Northwestern Iraq Research Articles

Impact of fundamentalism on human capital, women's social status and demographics: Evidence from Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq

I analyze the impact of the religious fundamentalists’ rule on regional human capital development and women's social status by exploiting the unexpected rise and fall of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in northwestern Iraq (2014∼2017). I find a large downward impact of exposure to ISIS rule on female human capital and an upward one on fertility rate for women who were school-aged at the time of ISIS occupation. These women express more patriarchal family norms and are more likely to belong to a polygamous union, implying a decline in women's social status. This decline in human capital and the rise of patriarchal family norms doesn't cause a significant negative impact on the development of their pre-school-aged children, possibly implying that these women didn't decrease parenting effort for their children. In summary, even a brief period of extremist rule has potentially large impacts on human capital development and culture.

Paleoclimate evidence using Nannopaleontology from Mushorah Formation in Northwestern Iraq

Calcareous nannofossils are classified from the Mushorah Formation from two subsurface sections in Butmah 15-well, Butmah oil field, and Sfaia 41-well, Sfaia oil field, Northwestern Iraq. This Nannopaleontological classification of these calcareous nannofossils led to the determination of many species. Calcareous nannofossils are dominated by the following taxon: Chiastozygaceae family with two of the Chiastozygus genus, three species of the Reinhardtites genus and three species of the Zeugrhabdotus genus, Axopodorhabdaceae family with one species of the Cribrocorona genus, Eiffellithaceae family with two of the Eiffellithus genus, Prediscosphaeraceae family with two of the Prediscosphaera genus, Cretarhabdaceae family with two of the Retecapsa genus, Rhagodiscaceae family with two of the Rhagodiscus genus, Watznaueriaceae family with two of the Cyclagelosphaera genus, with five of the Watznaueria genus, Arkhangelskiales family with two of the, Arkhangelskiella genus, with two of the Broinsonia genus, one of the Misceomarginatus genus, Calyptrosphaeraceae family with three of the Calculites genus with one of the Lucianorhabdus genus, Microrhabdulaceae family with three of the Lithraphidites genus, Polycyclolithaceae family with four of the Eprolithus genus, with three of the Lithastrinus genus, with five of the Micula genus, two of the Quadrum genus, one of the Rucinolithus genus, three of the Ceratolithoides genus. Our investigation focuses on the response of the assemblage of the Watznaueria spp., it can be concluded from higher speciation for calcareous nannofossils that the bloom at Campanian has an increase in temperature has implications for climate change impacts on the ecosystem.

Sedimentary and Tectonic, Implications on Late Cretaceous Reservoir Succession Along the Oil Fields, Mosul Block, Northwestern Iraq

This study focuses on Cretaceous reservoir succession development and evaluated in the Mosul Block NW Iraq. The oil fields are Sufayia, Ain Zalah, and Tel-Hajer (Sufayia-1, Ain Zalah-29, producing fields and Exploration well Tel-Hajar-1 South of Jabal Sinjar-non producing field). The Mosul Block in Northwestern Iraq has Cretaceous reservoirs, but less research has been done on the deeper plays of the Lower Cretaceous, Jurassic, and older reservoirs. Non-Tertiary reservoirs in this zone are unlike what exists in eastern Iraq. The reservoir facies and Stratigraphy evolution are influenced by three tectonic development phases: Phase I (Late Albian to Cenomanian): The Gir Bir Formation The main reservoir exhibits good hydrocarbon efficiency reservoir, characterized by Shoal Rudist and benthic foraminifers. Notably, this formation is absent in Tel-Hajar. Phase II (Turonian to Late Campanian, obduction phase): Tel-Hajar structure South Jabal Sinjar, as positive region (Austrian orogeny) which uplifts the Wajnah Formation Sub basinal, Facies overlying the Mushorah Formation in Ain Zalah and Sufayia fields. Phase III (Late Campanian to Maastrichtian), fractured basinal facies Shiranish Formation reservoir, located in the northern parts of Mosul Block Ain Zalah and Sufayia fields. However, no reservoir of cretaceous of Tel Hajar-1. The study concludes that the oil fields northwest of Mosul Blocks (Sufayia and Ain-Zalah fields) have good potential produced from the Cretaceous reservoir, while the south of Mosul Blocks well (Tel-Hajer -1) has weak potential as cut-out cretaceous stratigraphy (pale high) Cretaceous stage.

Temporal and Spatial Analysis for Precipitation Trend and Homogeneity in Semi-Arid Area, Northwestern Iraq as a Case Study

Detecting the trends and homogeneity in precipitation records is fundamental in climate change and hydrological studies. This study investigates the homogeneity and trends of precipitation time series at four stations in north-west Iraq. The analysis encompasses the annual, seasonal, and monthly time scale at a significant level of 5%. Four tests were employed to assess the homogeneity analysis of the precipitation time series: Standard Normal Homogeneity, Buishand, Pettitt, and Von Neumann Ratio. Then two methods were applied to detect the trend from 1970–2020. Sequential Mann- Kendall and Innovative trend tests were employed to track the significant trend changes and to find the magnitude, tendency, and significance of the trend during this period for precipitation. Microsoft Excel was utilized to achieve the concepts of homogeneity and trend for the precipitation time series. The results of the homogeneity test confirmed the suitability and homogeneity of the precipitation for further analysis. The trend analysis showed that there is an annual increasing (positive) trend in precipitation at Duhok and Rabia stations by 14 mm/decade and 0.25 mm/decade, respectively. Conversely, Mosul and Tal-Afer stations exhibited a decreasing (negative) trend by 21 mm/decade and 8.9 mm/decade, respectively. Spring precipitation exhibited a statistically significant decreasing trend in all Northwestern stations. The most substantial value in the Mosul station by 11mm/decade. This study highlights the importance of investigating drought and flood adaptation strategies to address the impact of climate changes impacts at the mentioned area.

Nannobiostratigraphy of Serikagni Formation in Southern limb of Sinjar anticline, Northwestern Iraq

Nannobiostratigraphy of Serikagni Formation in Southern limb of Sinjar anticline, Northwestern Iraq

Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology of the Sinjar Formation (Late Paleocene-Early Eocene) in the Dokan and Sinjar Areas, Iraq

Biostratigraphy of the Sinjar Formation is investigated in two sections (Dokan and Sinjar) from northeastern and northwestern Iraq, respectively. Two hundred samples from all the limestones and marl that form the main lithological components of the studied sections were collected. The studied limestones and marl are rich in microfossils. Through thin sections, we were able to identify thirty species of benthic foraminifera and fifteen species of other microfossils (coral, algae, mollusca, bryozoa, and echinoids) at Dokan section, and fifty-one species of benthic foraminifera and thirty species of other microfossils at Sinjar section. 3 biozones were distinguished from both sections 1-Biozone A: Kathina sp.- Lockhartia hunti Assemblage zone (SBZ 5) (Dokan section); (Kathina pemavuti - Lockhartia hunti Assemblage zone (Sinjar section), 2- Biozone B: Idalina sinjarica Total Range zone (SBZ 6-7) and 3-Biozone C: Alveolina globosa- Alveolina pasitisilata Concurrent Range Zone (SBZ8-10). These zones indicate the Late Paleocene –Early Eocene age of the Sinjar formation. The biostratigraphic correlations in the studied sections are based on benthic foraminiferal zonations. Showed the correlation comparison between the biostratigraphic zones of the commonly used benthic zonal scheme around the Late Paleocene -Early Eocene in and outside of Iraq. paleoecological studies suggest that the carbonate sedimentation of the Sinjar Formation thrived in 18-25oC, with mesophotic to oligophobic light, under an oligotrophic to mesotrophic middle ramp environment with normal marine to slightly saline and at water depths from 40 - 80 m. Stable isotopic carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) data revealed generally hot conditions with high productivity during the deposition of the Sinjar Formation accompanied by an abrupt change in paleoenvironmental conditions across the Paleocene-Eocene contact.

Qualitative and quantitative diagenetic modelling in a tight carbonate reservoir in north-western Iraq

The diagenetic history of the Butmah Formation (Lower Jurassic) is very complex and affected by several diagenetic processes that worked effectively with fracturing control to create the final pore network. A microscopic study, core plug and well log analyses were combined in this study in order to describe, and differentiate between, the diagenetic and fracturing control that created the final pore system of the formation. The diagenetic processes of the Butmah Formation were studied in depth to describe the diagenetic stages and identify the elements that may compose a petrodiagenetic pathway illustrating its effect on the reservoir quality of the Butmah Formation. Accordingly, the Butmah Formation samples were divided into three petrophysical fields controlled mainly by fracturing and diagenesis, which were then used to develop a new method for estimating the pre-dolomitisation petrophysical properties of the dolomite samples and the post-dolomitisation petrophysical properties of the limestone samples. Consequently, the output of applying this method allows us to effectively begin to predict each of the elements that may compose a petrodiagenetic pathway for the Butmah Formation and make its reservoir characterisation integrated and more understandable. The new method provided a good prediction of matrix porosity and permeability, as well as allowing the estimation of reservoir properties of any other carbonate reservoir in petroleum development projects when there are no core samples in some formation intervals within boreholes.

An urban air quality assessment based on a meteorological perspective.

An integrated approach to understanding all measured pollutants with multi-discipline in different time scales and understanding the mechanisms hidden under low air quality (AQ) conditions is essential for tackling potential air pollution issues. In this study, the air pollution of Sivas province was analyzed with meteorological and PM2.5 data over six years to assess the city's AQ in terms of PM2.5 pollution and analyze the effect of meteorological factors on it. It was found that the winter period (January-February-November-December) of every year except 2019-which has missing data-is the period with the highest air pollution in the province. In addition, the days exceeding the daily PM2.5 limit values in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2021 were also seen in the spring and summer months, which inclined the study to focus on additional pollutant sources such as long-range dust transport and road vehicles. The year 2017 has the highest values and was analyzed in detail. Pollution periods with the most increased episodes in 2018 were analyzed with the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) and Dust Regional Atmospheric Model (DREAM) models. As a result of the study, the average PM2.5 values in 2017 were 31.66 ± 19.2µg/m3 and a correlation of -0.49 between temperature and PM2.5. As a result of model outputs, it was found that the inversion is intensely observed in the province, which is associated with an increase of PM2.5 during the episodes. Dust transport from northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria is observed, especially on days with daily average PM2.5 values above 100µg/m3. Additionally, planetary boundary layer (PBL) data analysis with PM pollution revealed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.61). Air pollutants, particularly PM2.5, were found to be higher during lower PBL levels.

The Yazidi Genocide in the Court of Frankfurt an Analytical Legal Study on The Case of Taha Al-Jumaili

The Yazidis are one of the oldest ethnic and religious communities originating from the Middle East. The majority of Yazidis reside in northwestern Iraq, in the areas around Mount Shingal and the Shekhan district. Throughout their history, Yazidis have faced genocide and many international crimes, most notably the 2014 Genocide by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (hereafter referred to as ISIS or IS), which had a significant international impact. The United Nations has recognised these atrocities as genocide in several of its reports. Moreover, several ISIS perpetrators have been prosecuted in various states. However, the verdict of the Frankfurt regional high court in Germany (hereinafter referred to as the Frankfurt Court) to sentence Taha Al-Jumaili is considered the first decision acknowledging crimes against Yazidis as genocide based on absolute universal jurisdiction and, from a legal perspective, as a result of intensive efforts. This research aims to conduct a clear legal evaluation of the Frankfurt court's decision to sentence Taha Al-Jumaili and compare it with internationally recognised criminal law standards. The method used is a legal analysis method to examine the relevant international conventions, laws, and court rules. The research findings indicate that the aforementioned decision has a valuable legal basis, as the Frankfurt Court, in its decision, concluded that Genocide can be committed by killing just one person if the legal conditions of Genocide exist in the crime, which they did in the case of Taha Al-Jumaili. In this sense, a genocide crime can be committed by killing a single person. Taha Al-Jumaili's criminal liability was the murder of a Yazidi girl, and he received a life sentence as a Genocide criminal. This sentence is in line with internationally recognised criminal law standards.

Integration of petrophysical and geochemical approaches for lower Miocene Euphrates and Jeribe Formations in selected wells in Tawke Oil Field, Northwestern Iraq, Zagros-fold belt

The Lower Miocene Euphrates and Jeribe Formations are among Iraq's potential reservoirs with significant proven reserves. Petrophysical and geochemical techniques were used to investigate these Formations in the recently discovered Tawke Oil Field. Investigation consisted of acquiring a considerable amount of data from eight wells including conventional core analysis, wireline logging data, gas chromatography data and formation water analysis. The Euphrates and Jeribe Formations are considered to have low to moderate porosity (avg. 2.7–20.5%) and low matrix permeability (avg. 0.87–15mD). Secondary porosity is more prevalent than primary depositional porosity and is a significant factor in optimal reservoir properties with an average of 3.7–5.4% Secondary Porosity Index (SPI) for Jeribe and Euphrates Formations respectively. Meanwhile, fractures increased matrix permeability by up to 33mD and 56mD in the Euphrates and Jeribe Formations respectively. Lithology and core analysis revealed that the Dhiban Formation is a non-reservoir rock with maximum 2% He-Porosity and 0.069mD Klinkenberg permeability confirming that the formation is insufficient as a hydrocarbon reservoir, and that the rock properties are primarily controlled by the depositional environment. The Jeribe Formation contains crude oil of intermediate gravity and high sulfur content. According to gas chromatograph analysis the liquid and oil extracted from the Jeribe Formation originated from a matured marine setting that was possibly algae rich (Type-II kerogen) and has been deposited in a reductive environment. It is believed that these hydrocarbons were sourced from the Middle Jurassic Sargelu and Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Chia Gara Formations. The chloride-calcium water class is determined from the produced water in the Jeribe Formation and the concentration of elements with dissolved salts confirmed that the Jeribe Formation is in contact throughout eight Tawke wells studied.

Nannobiostratigraphy of The Mushorah Formation in (AZ.29) well, Ain Zalah oil field, Northwestern Iraq

A Detailed calcareous nannofossils study for the Mushorah Formation from subsurface section at Az. (29) well, Ain Zalah oil field, Northwestern Iraq. This is the first documentation of calcareous nannofossils in the Mushorah Formation, the Paleontological classification of this flora led to determine forty species. The nannobiostratigraphic analysis suggested three calcareous nannofossils biozones these are: (1) Calculites obscurus Interval Biozone; (2) Broinsonia parca Interval Biozone;(3) Misceomarginatus pleniporus Interval Biozone. These biozones concluded that the age of studied section of the Mushorah Formation is Early to Middle Campanian.

Water Quality Indices for Evaluating the Groundwater for Drinking and Irrigation in the Wana District of Northwestern Iraq

The current study aims to assess the groundwater quality in the Wana area, Northwest of Mosul. Water samples were collected from 18 selected wells within the study area during the dry season of October 2020 and the wet season of April 2021. Field and laboratory measurements including electrical conductivity (EC), TDS, pH, Total hardness, and major and some minor ions analyses were performed following standard methods. The results revealed a wide variation of EC values ranging from 0.66 to 5.09 ds⋅m-1. All wells have hard water due to the presence of gypsum and carbonate rocks. The water quality index (WQI) values showed that wells drilled in the Fatha Formation and wells of mixed water from both the Fatha Formation and the Quaternary sediments provide low-quality drinking water. Wells that only penetrate the Quaternary sediments yield good-quality drinking water. According to the irrigation WQI, the Fatha Formation wells produce low-quality irrigation water, and the water quality of wells drilled in Quaternary sediments or that penetrate both the Fatha Formation and Quaternary sediments (mixed water) ranges from excellent to acceptable for irrigation purposes.

Over the Frontier. Remote Sensing Analysis of the Roman Eastern Borderland in Mesopotamia through Declassified Satellite and Aerial Imagery

This paper discusses the spatial configuration of the Roman easternmost borderland in Mesopotamia through several case studies and, particularly, with the aid of declassified aerial and satellite imagery. Satellite pictures from the 1960s and 1970s have proved to be of incredible value for the archaeological research in the Near East, contributing to a solid advancement in the understanding of large-scale phenomena on long-term periods. This is particularly true for the so-called late periods of Mesopotamian history which – traditionally – suffer from an inexplicable lack of terrain data. Although the research has consistently improved in the las decade or so, the support of remote-sensing techniques has open new and fruitful research trajectories on the matter. I will employ legacy aerial data, CORONA and HEXAGON declassified satellite imagery and U2 aerial data to assess some case studies in the region and to provide new insights on such a contested space, now roughly comprised between northeastern Syria and northwestern Iraq.

Multispectral Image Classification Based on the Bat Algorithm

There are many traditional classification algorithms used to classify multispectral images, especially those used in remote sensing. But the challenges of using these algorithms for multispectral image classification are that they are slow to implement and have poor classification accuracy. With the development of technologies that mimic nature, many researchers have resorted to using intelligent algorithms instead of traditional algorithms because of their great importance, especially when dealing with large amounts of data. The bat algorithm (BA) is one of the most important of these algorithms. This study aims to verify the possibility of using the BA to classify the multispectral images captured by the Landsat-5 TM satellite image of the study area. The study area represents the Mosul area located in the Nineveh Governorate in northwestern Iraq. The purpose is not only to study the ability of the BA to classify multispectral images but also to obtain a land cover map of this region. The BA showed efficiency in the classification results compared to Maximum Likelihood (ML), where the overall accuracy of classification when using the BA reached (82.136%), while MLreached (79.64%)

Stratigraphic Study for the Cretaceous-Tertiary period in Qasab-Jawan area in north weastern Iraq by using 2D seismic survey

A seismic study was conducted to re-interpret the Qasab and Jawan Oil fields in northwestern Iraq, south of the city of Mosul, by reprocessing many seismic sections of a number of field surveys by using the Petrel software. Two reflectors, represented by the Hartha formation, deposited during the Cretan age, and the Euphrates formation, formed during the Tertiary age, were delineated to stabilize the structural picture of these fields.
 The stratigraphic study showed that the Qasab and Jawan fields represent areas of hydrocarbon accumulation. Seismic attribute analysis showed low values of instantaneous frequency in the areas of hydrocarbon accumulation. Instantaneous phase was used to determine the limits of the sequence, the nature of sedimentation, and the type of vanishing, i.e. onlap vs. toplap. Low instantaneous amplitude values were recorded, indicating hydrocarbon reservoirs in the studied area. Various other seismic stratigraphic features were studied , including the distribution mound, flat spot, and channels in the two formations, but they were discontinuous because of the tectonic effects. These activities explain reasonably the distribution of hydrocarbons in the studied area.

Influence of anhydritisation on the reservoir quality of the Butmah Formation in north-western Iraq

Carbonates and evaporites in the Butmah Formation (Lower Jurassic) were deposited in restricted marine (inner ramp) environments in north-western Iraq. The carbonates are composed of ooidal, peloidal and fossiliferous limestone in shoal and lagoon facies, while syndepositional dolomite with early anhydrite cement is found in tidal flat facies. Study of anhydrite intervals shows different structures represented by bedded, massive, chicken-wire and nodular structures which consist petrographically of fibrous, equant, felted, spare crystal, needle and lath shape textures. Two phases of anhydrite cementation were recognised in this study: Phase I is represented by syndepositional anhydrite cement that affected the reservoir quality of the tidal flat facies, and Phase II as late anhydrite cement that affected the reservoir quality of the lagoon and shoal facies. Extensive petrophysical measurements were carried out and have shown that differences in lithology, anhydrite cement type, and the degree of anhydritisation control the reservoir quality of the Butmah Formation. The Butmah Formation was divided into three rock types according to differences in their petrophysical properties and the anhydrite cement fraction. Quantitative and qualitative observations combine to indicate that post-depositional uplift may have affected the study area during the Middle-Late Jurassic and tended to dissolve some of the anhydrite cement in the tidal flat facies, creating sulfate-rich brines, and then movement of those brines toward the lagoon and shoal facies led to saturation and deposition as late anhydrite cementation (Phase II). This mechanism has affected the reservoir quality of the Butmah Formation considerably, altering its petrophysical properties.

2D Seismic Reflection Study of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Period in Qasab-Jawan Area in Northwestern Iraq

A seismic study was conducted to re-interpret the Qasab and Jawan oil field in northern Iraq, south of the city of Mosul, by reprocessing and interpreting many seismic sections of a number of field surveys that included the field area. Two reflectors are detected, represented by Hartha Formations which were deposited during the Cretaceous age and Euphrates Formation which was deposited during the Tertiary age in order to stabilize the structural image of this field. The study was achieved by reinterpreting seismic sections using the Petrel program, where time, velocity and depth maps were prepared for the two formations.
 The study showed that the Qasab and Jawan fields generally consist of a structural closure located at the wells of the northern dome. This closure extends to the south east and deviates towards the east in the form of a structural rift. The study concluded the existence of a transverse fault that cuts Qasab and Jawan structures, forming a structural trap that represents the southern part of Qasab structure.

Geological history, Ichnofacies and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Eocene – Oligocene Boundary at Sinjar Area, Northwestern Iraq

Three outcrop sections for the Eocene- Oligocene boundary have been studied in Sinjar anticline northwestern Iraq. This study includes the lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and the identification of trace fossils and related ichnofacies in order to report the geological history of this boundary in the frame of sequence stratigraphy. Jaddala Formation, which is composed of marl and marly limestone, represents deep (outer shelf-upper bathyal) Eocene facies, Palani and Tarjil formations represent deposition in deep basinal environments during Early and Late Oligocene sequences. The Eocene- Oligocene boundary in Sinjar area represents a disconformity surface, where the deposition ceased in the Middle Eocene (Lutetian) at the end of Jaddala Formation, forming the firmground Glossifungites Ichnofacies which embrace Thalassinoides ichnotaxa in Jaddala section, and the hardground Trypanites Ichnofacies in Sharafiddin section, while at Sinjar section, a chalky limestone bed deposited at the Early Oligocene (Rupelian) Palani Formation representing Skolithos Ichnofacies. A rapid wide transgression took place at the end of Early Oligocene (Rupelian) leading to the deposition of Palani Formation, and continued through the Late Oligocene (Chattian) leading to the deposition of Tarjil Formation.

The Study of Lithology by Using the Cross-Section Profiles of The Logs of Shiranish and Mushorah Formations in Ain Zalah and Butmah Fields, Northwestern Iraq

This study deals with the determination of lithology in the Shiranish and Mushorah Formations in wells (Az-24, Az-29, and But-15). The graphical representation of the neutron porosity log (NØ) and the bulk density ρ)b(, shows that the Shiranish (Late Campanian – Early Maastrichtian) and Mushorah (Early Campanian) Formations consist of limestone and dolomite, as well as shale. The proportion of dolomite and chert increases at the expense ofcalcite in the Mushorah Formation. Also, the graphical representation results of the M-N profile for each well indicate that the limestone of the Mushorah Formation were affected by the dolomitization with the development of secondary porosity. Moreover, the limestones were suffered silicification in the form of chert nodules. The MID profile, used in this study to determine the mineralogy gives better and more precise results than that of the M-N profile. The results showed that the dominant minerals are calcite in the Shiranish Formation while dolomite and quartz in the Mushorah Formation, regardless of the gas effects within the studied wells.

Integrated Artificial Intelligent with RS and GIS for Long-Term Drought Prediction

The accurate evaluation of drought plays an urgent role in the optimal solution for future development. The present research aimed to predict and assess drought in Nineveh governorate northwestern Iraq by integrated a fuzzy logic procedure with Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. Primary meteorological data for six stations were used in this study. Vegetation cover changes were detected using remote sensing analysis in which there was a decrease in the vegetation cover’s area by 17.7% from 592.3 km 2 in the year 1992 to 487.46 km 2 in the year 2016. Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) as a proxy for drought conditions was simulated by developing the model of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) as an artificial intelligent approach where its performance reached to 82% when evaluating the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE)as performance criteria. However, the long-term meteorological drought was an assessment where the results show that the drought level will intensify in a future by 10.1% with more successive droughts levels. Those results were clarified through developing spatial distribution map for long-term drought simulation by employing the (GIS) as a database to develop future plans for the study area.