The Lower Silurian (Hot Shale) Source Rocks of Western Iraq: Depositional Model and Stratigraphic Distribution

The Hoseiba Member, an Early Silurian basal mature hot shale of the Akkas Formation (Silurian) consists about 80% Paleozoic hydrocarbon potential system, it is organic-rich with total organic carbon up to 16% as main source for gas resources in Iraq. rocks that are penetrated deep wells western Iraqi desert such Akkas-1, Qaim-1, and Khleisia -1, which distributed due paleo uplift restricted regional basin west, south, northwest wedged north thrust zone Ora area extreme northern Iraq, subbasin Aljezira NW west where approved ‘Hot shale” -Widyian (Rephrase). Iraq their correlative units extended within neighboring countries Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Oman, south Turkey. Qualitative quantity Hot Shales Excellent well -1 (0.95-16.62%) TOC Akk-1 sub-basin average thickness (30 m.) 1-9.94% Kh-1 Al-Jezira distribution was controlled by Caledonian created paleo-high moderately northwest, depression deposition expulsion migration underlying reservoir Khabour K1 sandstone ember block faulting