NPA are continuing their seamless digital geo-referenced ArcView
geological database of the Middle East into Iraq. The database
contains the following thematic layers:
High resolution Landsat
ETM satellite imagery.
Co-registered detailed Structural
and Stratigraphic interpretations.
Spatial Earthquake Fault
Plane Solution data.
Digital Elevation Data.
Cross-sections detailing the structural
style of the main basins.
ASTER generated 3D views of the
Kirkuk Embayment.
The image extract (right) from the north-western margin of
the Lurestan fold-belt shows the Landsat ETM data overlain
by the
co-registered
detailed Structural and Stratigraphic interpretations. All
of the project is provided in ArcView in virtually any projection
to enable integration with the clients data-set. The data-set
extends into Iran and covers the entire external zones of the
Zagros Mountains. It can be purchased completely
or as bespoke extractions.
Structural modelling of the the Euphrates-Anah graben
The Euphrates and Anah graben systems occur between two stable
Palaeozoic blocks - the Rutbha and Khlessia highs. The intervening
mobile zones are topographic lows which have undergone Jurassic
extension, mid Cretaceous transtension, Neogene inversion
and the formation of flower structures. Its stratigraphic
section is similar to the proven SE Syria fields. Many of
the fields present in SE Syria have a surface representation
that is clearly evident across the border in Iraq, also there
are several zones of fault intersections that show excellent
follow-up potential.
Careful analysis of the satellite imagery indicated that the
topographic nature of the area is related directly to the underlying
geology; this is an area that is sparsely mapped and in which
the structural configuration is only poorly understood.
Integration of geophysical data and structural models help
to better define the basin architecture and enable the prediction
of structural trends and areas of possible structural closure
such as roll-over anticlines, transpressional flower structures.
