*Future Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Southern Iraq with the Emphasis on the Mishrif Cenomanian and the Yamama Valanginian Reservoirs

M.B. Al-Gailani¹ and N.Z. Marouf¹

¹GeoDesign Ltd

Abstract

Introduction: Early hydrocarbon prospectivity of Iraq during the turn of the twentieth century targeted the numerous anticlinal surface structures in the country or relied on simple magnetic and gravity tools used during the late 1940s to the late 1950s culminating in the discovery of the supergiant and giant fields such as the Kirkuk, Jambur and Bai Hassan in the north and the Zubair and Rumaila in the south. During the early 1970s to the early 1990s huge exploration activities took place covering the entire country with 2D seismic coverage as well as extensive exploration drilling culminating in the discovery of additional supergiant and giant fields such as the West Qurna and the Majnoon fields. The present study utilises some of the results obtained from the regional old 2D seismic coverage of the south as wells as the results obtained from the exploration drilling at that time to highlight some of the possible future hydrocarbon prospectivity potential of southern Iraq.