Field Description and Lithostratigraphic Study of Sargelu Formation in Rania and Sargelu sections, Northern Iraq

Abstract

The Sargule Formation was deposited during the Middle Jurassic, representing one of the most important source rocks in Iraq and surrounding areas.
 Jurassic successions are commonly exposed as an isolated patch at some eroded anticline’s cores and limbs in the High Folded Zone, Imbricate Zone, and Thrust Zones of northern Iraq. The Sargelu section is located in Sargelu village at Surdash anticline, while the Rania section is located in Rania city near Hanjira village at Shaweri anticline. Fieldwork in Rania and Sargelu Sections allow to divide Sargelu Formation lithostratigraphically into many subdivisions as follow:
 The Sargelu Formation in the Rania section is about 40 m and can be divided into two lithologic units; the upper thin to medium bituminous limestone beds alternated with thin chert beds, and the lower thin to medium bituminous limestone beds alternated with fissile gray shale beds.
 the The Sargelu section comprises 180m and is divided into three units; the upper unit consists of dark gray limestone beds and thin brownish-black of laminated shale. The middle unit includes dark chert alternated with dark gray bituminous limestone and brownish-black laminated shale. At the same time, the lower unit consists of dark gray bituminous limestone beds alternated with medium brownish-black laminated shale beds.