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A geophysical study investigation was conducted in the southern part of Iraq bounded by coordinates; longitudes (39◦ - 48◦) East and latitude (29◦ - 32◦) North. This study includes analysis and interpretation of the potential data (gravity and magnetic) derived from the Bouguer anomaly map and Aeromagnetic total field intensity map of Iraq both of them is within the scale of (1: 1,000,000) and do comparison with the information available from geological maps, which include Tectonic, Hydrological and Geological information. Gravity and Magnetic maps of the study area were digitized at a grid interval of (1×1) cm which is equivalent to (10×10) km on the land. The trend surface technique was applied on the Bouguer anomaly map of the area. Through these analyses there are three tectonic boundaries have been proposed (A, B, and C). Results were compared with potential analyses of available geological information which match some faults proposed through data analysis with other geological information.

The gravity anomalies of the Jurassic and deep structures were obtained by stripping the gravity effect of Cretaceous and Tertiary formations from the available Bouguer gravity map in central and south Iraq. The gravity effect of the stripped layers was determined depending on the density log or the density density obtained from the sonic log. The density relation with the seismic velocity of Gardner et al (1974) was used to obtain density from sonic logs in case of a lack of density log. The average density of the Cretaceous and Tertiary formation were determined then the density contrast of these formations was obtained. The density contrast and thickness of all stratigraphic formations in the area between the sea level to the top of Jurassic formations were used to determine the gravity effect of these layers. The gravity anomaly map of the stripped formation was determined. The gravity anomaly map of the stripped formation was subtracted from the Bouguer gravity map, and the gravity anomaly map of deep structures was obtained. The regional and residual maps (3rd order polynomial ) were determined for the gravity anomaly maps before and after stripping. The regional gravity map before stripping shows one positive anomaly located at the western part of the study area and west Abu-Jir and Euphrates faults. The regional gravity map after stripping shows a positive anomaly located along an axis extended from Kut toward Najaf. This positive anomaly map divided the sedimentary basin into two sub-basins. The positive gravity residual anomaly of the Bouguer map before stripping shows regionally three structural axes trending NW-SE. These axes are Baghdad-Kut axis, northwest Karbala axis and west Samawa- Nasiriyah axis. The positive residual anomaly map after stripping shows two important anomaly areas. The first area is located between Kut and Karbala-Najaf . and the second is located northwest Karbala by about 100-120 km. These two areas may be prospective areas for hydrocarbon. The stripping method application in the study area shows good result; therefor, it can be used to enhance the gravity data to investigate deep structures in other areas.

The litholog of Nahr Umr Formation was evaluated using the Acoustic Impedance (AI), Vp/Vs ratio cross plot colored by petrophysical properties (Vsh, PHIT, PHIE, and Sw) in Am-6-Am-10 wells. Bulk density is an important physical property that reflects matrix density and fluid density that exist in rocks pores. It is used as the main parameters to estimate physical characteristics (porosity, water saturation, shale volume, and others). AI was calculated using RHOB and VP logs. Shear velocity was calculated using Greenberg Castagna equations used for estimating the Vp/Vs ratio and the result Showed that the Nahr Umr Formation is composed of two main lithological units. The upper unit (depth 3540m -3672m) is composed of limestone (limestone with low shale volume and low porosity high AI and limestone with high shale volume of high porosity and low AI), while the lower unit (depth 3672m-3740m composed of sandstone with a high volume of shale have the lower AI value. The type of fluid was high water saturation in the carbonate part with low effective porosity and hydrocarbons existing in the sandstone part with lower acoustic impedance value.

The shale volume is one of the most important properties that can be computed depending on gamma ray log. The shale volume of Mishrif Formation (carbonate formation from middle Cenomanian- early Turonian) was studied for the regional area of the middle and southern parts of Iraq. The gamma ray log data from seventeen wells ( Kf-3,Kf-4, Ad-1,Ad -2,Dh-1, Bu-47, Ns-2, Ns-4, Am-1,Am-2,Hf-2,Hf-115,Mj-3,Mj-15, Su-7,Wq-15 and Lu-7) distributed in the study area were used to compute the shale volume of Mishrif Formation. From the available data of the considered wells, a regional isopach map of Mishrif Formation was obtained. The isopach map indicates that the maximum thickness of Mishrif Formation is located at the eastern part of the study area. The results of the CPI and the shale volume map, which were computed using the Techlog and surfer software, show that the maximum value of shale volume is located at the southern part of the study area (Su-7 well), while the minimum value is at the eastern part (Hf-2well). According to the classification of Kamel and Mabrouk (2003), Mishrif Formation seems to be a Shaly Formation in the study area, except Halfaya oil field at the eastern part of the study area, which seems as a Clear Formation. The top map of the shale marker bed, which appears in most studied wells, shows a regional trend of the formation toward the northeast. According to the variation of the thickness of the shale marker bed, the study area is divided into four zones.

The density-velocity relation is an important tool used to predict one of these two parameters from the other. A new empirical density –velocity equation was derived in Kf-4 well at Kifl Oil Field, south of Iraq. The density was derived from Gardner equation and the results obtained were compared with the density log (ROHB) in Kl-4 well. The petrophysical analysis was used to predict the variations in lithology of Yamama Formation depending on the well logs data, such as density, gamma, and neutron logs. The physical analysis of rocks depended on the density, Vp, and Vs values to estimate the elastic parameters, i.e. acoustic impedance (AI) and Vp/Vs ratio, to predict the lithology and hydrocarbon indicators. According to the results of physical properties, Yamama Formation is divided into five units in Kf-4 well at Kifl Oil Field. The lithology of Yamama Formation was found to consist of limestone, dolomite, shale, and anhydrite rocks.

A 3D velocity model was created by using stacking velocity of 9 seismic lines and average velocity of 6 wells drilled in Iraq. The model was achieved by creating a time model to 25 surfaces with an interval time between each two successive surfaces of about 100 msec. The summation time of all surfaces reached about 2400 msec, that was adopted according to West Kifl-1 well, which penetrated to a depth of 6000 m, representing the deepest well in the study area. The seismic lines and well data were converted to build a 3D cube time model and the velocity was spread on the model. The seismic inversion modeling of the elastic properties of the horizon and well data was applied to achieve a corrected velocity cube. Then, the velocity cube was converted to a time model and, finally, a corrected 3D depth model was obtained. This model shows that the western side of the study area, which is a part of the stable shelf, is characterized by relatively low thickness and high velocity layers. While the eastern side of the study area, which is a part of the Mesopotamian, is characterized by high thickness and low velocity of the Cretaceous succession. The Abu Jir fault is considered as a boundary between the stable and unstable shelves in Iraq, situated at the extreme west part of the study area. The area of relatively high velocity gradient is considered as the limit of the western side of the Mesopotamian basin. This area extends from Najaf-Karbala axis in the west to the Euphrates River in the east. It is found that the 3D stacking velocity model can be used to obtain good results concerning the tectonic boundary.

RPT is a method used for classifying various lithologies and fluids from data of well logging or seismic inversion. Three Formations (Nahr Umr, Shuaiba, and Zubair Formations) were selected in the East Baghdad Oil field within well EB-4 to test the possibility of using this method. First, the interpretations of the well log and Density – Neutron cross plot were used for lithology identification, which showed that Nahr Umr and Zubair formations consist mainly of sandstone and shale, while the Shuaiba Formation consists of carbonate (dolomite and limestone). The study was also able to distinguish between the locations of hydrocarbon reservoirs using RPT. Finally, a polynomial equation was generated from the cross plot domain (AI versus Vp/Vs) to estimate one parameter from the other in these formations, and vice versa.

The estimation of rock petrophysical parameters is an essential matter to characterize any reservoir. This research deals with the evaluation of effective porosity (Pe), shale volume (Vsh) and water saturation (Sw) of reservoirs at Kumait and Dujalia fields, which were analyzed from well log and seismic data. The absolute acoustic impedance (AI) and relative acoustic impedance (RAI) were derived from a model which is based on the inversion of seismic 3-D post-stack data. NahrUmr formation’s sand reservoirs are identified by the RAI section of the study area. Nahr Umr sand-2 unit in Kumait field is the main reservoir; its delineation depends on the available well logs and AI sections information. The results of well logging interpretation showed a decrease of Sw and Vsh and an increase of effective porosity in the oil reservoir area, which coincides with the decrease of AI values. The existence of the water reservoir in Du-2 well revealed a convergence of the results of AI and effective porosity with those of Kumait wells , along with and some differential results of Sw and Vsh values that may be related to changes in lithology and fluid density.

The detailed data of the Vp/Vs ratio and porosity logs were used to detect the Oil-Water Contact Zone (OWCZ) of Nahr Umr sandstone and Mishrif limestone reservoir formations in Kumiat (Kt) and Dujaila (Du) oil fields, southeastern Iraq. The results of OWC were confirmed using P-wave, Resistivity, and Water Saturation (Sw) logs of Kt-1 and Du-1 wells. It was found that the values of the oil-water contact zone thickness in Nahr Umr sandstone and Mishrif limestone were approximately one meter and eight meters, respectively. These results suggest that the OWCZ is possibly thicker in the carbonate rock than clastic rock formations. The thickness of OWCZ in the clastic rocks changed from one part to another, depending on several factors including mineral composition, grain size, porosity, pore shape, and fluid type.

Four hundred and seventy eight gravity base stations in Iraq were used to obtain a new local theoretical gravity equation. The obtained equation was used to construct a Bouguer anomaly map of Iraq depending on the available gravity base stations. This map was compared with the Bouguer map constructed for the same stations using the international formula (1930). Good similarity in shapes and locations of the anomaly were observed, while the gravity anomaly values in the new map were increased by about 30 mGal. The eastern zero gravity contour line of the new obtained gravity map coincides with the western boundary of the tectonic Mesopotamian zone, while the main negative gravity values coincide with the Mesopotamian area, which contains most oil fields in eastern Iraq. All negative gravity anomaly areas coincide with the deepest basement rocks (the sedimentary basins) in Iraq. The obtained results are very valuable in geological applications.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey was conducted along 31 profiles in the ancient city of Ur. The results revealed a considerable number of anomalies interpreted as walls, both intact and demolished. These walls have a range of dimensions, varying from 0.75–7 m, and begin approximately 0.2 to 0.5 m below surface and continue down to various depths. The most important anomalies that have been distinguished are the arched gate and a grave at depths of about 0.3 m and 3.6 m respectively. The final processing of the results help to establish 3D models, which reveal the extensions and dimensions of subsurface archaeological features. Most of the walls have regular structure, effecting shapes such as rectangles and squares. These features can be related to a system of architecture that might include housing, civic buildings, and temples. In the future, these results may help to guide archaeologists and geophysicists to excavate and understand new portions of Ur, as well as other unexplored locations in Iraq and surrounding areas.

The line of complete compensation, the ideal value for the ratio of gravity to elevation (−0.11 mGal/m) in Iraq, is obtained using gravity data derived from 477 stations. This line is found to separate the stable shelf from unstable shelf. It is also confirmed with the western limit of the basin as shown on the structural map that is constructed at the base of Al-Fath (L-Fars) formation (M. Miocene). The obtained line coincides with the thinnest crustal line shown on the crustal thickness map of Iraq. It is believed that this line may also define the thinnest sedimentary cover in Iraq. The obtained result can be a useful template for a tectonic view of Iraq.