File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎166v] (347/522)

Economic Questions.
PETROLEUM.
Iii the area under consideration, and probably throughout Mesopotamia, the mineral of unique
and outstanding importance is petroleum. It is perhaps unnecessary to point out that its occurrence,
<jn account of the extreme mobility of the mineral, is a subject of considerable complexity and of
many limitations. Bearing in mind, therefore, the uncertainty of prognostication on such a subject
fiiy opinion, based on evidence collected over a fairly extended tour, is that the country will probably
take a not unimportant place among the world’s sources of petroleum. It should rival the Persian
fields, and collectively outclass those of Burma. Below is a list of oil localities surveyed, which I
have attempted to classify in the order of their promise. That is to say, leaving out the question of
the size of the field, these localities are arranged more or less in order according to the degree of
certainty or probability that oil is obtainable in remunerative quantity.
t ' i
A. Areas of First Class importance.
1. Qaiyarah. —Probably a large field extending with interruptions to Qushlah and perhaps
beyond. (Rep. 4).
2. Quwair .—A small but well-defined field. (Rep. 8).
B. Areas less certain but of decided promise.
1. Jabal Hamrin and Makbul near the Tigris. —If petroliferous, probably a large field.
(Rep. 2.)
C. Areas of uncertain prospects but sufficiently promising to warrant a test boring.
1. Jabal Mishrak. —(Rep. 5).
\ • 2. Hawi Arslam. —A very small area. (Rep. 6).
3. Kirkuk. —Scarcely promising enough, to warrant deep-boring for which I should class
it in E between 3 and 4. For shallow bores a small unimportant field is possible.
(Rep. 9).
D. Areas whose prospects depend mere or less on the success or failure of certain neighbouring
areas.
1. jabal Khanuqah. —Depending on results in the Jabal Makbul. (Rep. 3).
2. Kharrar. —Depending on results in the fabal Mishrak. (Rep. 5).
3. Hills IV. of Hamm am AH and ground A. 144 of Shura. —Doubtful and depending on
any success in the Hammam AH area—should be mapped on a large scale if the
latter successful. (Rep. 5).
4. Huwairah. —Depending on Hawi Arslan. A small area. (Rep. 6).
E. Purely speculative areas.
1. Hammarn AH, including, tothe N.N.W., the Huslaun plain and. hills between Lanaka
and Abu Sif, to the S.S.E., the Yuhainah plain, and E 1 wards the islands in the
ri vcr ' —Purely speculative in so far as the location of the boring is concerned,
but almost fit to be classed at the base of C or with No. 2 in D, if the location
of the test were not so difficult. (Reps. 5 and 6).
2. Nimrud. —Speculative as the structure is hidden beneath alluvium. Otherwise fit
for the base of C, since the situation is favourable and the seepages “ alive
and fairly copious. (Rep. 6).
3. Tuz Khurmatu. —A speculation even for shallow boring, and unimportant as regards
quantity. (Rep. 11).
4. Kani Qadir. —A pure gamble even for shallow bores. Large quantities of oil very
• improbable. (Rep. 12).
5. Table Mountain. —Structure favourable, but no surface indications of oil. (Rep. 14).
6. Judaidah. —Area probably restricted and prospects doubtful. (Rep. 6).
T. Jabal Gilabat. —A gamble and an,expensive one since boring would have to be deep.
(Rep. 13).
Pitch and Bitumen. —The only locality seen in which pitch, and bitumen occur in any appre
cdable quantity is Qaiyarah (Rep. No. 4). The quantity is not large. This and the Hit deposits
do not make a good f uel, and moreover would probably be of considerably greater value foi ocher
purposes such as :—
(f) Caulking, and ship-building on the Arab plan.
(h) Use on roads.
(m) Low grade varnishes for iron-work, and japanning.
(jv) Use on the iron-plates of ship-bottoms to prevent electrolytic action.
{u) Coating masonry.
* This accounts for anomalies such as the priority of a poor area like Kirkuk over areas like Mishral, Kharrar
or Hammam Ali, either of which may prove to be of much greater importance.

File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎166v] (347/522)

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