New Tectonic Finding and its Implications on Locating Oilfields in parts of the Gulf Region

摘要

Oilfield in southern part of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia representsubsurface anticlines within the folded zone. Iraq forms the extreme northeasternparts of the Arabian Plate. It is divided into two main tectonic units which areInner and the Outer Platforms. The former covers the southern and western partsof Iraq and is less affected by tectonic forces than the Outer Platform, which has,and still is, affected by tectonic compressional forces. The contact between theInner Platform and outer Platform is delineated by the Abu Jir - Euphrates ActiveFault Zone. Its northwestern extension is clearly visible while the southeasternextension is less clear since it is hidden under Quaternary sediments. Thedelineation of the contact in this part of the fault zone is the main scope of thisstudy. Geophysical and different types of Digital Elevation Models, Landsatimages, Quick Bird images, GIS and remote sensing techniques were used todelineate the contact, besides other relevant geological data such as the location ofsubsurface oil fields, structural contour maps on top of Cretaceous rocks and thedrop in surface gradients represented by Al-Batin Alluvial Fan. Therefore, thecontact is likely to be more precisely located. The concerned contact has regionalinterest, since it forms the contact between the folded and unfolded areas withinthe Arabian Plate. The folded area represents the existing subsurface anticlinesthat form oil fields in the southern part of Iraq, and Kuwait and more southwardsto Saudi Arabia.