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File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎214r] (458/522)

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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. .

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15
though similar waving produces locally higher and lower dips; at the junc
tion between the Lower Tars and the Red Clays and Sandstones it is 25
degrees. The dome, therefore, is somewhat asymmetric, and follows the
normal rule in being steeper on the S.-W. than on the N.-E. The pitch
E.S.-E’wards is moderate, but very distinct.
PETROLEUM.
Natural Occurrences .—There are seepages of black tarry oil from
several spots along 60 or TO yards of the river bank at Quwair town. Around
them artificial basins have been constructed, from which oil is extracted.
These basins contain water in which a little sulphur has collected, and from
which the usual odour of sulphurette hydrogen emanates. The oil is prob
ably derived from a seeping limestone whose outcrop is just covered by the
gravelly alluvium; there is very little gas. This is another case of seepages
occurring down the pitch of an anticline, exposed by a river.
Prospects of Boring .—The structure, nature of the seepages, age of the
rocks exposed, and topographical position with respect to other oil indica
tions, are all favourable factors. The chances of this being a field of con
siderable value are, in my opinion, distinctly good. If it should justify its
promising appearance, it will be a well-defined field about half mile wide
and two miles long. The best location for a test well is 250 yards S. of the
Survey cairn mentioned on the line running along the middle of the crestal
area. The second crest-maximum mentioned is 25 degrees E. of S. from
the cairn and about three-quarter mile distant from it, about half mile due
W. of the village of Jaria (not marked on the map), and 75 yards or so from
the present telegraph line; this point and indeed the intervening tract be
tween it and the cairn, are probably not much inferior to the first location.
The irregularities in the crest and flanks cannot be of any serious economic
importance, and it is doubtful whether they persist to any depth; some slight
allowance for them may be found necessary as development proceeds, but at
present they may be ignored. Oil is a capricious mineral, but, until proved
otherwise, this small area should be treated as one of value and importance.
There is a good road up to the location selected, and along the crestal area;
• water for the engine is of course available from the River Zab.
Dated February 6th, 1919.
E. H. PASCOE, Supdt

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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
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File 1450/1919 ‘Mesopotamia & Kurdistan: Geological Reports on’ [‎214r] (458/522), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/10/815, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100151508902.0x00003b> [accessed 9 July 2026]

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