
environment with low salinity based on biomarkers and isotopic analysis; (2)
Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age based on sterane ratios, analysis of
isoprenoids and isotopes, and biomarkers, and (3) Thermally mature source rocks,
based on the biomarker analysis.

The geochemical analysis suggests that the Mishrif oils may have been sourced
from the Upper Jurassic Najma or Sargelu formations or the Lower Cretaceous
Sulaiy Formation. Visual kerogen assessment and source rock analysis show the
Sulaiy Formation to be a good quality source rock with high total organic carbon
(up to 8 wt% TOC) and rich in amorphogen. The Lower Cretaceous source rocks
were deposited in a suboxic-anoxic basin and show good hydrogen indices. They
are buried at depths in excess of 5,000 m and are likely to have charged Mishrif
reservoirs during the Miocene. The migration from the source rock is likely to
be largely vertical and possibly along faults before reaching the vuggy, highly
permeable reservoirs of the Mishrif Formation. Structural traps in the Mishrif
Formation reservoir are likely to have formed in the Late Cretaceous.

INTRODUCTION

The Mishrif Formation is of Late Cenomanian age (Figure 1; van Bellen et al., 1959) and is the most
important oil reservoir in the Mesopotamian Basin (Figure 2), southern Iraq (Al-Khaersan, 1975; Reulet,
1982; Alsharhan and Nairn, 1997; Aqrawi et al., 1998), containing some 30% of Iraq’s total oil reserves
(Al-Sakini, 1992). It extends throughout the Mesopotamian Basin reaching thicknesses of 100–200 m
in the Basrah District at subsurface depths around 2,100–2,400 m. The Mishrif Formation is dominated
by a shallow-water, shelf carbonate sequence composed of bioclastic-detrital limestones, including (in
places) algal, coral and rudist bioherms with reservoir porosities exceeding 20% and permeabilities of
100 mD to one Darcy. This formation is widespread throughout the Arabian Peninsula.

The underlying Rumaila Formation consists predominantly of chalky and marly limestones. A
conformable and gradational junction with the Mishrif Formation has been documented in the
Basrah District. Overlying the Mishrif Formation are dark grey and greenish shales, alternating with
grey, fine-grained marly limestones of the Khasib Formation (van Bellen et al., 1959). This unit lies
unconformably above limonitic, partly argillaceous limestones forming the upper part of Mishrif
Formation (Aqrawi et al., 1998).

Due to a lack of published studies describing the petroleum system in this area, this work was
undertaken to correlate oils of the Mishrif Formation with Jurassic and Cretaceous source rocks.

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Depth Lithology TOC

Age Formation Maturation Tectonics
(m) Reservoir %

Pliocene Dibdibba

Fatha Regional Zagros Orogeny

Miocene Seal
Ghar
500
TERTIARY

Dammam
Eocene
Rus

Umm Er
Paleocene 1,000
Radhuma

Neo-Tethys
Ocean Closing
Maastrichtian Tayarat Immature

Shiranish 1,500

Campanian
Hartha

Santonian Sa'adi
Turonian- Tanuma 2,000 Tethys Obduction
Coniacian Khasib
Mishrif
Rumaila
CRETACEOUS

Cenomanian Ahmadi

Mauddud 2,500

Albian Nahr Umr

Aptian Shu'aiba
3,000 Neo-Tethys
Ocean Opening
1–4
Barremian Zubair

Hauterivian Ratawi
3,500
Valanginian
Yamama
Berriasian
Sulaiy Mature
Tithonian 1–7
Gotnia 4,000
Regional
Kimmeridgian Seal
JURASSIC

Oxfordian
Najma
1–6
Callovian

Bathonian Naokelekan
4,500
1–17
Bajocian Sargelu

Anhydrite Limestone Conglomerate Gas reservoir Unconformity

Dolomite Shale Sandstone Oil reservoir Source rock

Figure 1: Stratigraphic section and the major tectonic phases relevant to Jurassic through Tertiary
Total Petroleum System.

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 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq

40°E 44° 48°

TURKEY

Zagros Thrust Zone N

Fold Belt 0 100

km
Khlesia Kirkuk (Baba) Field
Uplift
SYRIA

Tigris
Eu
ph

Rive

Za
Khashim Ahmar Field
ra

gr
t

34°N
es

os
r
34°
Ri

Western Desert

M
ve

ou
r

IRAQ

nt
ain
s
Baghdad

IRAN
JORDAN

Rutbah - Ga'ara
Uplift

Mesopotamian
Basin

Study Area
SAUDI ARABIA

40° Southwestern Desert

30°
47°E 47°30' 48°
Tigris River

Mesopotamian
Basin N KUWAIT
Arabian
Majnoon 0 25
Gulf
West Qurna
31°N km
Euphrates
40° River 44° 48°
Qurna
Nahr Umr Legend
North Rumaila
R-36 IRAN Oil field
Subba R-167 Gas field
R-29 Tertiary outcrop
Rt-5 Basrah
Ratawi Rt-3 Cretaceous outcrop
30°30' Rt-2 Jurassic outcrop
Thrust fault
Ru-105 Siba Fault
Sh
at City
Luhais Ru-96 Ru-72 Zubair Al-
Arab Well

Rachi
South Rumaila
Jerishan
30°
KUWAIT Arabian
Gulf

Figure 2: Location map of the studied wells along with oil fields.

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MATERIALS AND ANALYTICAL SCHEME

The Mishrif-reservoired oil samples are from wells Zubair 4, Zubair 8, Rumaila North 81, Rumaila
North 170 and Rumaila South 131. Source rock analysis was conducted on 40 samples taken from
cores in wells in the Ratawi, Rumaila South, and Rumaila North fields. Techniques employed in
this study include biomarker fingerprints, palynomorphs, palynofacies, and pyrolysis. The analysis
of samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Zumberge et al., 2005) and pyrolysis were
performed by Geomark Research Ltd. in Houston (Texas, USA) in 2005 and other TOC and pyrolysis
were performed in the laboratories of Iraqi Exploration Oil Company during the year 1987 and 1989,
while palynomorphs and organic matter extracts were analyzed in the Department of Geology,
University of Baghdad. Sample and data are shown in Tables 1 and 2 and Figure 3.

Table 1
Rock-Eval Pyrolysis Data for Lower Cretaceous Formations in Basrah, Southern Iraq
Depth Sample TOC S1 S2 S3 Tmax HI OI PI
Fm Well
(m) Type wt% mg/g mg/g mg/g (°C) S2/TOC S3/TOC S1/(S1+S2)
Mishrif Rt-2 2,685 Core 0.47 0.25 3.31 0.19 427 704 40 0.27
Mauddud Ru-1 2,658 Core 0.02 0.02 0.10 0.00
Mauddud Ru-1 2,670 Core 0.36 0.03 0.31 0.35 485 86 97 0.09
Nahr Umr Ru-1 2,791 Core 0.86 0.23 1.08 0.12 425 126 14 0.18
Nahr Umr Ru-1 2,774 Core 3.77 0.50 11.48 2.38 433 305 63 0.04
Zubair Ru-1 3,010 Core 0.58 0.77 2.41 0.00 436 416 0 0.24
Zubair Ru-1 3,230 Core 0.19 0.07 0.27 0.02
Zubair R167 3,388 Cuttings 0.56 0.15 0.57 0.00 432 102 0 0.21
Zubair R167 3,425 Cuttings 0.89 0.07 0.80 0.00 435 90 0 0.08
Zubair R167 3,407 Cuttings 0.78 0.14 1.55 0.00 435 199 0 0.08
Zubair R167 3,507 Cuttings 1.09 0.05 0.73 0.00 435 67 0 0.06
Zubair R167 3,555 Cuttings 0.47 0.04 0.31 0.00 434 66 0 0.11
Zubair R167 3,655 Cuttings 1.30 0.11 1.50 0.00 436 115 0 0.07
Zubair R167 3,730 Cuttings 1.49 0.07 0.86 0.00 437 38 0 0.08
Zubair R/172 3,100 Cuttings 0.32 0.10 0.49 1.10
Zubair R/172 3,220 Cuttings 0.33 0.17 0.33 1.80
Zubair R/172 3,301 Cuttings 2.58 0.58 9.40 1.61 446 364 62 0.60
Ratawi Rt-5 3,728 Core 0.06 0.05 0.07 0.00
Ratawi Rt-5 3,668.5 Core 0.10 0.09 0.35 0.00
Ratawi R167 3,730 Cuttings 1.19 0.09 0.66 0.00 438 55 0 0.12
Ratawi R/172 3,400 Cuttings 1.85 6.00 9.60 2.95 445 519 159 0.38
Ratawi R/172 3,450 Cuttings 0.25 0.11 0.28 1.32
Yamama Rt-13 3,678 Core 0.09 0.25 0.25 0.00
Yamama R167 3,896 Core 0.46 0.06 0.41 0.00 436 89 0 0.13
Yamama R167 4,094 Cuttings 0.56 0.78 1.70 0.00 437 304 0 0.31
Yamama R167 4,129 Cuttings 0.34 0.13 1.04 0.00 437 306 0 0.11
Yamama R167 4,141 Cuttings 0.18 0.02 0.58 0.00
Yamama R167 4,210 Cuttings 4.07 0.75 1.78 0.00 444 44 0 0.30
Yamama R/172 3,700 Cuttings 1.00 1.63 4.00 1.77 437 400 177 0.29
Sulaiy R167 4,456 Core 2.05 0.84 1.00 0.42 464 49 20 0.46
Sulaiy R167 4,375 Core 5.90 1.82 4.15 0.00 470 70 0 0.30
Sulaiy R167 4,220 Cuttings 0.21 0.26 0.49 0.00
Sulaiy R167 4,322 Cuttings 0.10 0.11 0.27 0.00
Sulaiy R167 4,379 Cuttings 0.16 0.17 0.26 0.00
Sulaiy R167 4,421 Cuttings 0.25 0.40 0.27 0.00
Sulaiy R167 4,482 Cuttings 3.26 0.66 1.35 0.00 468 41 0 0.33
Sulaiy R167 4,484 Cuttings 3.82 0.72 4.95 0.00 475 130 0 0.13
Sulaiy R167 4,487 Core 4.47 0.76 2.80 0.00 471 63 0 0.21
Sulaiy R167 4,491 Core 3.28 0.33 4.27 0.00 470 130 0 0.29
Sulaiy R167 4,510 Core 7.33 1.21 3.40 0.00 467 46 0 0.28

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 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq

MISHRIF OIL GEOCHEMISTRY Table 2

Analysis Chart of GC and GC-MS
Crude oils produced from the Cenomanian Oil Biomarkers Data for Lower Cretaceous
Mishrif Formation in the Basrah District of Formations in Basrah, southern Iraq
southern Iraq were geochemically assessed in
OilMod Ru/81 Ru/131 R/170 Zb/4 Zb/8
order to determine source rock type, geologic Ratio
age, level of thermal maturity, and degree C19/C23 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.09
of biodegradation. All of the oil samples are C22/C21 1.21 1.15 1.18 1.15 1.14
remarkably similar, both in bulk and molecular C24/C23 0.27 0.27 0.28 0.28 0.29
properties. For example, API gravities average C26/C25 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.76 0.76
24.8° ± 1.5° with weight percent sulfur 4.2% ±
Tet/C23 1.31 1.33 1.30 1.33 1.30
0.3. A comparison with oils from 150 different
C27T/C27 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
petroleum systems (based on GeoMark
C28/H 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.04
Research’s global crude oil geochemical data-
C29/H 1.49 1.52 1.44 1.48 1.49
base; [Link]) is shown in Figures
4 and 5. Low to medium gravity, high sulfur C30X/H 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
crudes are usually derived from carbonate OL/H 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01
source rocks (containing type IIS kerogen) C31R/H 0.38 0.39 0.40 0.40 0.40
since, during diagenesis, sulfur can become GA/C31R 0.23 0.24 0.22 0.22 0.21
preferentially incorporated in organic matter C35S/C24S 1.12 1.13 1.16 1.14 1.09
(kerogen) that eventually generates high sulfur Ster/Terp 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.15
oils due to insufficient iron (Fe) to scavenge H2S Rearr/Reg 0.11 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.13
as pyrite or marcasite. C27% 33.4 33.3 33.7 33.7 33.1
C28% 25.4 25.5 26.3 25.4 26.2
The stable carbon isotopic compositions of the C29% 41.1 41.2 40.1 40.8 40.7
saturate and aromatic hydrocarbons are all C29 20S/R 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.67 0.65
within analytical error, averaging -27.3 ‰ and
C27 Ts/Tm 0.18 0.17 0.18 0.18 0.18
-27.6 ‰, respectively (relative to PDB; ± 0.1 ‰).
C29 Ts/Tm 0.08 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.07
In contrast to oils from marine shales, the aro-
DM/H 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01
matic isotopic composition is often isotopically
lighter than the saturate hydrocarbons in low TAS3(CR) 0.22 0.20 0.22 0.22 0.21

maturity, high sulfur oils. This pattern occurs Pr/Ph 0.73 0.73 0.74 0.70 o.72

because high sulfur oils from carbonate source Pr/nC17 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.21
rocks typically have the most negative CV values Ph/nC18 0.32 0.33 0.33 0.34 0.34
(-1.65 average for carbonates and -0.25 average nC27/nC17 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.22 0.21
for shales; Sofer, 1984) with C15+ aromatic 13C CPI 1.076 1.042 1.051 1.036 1.053
compositions almost as, or even more negative Ru = South Rumaila; R = North Rumaila; Zb = Zubair
than the C15+ saturate 13C compositions.

Both tricyclic and pentacyclic (hopanes) terpane biomarker ratios confirm the carbonate origin of the
Mishrif-reservoired oils, again by a comparison with global analogs (Figures 5 and 6). The standard
errors of the terpane ratios are about 5% of the mean values for the Mishrif oils. Low pristane/phytane
ratios (0.76 ± 0.04; from gas chromatography) are also suggestive of carbonate source rocks. The
pentacyclic terpane gammacerane, a biomarker for hypersaline/restricted source environments, is
uniformly low (GA/C30 hopane < 0.1) in all samples. The relatively high C24 tetracyclic to C23 tricyclic
terpane ratio of 1.3 suggests shallow, warm water, intra-shelf depositional source rock depositional
environments (Zumberge and Summons, 2004).

In petroleum systems with carbonate/marl source units, the C28/C29 regular sterane ratio (αββ 20R
isomers based on peak heights from the m/z = 218 mass chromatogram), along with the corresponding
triaromatic steranes (C27R/C28R; peak areas from the m/z = 231 mass chromatograms), is useful for
predicting source rock ages (Zumberge and Summons, 2004). As illustrated in Figure 7, the calculated
C28/C29 ratio of 0.92, employing both regular and triaromatic steranes, and weighted using a saturate
to aromatic hydrocarbon ratio of about 0.5, suggests that the Cretaceous Mishrif-reservoired oils
were generated from Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous carbonate source rocks.

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100.0

Group
1 Ru/131 Z/5
pe III
2 R/170 Zb/10
ou s Ty
3 Zb/8 igen
4 Zb/4 Terr
Ru/81

10.0 II/III
d Type
M ixe
Pristane-n C17

ion
dat I I
deg
ra ype
Bio lg al T
ne A

Ox
i
Mar

id
ati
on

Re
1.0

du
ctio
n
0.5

0.2 tion
tura
Ma
0.1
0.1 0.2 0.5 1.0 10.0
Phytane-n C18
Figure 3: Pristane-n C17 versus Phytane-n C18 plot diagram (following Peters et al., 2005) showing
marine algal organic matters of mainly kerogen type 2, reducing paleoenvironments and mature
source of the Mishrif oil for the studied wells in southern Iraq.

45

GeoMark OILSTM
Database
40 Carbonate SR
Marl SR
Distal Shale SR
35 Lacustrine SR

30
API Gravity (60°F)

25

Southern Iraq
20 Mishrif-reservoired oils

15

10

5
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.0 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5
Weight Percent (Wt%) Sulfur
Figure 4: Average API Gravity and weight % sulfur of Mishrif-reservoired oils from southern
Iraq. Other data points represent average oil values from 150 global petroleum systems from
marine carbonate, distal marine shale, marine marl, and lacustrine shale source rocks from
GeoMark Research OILS™ database.

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1.6

GeoMark OILSTM
Database
1.4 Carbonate SR
Southern Iraq Marl SR
Mishrif-reservoired oils Distal Shale SR
1.2 Lacustrine SR
Tricyclic Terpane C22/C21

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3
Tricyclic Terpane C24/C23
Figure 5. Average tricyclic terpane ratios of Mishrif-reservoired oils from southern Iraq suggesting
a carbonate source rock. Other data points represent average oil values from 150 global petroleum
systems from marine carbonate, distal marine shale, marine marl, and lacustrine shale source
rocks from GeoMark Research OILS™ database.

0.60

0.55

0.50

0.45
Southern Iraq
Mishrif-reservoired oils
Hopane C31R/C30

0.40

0.35

0.30

0.25

GeoMark OILSTM
0.20 Database
Carbonate SR
Marl SR
0.15 Distal Shale SR
Lacustrine SR
0.10
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Hopane C29/C30
Figure 6: Average hopane ratios of Mishrif-reservoired oils from southern Iraq suggesting a
carbonate source rock (SR). Other data points represent average oil values from 150 global
petroleum systems from marine carbonate, distal marine shale, marine marl, and lacustrine shale
source rocks from GeoMark Research OILS™ database.

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1.6
Cretaceous Jurassic Triassic

1.4
Calculated C28/C29 Sterane Ratio

1.2

1.0

Southern Iraq
0.8 Mishrif-reservoired oils

0.6

GeoMark OILSTM
0.4 Database
Carbonate SR
Marl SR
0.2
60 110 160 210 260
Source Rock Age (Ma)
Figure 7: Calculated average C28/C29 sterane ratio (0.92; based on both regular steranes and
triaromatic steranes) of Mishrif-reservoired oils from southern Iraq suggesting a source rock of
Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous age. Other data points represent average oil values from
global petroleum systems from marine carbonate and marine marl source rocks from GeoMark
Research OILS™ database.

Figure 8 shows an example geochemical summary sheet for a Mishrif oil from the Zubair Field. The
whole crude gas chromatogram indicates a lack of biodegradation due to the presence of abundant n-
paraffins. The low API gravity and high sulfur and aromatic content of these oils, as well as very low
Ts/Tm terpane ratios, suggest that these oils were generated from a source rock of low to moderate
thermal maturity within the oil window.

SOURCE ROCK EVALUATION

Forty samples were selected from the Mishrif, Mauddud, Zubair, Ratawi, Yamama, and Sulaiy
formations (Figure 1) for source rock analysis and palynofacies studies.

Source Rock Potential and Palynofacies Assessment

The rock samples were analysed for their total organic carbon by Leco. The samples were also subjected
to standard palynological analysis involving dissolving the carbonates with HCl and silicates with
HF. Slides were then prepared by strewing and sticking the organic matter for examination by light
refracted microscopy. The microscopic study ascertained the proportional occurrences of the different
organic matter types (Bujack et al., 1977; Batten, 1996a), palynomorph colour (Staplin, 1969; Batten,
1996b), reworked organic matter (Al-Ameri, 1983 and Tyson, 1995), and foraminiferal test linings (FTL,
according to Al-Ameri et al., 1996; Tyson, 1995). The analyses are drafted in a model of Organolog
palynofacies for each well to evaluate the paleoenvironment of the organic matter and its capability to
generate hydrocarbons from each palynofacies type. Figure 9 shows one example for Rumaila South
172 (Ru-172) well to illustrate the hydrocarbon generation potential. The names for each palynofacies
type in Figure 9 are based on the above criteria and are equivalent in correlation to palynofacies types
of the Ternary Kerogen Plot suggested by Tyson (1993).

The position of Palynofacies Type IX (Figure 9) in the Ternary Kerogen Plot (Figure 10) corresponds
to phytoclast-AOM-palynomorphs. This palynofacies shows peak oil generation and the main phase
of oil expulsion for the Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous Sulaiy and Yamama formations (Al-Ameri

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Bulk Properties
%Asph API Gravity: 26.7 ppm V: 50 Tricyclic Terpanes (m/z =191)
%NSO %<C15: 30.8 ppm Ni: 18 1,600
C24tet
%Aro %S: 4.49
%Sat 1,400
C15 + Composition C23tri
0 20 40 60
1,200
Relative % %Sat = 25.9
%Aro = 53.3
Stable Carbon Isotope 1,000

Abundace
%NSO = 14.6
Composition δper mil PDB %Asph = 6.1
C15+ Saturate: -27.20 Sat/Aro = 0.49 800
C15+ Aromatic: -27.48 n-Paraffin/
Naphthene = 0.64 C26tri
Canonical Variable: -3.84 600
C24tri
400 C22tri C25tri
Whole Oil Gas Chromatogram C20tri C21tri
C19tri
200
Whole Crude Gas
Chromatography 24 28 32 36 40 40 48 52
nC10
Time (min)
nC5 Pr/Ph = 0.78
Pr/n-C17 = 0.22 Triaromatic Steranes (m/z = 231)
nC15
Abundace

Ph/n-C18 = 0.33 1,400

n-C27/n-C17 = 0.21 C20 C26R&C27S
CPI = 1.046
1,200
Pr
Ph
nC20 1,000 C28S
nC25
Abundace

C21 C27R
800 C28R

10 20 30
Time (min) 600
C26S
Biomarkers (ppm C30 Hopane: 246) 400

Terpanes
12,000 200
C29H
51 54 57 60 63 66 69
Time (min)
9,000
C30H Steranes (m/z = 218)
1,000
Abundance

ßßC29S
6,000 900
C31H ßßC27S
R&S 800
Tm
700
3,000 ßßC28S
Abundace

C24Tet 600
C23tri
Ts
500
0
30 40 50 60 70 80 400
Time (min)
300

Steranes 200
700
100
C29
600 C27
60 62 64 66 68 70
Time (min)
480
Abundance

C28

360
OilMod Ratios
C19/C23 = 0.07 C30X/H = %C28 = 25.3
C22/C21 = 1.29 OL/H = 0.01 %C29 = 40.9
240 C24/C23 = 0.28 C31R/H = 0.41 C29 20S/R = 0.76
C26/C25 = 0.72 GA/C31R = 0.22 C27 TsTm = 0.18
120 Tet/C23 = 1.29 C35S/C34S = 1.15 C29 Ts/Tm = 0.08
C27T/C27 = Ster/Terp = 0.15 DM/H = 0.01
C28/H = 0.00 Rearr/Reg = 0.12 TAS(CR) = 0.25
35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
C29/H = 1.50 %C27 = 33.7
Time (min)

Figure 8: Example Geochemical Summary Sheet of a Mishrif-reservoired oil from southern Iraq
Zubair field showing bulk properties, whole oil gas chromatogram as well as terpane and sterane
biomarker mass chromatograms.

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Fora-
Reworked miniferal
Depth Bujack’s Vitrinite Paly- Total Organic Hydrogen
Age Formation Lithology Organic Log Reflectance Test
(m) Generation

Color
nomorphs Matter (Wt. %)
Linings %
Al-Ameri et al.

Maturation

ration Index

Palynofacies
Thermal Alte-

Palynomorphs
25 50 75 0.5 1.0 10 20 5 10 1 3

Mauddud
Cenomanian

VIa
Nahr Umr
2
Albian V

Immature
Shu'aiba IVb
3,000
Aptian

Melanogen
2+

Zubair V
Phyrogen

Hylogen
First oil generation
Barremian

CRETACEOUS

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Hauterivian Ratawi VII

100
3-
3,500
Valanginian

Peak oil generation

Yamama

Berriasian IX
Amorphogen
3+ Main phase of
Mature

oil expulsion
Sulaiy

Tithonian
4,000

Kimmeridgian Gotnia
Regional seal

Oxfordian Najmah

JURASSIC
Callovian 4+
Bathonian IX

Bajocian Sargelu

Figure 9: Organlog of palynofacies and assessment of hydrocarbon generation potential for the Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous rocks in
well Ru-172, Rumaila South oil field. (See Figure 1 for legend)
 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq

et al., 1999). The organic matter accumulated PHYTOCLAST

in distal suboxic-anoxic basins and extended IV stippled: note over
Nahr Umr 95 with II Shelf - basin
across the Southern Mesopotamian Basin (Al- Zubair transport path A
Ameri et al., 1999). Source rock richness can Ratawi 10
A
Yamama B 15
reach up to 7 wt% total organic carbon (TOC) Sulaiy

Pro
of mainly marine algal components and may

s
rce
II

xim
contain up to 100% Amorphous Organic Matter

sou

ity o
(AOM). They form kerogen type A (Thompson

fluid
65

f flu
and Dembicki, 1986) or equivalently kerogen IVa
III

y to

vial
B
Type II for the pyrolysis result plotted in a van
E B

it

sou
xim
Krevelen diagram. They are highly oil prone. VI C

rce
pro
The high percentage occurrence of foraminiferal 55
IVb D

sp
60

s
test linings of about 10% and very low reworked 40

plu

lus
palynomorphs of about 1%, may confirm high

ax

sor
Red
oil generation potential (Al-Ameri, 1983; Al-

ting
A VII V
Ameri et al., 1996; Tyson, 1993, 1995). IX
D

The post-depositional alteration of the organic E VIII

matter is a result of increasing temperature as
the formations were buried to depths of around
60 35
3,500 m in this area. This process resulted in AOM
Redox plus masking effect Palynomorph
the thermal maturation of the organic matter to Figure 10: Organic Matter of the Lower
a late oil or early gas maturation stage with a Cretaceous source rock formations of southern
brown colour of the macerals and an equivalent Iraq plotted on the ternary kerogen plot of
Thermal Alteration Index (TAI) of 3+ (3.75) Tyson (1993).
equivalent to a VRo of 1.0 to 1.4% (Staplin,
1969; Batten, 1996a and b).

Source Rock Potential by Rock-Eval Pyrolysis

Rock samples from core and cuttings in the Sulaiy and Yamama formations, as well as other Upper
Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous formations, were analysed using Rock-Eval pyrolysis (Hunt, 1996; Tissot
and Welte, 1984). In Figure 11, Rock-Eval parameters are plotted to determine the organic matter
type, maturation level, and source quality. They illustrate the following results for each source rock
unit:

• The Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous Sulaiy and the Lower Cretaceous Yamama formations
have the best oil source potential with TOC values up to 7 wt%. They represent mature (Ro 1.0%
to 1.4%) kerogen types II and III with Tmax of 437–471oC. Consequently they currently have
fair to very good petroleum potential and are probably the Upper Jurassic – Lower Cretaceous
source rock responsible for hydrocarbon generation and expulsion.

• The Ratawi Formation has TOC values ranging from 0.06 to 1.9 wt%; kerogen type II and III,
mature (Ro = 0.5–1.0%) with Tmax of 430–450 oC. These rocks have poor to fair current petroleum
potential and have generated relatively low amounts of hydrocarbons.

• The Zubair Formation has TOC values of 0.2–2.6 wt% and varies from immature to mature (Ro =
0.3–0.8%) with Tmax of 420–440 oC. Hence it is a poor to fair potential source rock and some oil
could have been generated from these clastic rocks.

Accordingly, the most likely source rock for the Mishrif reservoired oils are the Sulaiy and Yamama
formations. The Jurassic Najmah and Sargelu formations were not subjected to pyrolysis because of
their position bellow the good regional seal of Gotnia Anhydrites. For future work these should be
analized to find the possible relation with the Cretaceous oil in southern Iraq.

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1,000
Type I
~0.55 Vro a Immature Oil Zone Gas Zone
w
Oil prone
(usu. lacustrine) Oil w
indo
900 c

5
0.
Typ
800 750

eI
Hydrogen Index (mg oil/g TOC)

Nahr Umr Nahr Umr

Hydrogen Index (mg HC/g Corg.)

700 Zubair Zubair
Ratawi Ratawi
Yamama 600 Yamama
600
Type II Sulaiy Sulaiy
oil prone
500 (usu. marine) 0.5
Vitrinite
450 isoreflectance
Increasing
400 Ty evolution
pe
I I
300 Mixed type 300
II/III
oil/gas prone
200
~1.00 Vro indow

1.3
Type III gas w 150
ate - wet
as prone dens
100 Con
~1.40 Vro dow
as win III
Type IV
Dry g Type
0 0
0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00 1.20 1.40 1.60 1.80 2.00 2.20 400 420 440 460 480 500
Calculated vitrinite reflectance equivalent (Cal. Vreq.) Tmax (°C)

1.0 30
b d
Condensate zone

Immature Oil zone Dry gas zone Nahr Umr

20
0.9 Zubair
Ratawi
Good
Petroleum potential (Kg HC/Ton Rock)

0.8 Yamama
10
Sulaiy
0.7
Production index (PI)

Fair
0.6
Stained or
0.5 contaminated 2
Poor
0.4
1
Nahr Umr
0.3 Zubair
Ratawi Very Poor
0.2 Yamama
Sulaiy
0.1
Low-level High-level
conversion conversion - expulsion Poor Fair Good Very Good
0 0.2
380 430 480 530 580 0.15 0.50 1 2 10
Maturity (based on Tmax (°C)) TOC (wt. %)
Figure 11: Pyrolysis output plots for source rocks of the Upper Jurassic − Lower Cretaceous Forma-
tions in southern Iraq; (a) Kerogen types and maturity, (b) Kerogen conversion and maturity, (c)
Van Krevlen diagram, and (d) Petroleum potential diagram.

PETROLEUM SYSTEM OF THE MISHRIF OIL

Petroleum system modeling in one dimension (1-D) was performed using the PetroModTM Basin
Modeling software (PetroMod developed by Integrated Exploration Systems - IES) to demonstrate
hydrocarbon generation and expulsion for the Sulaiy and Yamama formations. The model was
applied to well Zubair 47 (Zb-47) following Pitman et al. (2004) using well information for depths,
thickness and temperatures.

The results for this well (Figure 12) demonstrate that the timing of petroleum generation is consistent
with the source rocks of the Sulaiy and Yamama formations expelling their oil during the Early
Cenozoic (Paleogene). No oil should have passed from below the Gotnia Anhydrite regional seal.
This probability is due to the perfect effect of the Gotnia Seal due to its thick and impermeable rocks
and the lack of tectonic activity (Alsharhan and Nairn, 1997).

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 Petroleum system analysis of the Mishrif reservoir, southern Iraq

(a) Sulaiy Source Rock (Well ZB-47)

Mesozoic Cenozoic
Cretaceous Paleogene Neogene
200 2.0 100

1.8 90
180

TR Lewan (2002) TIIS (Phosphoria) P64-HP [percent]

n

Sweeny & Burnham (1990) EASY%Ro [%Ro]

wa
80
1.6

Le
160

TR
70
1.4
140
Temperature (Celcius)

60
1.2
120
50
re
Temperatu
1.0
100 40

0.8
80 30
(199 0)
urnham
ey & B 0.6
Sween 20
60

0.4 10
40
30 0.2 0
141 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Time (Ma)

(b) Timing of Petroleum Generation (Well ZB-47)

Mesozoic Cenozoic
Formations
Cretaceous Paleogene Neogene
0
Dibdibba
Fatha L. Fars
Ghar
Dammam
Rus
1,000
Umm Er
Radhuma
Tayarat
Shiranish
Hartha
Depth (meters)

2,000
Sa'adi

Mishrif
Ahmadi
Mauddud
3,000
Nahr Umr
Shu'aiba

Source rock Zubair

Start oil generation : TR=0.01
Ratawi
4,000 Peak oil generation : TR=0.50
Yamama
End oil generation : TR>0.95
Sulaiy
4,518
141 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Time (Ma)
Figure 12: Timing and extent of Petroleum Generation from Sulaiy-Yamama Source Rocks,
Well Zubair 47, southern Iraq.

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1 Vugg 20 µm 2 Intra-particle 20 µm

3 Growth Framework 20 µm 4 Intercrystal 20 µm

5 Channel/Oil Flow 20 µm 6 Hydrocarbon Accumulation 20 µm

Figure 13: Porosities of the Mishrif Formation Reservoir as site for hydrocarbon accumulation.

Traps in the Mishrif Formation Reservoir formed mainly during the Late Cretaceous. These traps are
mainly structural anticlines although stratigraphic traps below the Mishrif Formation might also be
developed, for example, in the Yamama and Ratawi formations, as structural fault traps.

After expulsion, the oil migrated from the mainly impermeable strata of the Upper Jurassic – Lower
Cretaceous Sulaiy and Lower Cretaceous Yamama source rock formations to the high porosity
and permeability reservoirs of the early Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Mishrif Formation.
These units are algal and detrital limestones that contain vuggy, intra-particle growth frameworks
with intercrystallar and moldic porosities (Figure 13) and form the main sites for hydrocarbon
accumulation. The migration path was primarily vertical with relatively short horizontal movement
to faults that are shown in the seismic section of the area (Figure 14), as well as dissipation along joints

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West East
0.0
400
Source Oil reservoir
m
0 2 Seal Gas reservoir
0 km Migration path

Rus
0.5
Umm Er
Radhuma
Tayarat
Shiranish F2 F1
Hartha
1.0
Sa'adi

Two-way Time (second)

Tanuma
Khasaib
Mishrif
Rumaila
Ahmadi
Mauddud 1.5
Nahr Umr
Shu'aiba

Zubair

Ratawi
Yamama
2.0
Sulaiy
Gotnia
Najma
Sargelu
Mus
2.5

Figure 14: Seismic section along Rachi-Rumaila-Ratawi oil fields showing migration path to
assess hydrocarbon accumulation sites.

and permeabilities in a lateral migration through some of the Cretaceous strata. This hydrocarbon
system (Figure 1) has as a lower regional seal the Upper Jurassic Gotnia anhydrites, while the Mishrif
Formation reservoir is sealed locally by a clay layer along its upper unconformable boundary with
the Khasib Formation. But the main regional upper seal for the Mesopotamian Basin in general is
the highest regional seal of the Middle Miocene Lower Fars anhydrites on top of Tertiary strata. The
sequence of events in this total petroleum system is tabulated in Figure 15.

CONCLUSIONS

The biomarkers of Mishrif Formation oil indicate source rocks of mainly Upper Jurassic and Lower
Cretaceous age, thermally mature, and of algal marine carbonate origin. The palynofacies and
pyrolysis results indicate hydrocarbon generation and expulsion occurred from the Upper Jurassic
– Lower Cretaceous Sulaiy and Lower Cretaceous Yamama formations. Oil migration is mainly
from impermeable strata of the Sulaiy Formation into the Mishrif Formation Reservoir. The entire
Petroleum System was controlled in this region by migration paths, which were vertical as well as
lateral to form the regional Petroleum System. Its main upper seal is the Middle Miocene anhydrites
of the Lower Fars Formation and its lower regional seal is Upper Jurassic Gotnia anhydrites.

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Preservation
Overburden
Seal Rocks

Formation
Reservoir
Generation,

System

Source
Rocks

Rocks
Age

Trap
Stage Formation Migration and
(Ma)
Accumulation

Pliocene Dibdibba Zubair

5 Fm
NEOGENE Fatha
Miocene Ratawi Fm
Ghar
23

Oligocene
36
PALEOGENE

Dammam
Eocene

Rus
57
Umm Er
Paleocene
Radhuma Sargelu -
65 Sulaiy Fm
Maastrichtian Tayarat
70 Shiranish
Campanian Hartha

Santonian Sa'adi
Coniacian Tanuma
Turonian Khasib
91
Cenomanian Mishrif
CRETACEOUS

95 Rumaila
Ahmadi
Mauddud
Albian
Nahr Umr
112

Aptian Shu'aiba
?
125
Barremian Zubair

Hauterivian Ratawi
Valanginian
Yamama
145 Berriasian
Sulaiy
Tithonian
151 Gotnia
Kimmeridgian
Oxfordian Najma
JURASSIC

161
?
Callovian Naokelekan
Bathonian Sargelu
Bajocian
172
Aalenian Alan Anhydrite
Mus Limestone
Toarcian
Adaiyah Anhydrite

Figure 15: Events chart showing total petroleum system of the Mesopotamian
Basin in southern Iraq.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Sincere acknowledgments are due to Geomark Research Limited of Houston-Texas for analyzing
the oil and source rock samples as well as the laboratories of Iraqi Oil Exploration Company for
using their data on TOC and pyrolysis, and to the U.S. Geological Survey, in particular to Dr.
Janet Pitman for PetroMod basin modeling to make the Petroleum System clearer. The GeoArabia
anonymous reviewers and, in particular, Henry Halpern of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia are greatly
acknowledged for their editing of this paper. The final design by GeoArabia’s Arnold Egdane is much
appreciated.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Thamer K. Al-Ameri is Professor of Petroleum Geology at the University

of Baghdad, Iraq, and a Consultant for the Iraqi Oil Exploration Company.
He holds a BSc in Geology from the same university (1969) and a Higher
Diploma in Engineering Geology and Sulfur Exploitation from the Polish
Academy of Mines in Krarov (1971). Between 1971 and 1975, he was
involved in mining sulfur in the Mishraq Sulfur Mine in Iraq. In 1975,
Thamer continued his higher education at the University of London,
UK, where he received MSc and PhD (1975-1980) in Palynology and
Petroleum Geology. He also obtained a certificate in organic geochemistry
from the Russian Geochemical Institute in Moscow (1985). Before taking
up his present position in 1992, Thamer was Assistant Professor in the
University of Salahuddin, Iraq (1980-1991). During his academic career, Thamer has supervised
18 MSc and 20 PhD theses, published five books in Arabic and written more than 100 scientific
and general interest articles in international and Iraqi journals.
thamer_alameri@[Link]

Amer Jasim Al-Khafaji teaches geology to the chemistry and biology

undergraduate students at Babylon University, Iraq. He holds an MSc in
Petroleum Geology from the Baghdad University, Iraq. Amer is currently
enrolled in the PhD program at Baghdad University and preparing his
thesis entitled “Petroleum system and organic geochemistry of the
Euphrates River Sub zone, Mesopotamian Basin, Iraq”. He is also involved
in the planning of the Petroleum Research Center at Babylon University.
amersalman42@[Link]

John Zumberge has been President and cofounder of Geomark Research in

Houston, USA, since 1991. He was Manager of geochemical and geological
research for cities service-Occidental, General Manager for Ruska, and
Director of geochemical services for Core Laboratories. He has global
experience in petroleum geochemistry, focusing on crude oil biomarkers. He
obtained a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Michigan, USA, and a
PhD in Organic Geochemistry from the University of Arizona, USA.
jzumberge@[Link]

Manuscript received May 18, 2008

Revised April 27, 2009

Accepted May 15, 2009

Press version proofread by authors June 10, 2009

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