Petro physical Evaluation and Reservoir Characterization of the Zubair Formation in Majnoon oil field, Southern Iraq

The Barremian succession in the present study is represented by the Zubair Formation which the most significant sandstone reservoir in Iraq. The area of study is located in the Southern part of Iraq at Majnoon oil field, within the Mesopotamian basin. The thickness of the Zubair Formation is about 450 m in the studied area. It is divided into three lithofacies: The upper unit is composed mostly of shale layers, the middle unit is consisting of thick layers of sandstone rocks and the lower ones is consisting mainly of Shale with less sandstone layers. These units are characterized by three types of petrophysical features according to total porosity/effective porosity: High-moderate effective porosity rocks (type I), moderate effective porosity rocks (type II) and low-non pores rocks (type III). The upper unit of the Zubair Formation at Majnoon oil field is characterized by two horizons. The first is showing high resisitivity-high gamma ray which represent the upper part, while the lower part show low resisitivity-low gamma ray. There is a good reservoir horizon with high oil saturation (low water saturation) in this unit at the Majnoon oil field is appeared as a non-continuous horizon. The middle member is dominated by low resistivity-low gamma ray. The high percentage of water saturation in this unit caused the lack of clarity of the oil saturation, which appears in a narrow band. The lower member of Zubair Formation is distinguished by shale dominated rocks and poor sorted sandstone. This shows high resisitivity-high gamma ray. There are many sub horizons as bands within the lower horizon as high resistivity-low gamma ray. There is a good reservoir horizon with high oil saturation (low water saturation) in this unit.