![File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎15r] (34/522)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0002c5/IOR_L_PS_10_815_0034.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎15r] (34/522)")
File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [15r] (34/522)
The record is made up of 1 volume (244 folios). It was created in 1 Dec 1917-26 Jun 1922. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
(c) The Avanah Dagh .—Is a hill range extending in a straight line to the south east from near
the southern end of the Quwair dome through Altun Kupri to Kirkuk. Its structure is that of a faulted
anticline. We haVe mapped it from two traverses, one at Altun Kupri and one at Dibega. The
main hill range is composed of conglomerates and marls of the Bakhtiaris dipping gently to the N.E.
Below them the Upper Pars crop out forming a rugged valley and further to the south-west
again runs a second subsidiary ridge of Lower Pars beds, dipping rather more steeply in the same
direction. Only the top beds of the Lower Pars are exposed as they are cut off on the S.W. by
a fault with downthrow to the S.W. which brings in against them Upper Pars beds dipping in the
opposite direction.
This fault entirely cuts out the outcrop of the Lower Pars on the plunge of the anticline a few
miles south-east of Dibega, where, below the Bakhtiaris, only Upper Pars somewhat disturbed, is
seen.
(6) ECONOMIC PROSPECTS OF THE DISTRICT.
Apart from petroleum and water no minerals of any economic value have been found in this
district.
Petroleum.
A large part of the area is structurally unfavourable but the following localities must be
considered:
(1) Quwair Dome.
The prospects will depend on the following :—
(a) Presence of oil-bearing horizons.
The dome is about 8 miles north of the Qarah Chaugh Dagh, where the Lower Fdrs are 1,100
feet thick and have at their base a series of limestones, many of which are sufficiently cellular to
hold large quantities of oil. We have evidence that the Lower Pars is thinning to the east, but
we doubt if there can be much appreciable difference in thickness or facies between these two
closely neighbouring uplifts. A seepage of oil is present and we therefore conclude that an
oil-bearing horizon of unknown value exists below the surface. The absence of evidences of
oil in the completely exposed Lower Pars of the Qarah Chaugh Daght which lies between Quwair
and Qaiyarah, is evidence of negative value only, as it is known that oil-bearing beds do not
invariably show signs of oil, where the}?" crop out. ^
(b) Cap rock.
Not more than 250 feet are exposed, there should therefore be at least 300—400 feet of rock
over the oil-bearing horizons, if these are situated as seems probable in the cellular limestones
obseved in the Qarah Chaugh Dagh. The cap rock would consist chiefly of gypsum and marl
and wer consider that the amount estimated above should be sufficient.
It is worthy of remark here that the seepage is situated on the plunge of the anticline and that
every other seepage in the Lower Pars beds so far examined has been situated either on the plunge
or Hank ; we are not yet certain of the significance of this.
(c) Geological structure
The structure is domal and therefore favourable.
We consider, therefore, that the prospects of obtaining oil in the Quwair dome to be very
favourable, provided that the Lower Pars is an oil-bearing formation and not one that has become
capriciously oil-bearing by immigration of oil from lower horizons, such as the Eocene shales.
Ihe great frequency of seepages in the Lower Pars throughout Mesopotamia is evidence in
favour of the supposition that the oil is indigenous to the Lower Pars.
About this item
- Content
This volume contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, telegrams and maps and geological drawings, regarding the geological examination of regions in Mesopotamia and the prospect of petroleum [oil] in these areas.
Included in the volume are the following reports:
- ‘MESOPOTAMIA GEOLOGICAL REPORTS No. 7-11’ (‘No. 7’ is crossed out and replaced with ‘No. 8’), 1920 (ff 9-22)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No. 7 NOTES ON THE UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES OF NORTHEN MESOPOTAMIA’, 1920 (ff 25-31)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No. 6 NOTES ON ZAKHO AND DOHUK [Duhok]’, 1920 (ff 41-44)
- ‘MESOPOTAMIA GEOLOGICAL REPORT 1919’, 1920 (ff 57-109)
- ‘REPORT OF THE BITUMINOUS DEPOSIT NEAR KIFRI’, 1919 (f 114)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 5. THE KIFRI DISTRICT’ (ff 115-116)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 4. RECONNAISSANCE REPORT ON THE COUNTRY ON THE RIGHT BANK OF THE RIVER TIGRIS BETWEEN BAIJI AND MOSUL’, 1919 (ff 122-129)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 3. RECONNAISSANCE REPORT ON THE EUPHRATES VALLEY BETWEEN HILLAH AND HIT’, 1919 (ff 131-143)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 2. PRELIMINARY NOTES ON THE JABAL HAMRIN’, 1919 (f 143)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (Mesopotamia) No 1 ON THE DISTRICT OF QAIYARAH [Al Qayyarah]’, 1919 (ff 146-151)
- ‘APPENDIX. Translation of a Captured Document. Report of a Tour to the Coal Area and Petroleum Springs in the Zone of the Sixth L. of C. Inspectorate’, 1919 (ff 156-158)
- ‘No 13. Notes on the Jabal Gilabat [Qilabat] between Chinchal-al-Kabir and Qarah Tappah’, 1919 (f 164)
- ‘No 14. Notes on the Jabal Hamrin between Qarah Tappah and Table Mountain’, 1919 (ff 164v-167)
- ‘No. 10. Notes on the Geology of the Country between Tazah Khurmatu and Tauq [Tukhama Khulu]’, 1919 (ff 182-185)
- ‘REPORTS ON THE PROSPECTS OF PETROLEUM IN THE BAGHDAD WILAYAT [Vilayet]’, 1918 (ff 187-201)
- ‘Report No 9. Oil in the Kirkuk Anticline’, 1919 (ff 204-205)
- ‘No 3. Report on the Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Khanuqah, S.E. of Sharqat [Ash Sharqat]’, 1918 (f 207)
- ‘No 4. Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Qaiyarah and its continuation, the Jab-al-Najmah’, 1919 (ff 208-209)
- ‘No 5. Possibilities of Obtaining Oil in the Jab-al-Mishrak [Al Mishraq] and Country West of Hammam Ali [Hammam al Ali]’, 1919 (ff 210-211)
- ‘No 6. The Country between Mosul and Quwair [Al Kuwayr] on the Greater Zab, and its Prospects as Oil-producing Territory’, 1919 (ff 211v-212)
- ‘Report No 7. Sulphur near the Confluence of the Greater Zab with the Tigris’, 1919 (f 213)
- ‘No 8. Prospects of Obtaining Oil in the Quwair Dome’, 1919 (ff 213-214)
- ‘Appendix to Report No. 4, on the Jab-al-Qaiyarah Oil-field’, 1919 (f 214v)
- ‘Report on the prospects of obtaining Oil in the Jabal-Hamrin and Jabal- Makhul between Tikrit and Sharqat’, 1918 (ff 217-218)
- ‘Odd Notes on the Country between Tikrit and the Jabal-Hamrin and Jabal Makhul’, 1918 (ff 219-220)
- ‘PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE PROSPECTS OF PETROLEUM IN THE BAGHDAD WILAYAT’, 1918 (ff 233-236).
Also included in the volume are the following maps and geological drawings:
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No 8’, 1920 (f 20)
- ‘To ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No 8 ON THE SULAIMANIYAH DISTRICT’, 1920 (f 21)
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT MESOPOTAMIA No: 7a. THE WATER RESOURCES OF THE MANDALI-BADRAH DISTRICT’, 1920 (f 30)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL REPORT (MESOPOTAMIA) No 7 NOTES ON THE UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES OF NORTHERN MESOPOTAMIA’, 1920 (f 31)
- ‘TO ACCOMPANY GEOLOGICAL REPORT No 6’, 1920 (f 44)
- ‘TRANSVERSE SECTION. JABAL HAMRIN’ (f 88)
- ‘Diagrammatic Section across Jabal Hamrine [Hamrin] in the Table mountain area, shewing [showing] relationship of Pos Tertray [Post-Tertiary] Gravel to the Tertainis [Tertiaries]’ (f 168)
- ‘Red Clay & Sandstone Series Transverse section across Jabal Gilbat’ (f 169)
- ‘QĀRAH TAPPAH’, 1918 (f 170)
- ‘CHINCHĀL-TALISHĀN’, 1918 (f 172)
- ‘SHAHRABĀN’, 1917 (f 174)
- ‘MANSURĪYAH AL JABAL’, 1918 (f 176)
- ‘1 Diagrammatic Section N[orth]. of the Tuz Khurmatu’ (f 183)
- ‘2 Diagrammatic Section oposite [ sic ] Sulaiman Beg, just N[orth]. of the stream’ (f 183)
- ‘3 Diagrammatic Section oposite [ sic ] Sulaiman Beg just S[outh]. of the Stream’ (f 183v)
- ‘Transverse Section across Jabal Nasaz near Gil’ (f 185)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL MAP OF NAFT KHANA DISTRICT OF MESOPOTAMIA’ (f 198)
- ‘THE PETROLEUM DEPOSITS OF HIT’ (f 199)
- ‘GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE IN N.E. MESOPOTAMIA’ (f 200)
- ‘SECTION FROM SHAHRABAN TO CHAH SURKH [Chiya Surkh]’ (f 201)
- Transverse Section Maps of Jabal Hamrin and Jabal Makhul (f 220).
The volume comprises internal correspondence between British officials of different departments. The principal correspondents are: the Civil Commissioner, Baghdad; the Under-Secretary of State, India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. ; the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Baghdad; officers of the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau; and officers from the Petroleum Department.
The volume includes a divider which gives the subject number, the year the subject file was opened, the subject heading, and a list of correspondence references by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (244 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the inside front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 246; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. A previous foliation sequence, which is also circled, has been superseded and therefore crossed out.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [15r] (34/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/815, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100151508900.0x000023> [accessed 10 July 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100151508900.0x000023
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100151508900.0x000023">File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎15r] (34/522)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100151508900.0x000023"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0002c5/IOR_L_PS_10_815_0034.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000419.0x0002c5/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/10/815
- Title
- File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:19v, 22r:29v, 32r:43v, 45r:87v, 89r:167v, 177r:182v, 184r:184v, 186r:197v, 202r:219v, 221r:245v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence