File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎79v] (173/522)

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We have £iven the name of Huwaish to this anticline as it is the only anticline on the 1 inch
survey sheet, Huwaish, and no more suitable name could be found.
Between this anticline and Qaiyarah there is a synclinal in which the higher beds of the Upper
Pars appear.
Prospects :—
(a) Presence of oil-bearing beds. —The anticline is only 7 miles from Qaiyarah where there
are large seepages. It is probable that the oil-bearing beds of Qaiyarah will be continued into this
anticline.
(b) Cap-Rock.—As only the top of the Lower Pars is exposed and there is no evidence of dis
location, there is more cap rock here than in any other anticline so far examined.
(c) Geological Structure. —If, as we believe, the axis plunges to the N.W., the structure is an
elongated dome and would be very favourable for the accumulation of oil.
The prospects are promising, but. are dependant on the result of a test at Qaiyarah.
4. The J. Qaiyarah, J. Najmah, and J. Yawan Anticline.
The Qaiyarah anticline has been described in report No. 1, and only a brief resume need be
given here.
Lower Pars beds are exposed in the anticline to a depth of about 500 feet and large seepages
occur where the lowest known beds are exposed in the valleys. 1 he anticline rises to a ciest maxi
mum at a point named by us Plateau Hill, which is the highest point in the hills, 908 feet. This
point is marked on the Survey 1" map by a triangulation A surveying technique in which the position of a network of points is determined by creating a series of triangles between them and measuring at least two of the internal angles and one side length. mark without a figure. From here the
axis pitches at an angle of about 12 degs. for a short distance, flattens out to about 1 deg. and
finally becomes horizontal forming a long low ridge, which, about 8-9 miles Isom Plateau Hill, Uses
into a mass of hills, known as J. Najmah, due to the rise of the axis into anothei ciest maximum.
The Lower Pars beds have varied somewhat in the short distance between the two domes.
Limestone D. can be traced through to j. Najmah, but has thickened considerably and has develop
ed a sandy phase in the lower part. It forms an easily traceable outcrop aiound the hills. The
top of the hill is composed of two heavy limestone bands of type b , which do not appeal in the
Qaiyarah area. Apart from this the Lower Pars has the same general appeaiance and the two
vertical sections correlate fairly well. In J. Najmah only about 300 feet of the Lowei Pais aie
exposed.
Structure :—
The Qaiyarah axis remains horizontal to within two to three miles of the Najmah hills and
then rises at an angle of about degs. to the highest point, 1280 feet. It then pitches to the N W.
forming an elongated dome at the crest maximum. This crest maximum is actually 200 feet higher
than that at Qaiyarah.
Still further to the N.W. can be seen a group of hills marked on the map as J. Yawan, about
12 miles from J. Najmah. Dr. Pascoe, who flew over this group in an aeroplane, observed that
this range does not continue in the same straight line as Qaiyarah-Najmah.
It appears to be echeloned on the Najmah hills. From ground level these hills ceitainly, fiom
a distance, appear to be a direct continuation of the ridge, and in view of the fact that, in othei
places, the axis does change direction it is likely that the reported echeloning is only apparent. We
hope to examine this range, and a more distant one in the same line in the neai futuie.
The symmetrical nature of the Qaiyarah fold is continued in the Najmah hills ; the maximum
dip on the N.E. flank is about 30 degs. ; although in one place Limestone D is dipping at 45 degs. ;
this dip does not appear to persist.
Prospects :—
(a) Presence of oil-bearing beds.—The nearness of the large seepages of Qaiyarah arid the
occurrence of a small seepage on the N.E. flank of the Najmah uplift indicates the presence of oil
bearing beds.
{b) Cap-Rock .——Only 300 feet of the Lower Pars are exposed so that, from this point of view
it is more favourable than the Qaiyarah crest.
(c) Geological Structure. —The structure is so similar to that of Qaiyarah that the conclusions
arrived at there hold for this crest. The fact that the crest is actually, geologically, 200 feet higher
than that of Qaiyarah is an additional point in its favour.
To sum up therefore, the Najmah hills appear a particularly favourable area for the accumula
tion of oil, and, if Qaiyarah proves successful, should be an equally good field.
5. The Shura Anticline.
Between the conspicuous hill ranges of Najmah in the south and Mishraq-Araij in the north,
there exists a low, flat anticline, making hardly any feature, with an axis running approximately
N.W.-S.E. and pitching gently to the S.E.
The anticline is first recognisable as such near Shura where Limestone D is the lowest bed
exposed. We traced the axis some 4 or 5 miles to the N.W. and found what appeared to be a low
crest maximum near the ruined village of Zalhafah, at point 945. Here Limestone D was still
capping the low hills and forming dip slopes on either Hank, and not more than 50 feet of the
Lower Pars was exposed below it. The dip on the S.W. limb was only 3-4 deg. Nine to ten
miles to the N.W., the Jabal Kibritiyah is a direct continuation of this,anticline, but to the S.E. of
Shura the anticline flattens still more and appears to die out completely before reaching the Tigris.
There is a great lack of exposures in this direction.

File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎79v] (173/522)

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File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎79v] (173/522)

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