Stratigraphic Traps Evaluation of Yamama Formation in Selected Area, Southern Iraq with Low Data Availability

The selected area is located in the southern part of Iraq near the Kuwait and Saudi Arabia borders, specifically within Muthanna Governorate. One oil well had been drilled to 3393 m depth within the Najmah Formation. The current study aims to study the sequence stratigraphy of the Late Tithonian-Valanginian succession, which consists mainly of Yamama Formation, and determines the reservoir properties and their lateral extensions representing generally stratigraphic traps in the study area. This study tried to prove the results with low available data, like there is only one well to study, as well as the lack of core analysis and thin sections. Based on the available data, especially for the neighboring area close to the field, the area has an economic importance in petroleum reserves, especially the sequences of the Cretaceous period. The depositional processes that took place on the Yamama platform are described as a periodic transition regression multistory of the sedimentary units. These units are represented by granular economic units, which progress towards the relatively deeper parts of the basin during the high-stand conditions separated by shale rocks that acted as a cap rock between the reservoir units. Depending on the stratigraphic point of view, the Yamama Formation platform is a ramp setting as the depth of the Yamama Formation increases towards the northeast of well (X-1); and therefore, the reservoir units (YS1 and YS2) consisting of oolite are probably located completely in the aforementioned direction.