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Papers by Mohammad Ali Kavoosi

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2022

The Fahliyan Formation is an important part of the Khami Group reservoir in the Zagros structural... more The Fahliyan Formation is an important part of the Khami Group reservoir in the Zagros structural zone, particularly in the Dezful Embayment. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the microfacies, depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy based on petrographic data of six hundred and seventy thin sections and gamma ray log. Accordingly, 21 carbonate microfacies and two clastic lithofacies were recognized within the Fahliyan Formation, which were deposited in four distinct facies belts including open marine, shoal, lagoon and tidal flat. Based on facies characteristics and sedimentary features, a carbonate rimmed shelf setting was purposed. The predominant abundance of lagoon facies indicates that the study area is located in the shallow part and margin of Zagros structural zone during sedimentation of the Fahliyan Formation. The lower part of the Fahliyan Formation was deposited in a rimmed carbonate platform, and the upper part gradually passes to a mixed carbonate-clastic environment (Khalij Member of the Gadvan Formation). This transition is well documented in the upper parts of well H3. The Fahliyan Formation comprises two third-order depositional sequences in this oil field and could be subdivided into two parts including lower Fahliyan (Berriasian-Valanginian) and upper Fahliyan (Hauterivian-Barremian). Also based on foraminifers, two biozones including Pseudocyclammina lituus-Trocholina sp. zone (Valanginian-Barremian) and Choffatella-Cyclammina zone (Hauterivian-Barremian) were recognized.

Carbonates and Evaporites, 2014

The Upper Jurassic Mozduran Formation (Oxfordian-Tithonian) is the main petroleum reservoir in th... more The Upper Jurassic Mozduran Formation (Oxfordian-Tithonian) is the main petroleum reservoir in the Kopet-Dagh Basin, northeast Iran, which consists predominantly of carbonate rocks with subordinate evaporites and siliciclastics deposited in platform to deep marine settings of a subtropical sea. Detailed field surveys, petrographic investigations, facies and wire line log analyses were carried out at eight surface sections and four wells in the Kopet-Dagh Basin. Integration of petrographic and isotopic data suggests primary low-Mg calcite mineralogy of Oxfordian and Tithonian ooids. On the other hand, in the wells, Kimmeridgian ooids and cements are dominantly aragonitic and high-Mg calcite mineralogy (HMC). Marine cements with isopachous, fibrous and isopachous bladed fabrics indicate original aragonite and HMC mineralogy, respectively. The domination of aragonite mineralogy could be related to increased hypersalinity, evaporite precipitation and consequently an increase in Mg/Ca ratio, which resulted in formation of aragonite in preference to calcite. Preserved ooids with radial and concentric cortices in shallow-water settings that are nearby siliciclastic source, together with aragonitic and HMC ooids accompanied by evaporites in the drilled fields, suggest original mineralogy was probably controlled inorganically following local salinity variations. This study suggests that Kimmeridgian pay zones are mainly controlled by depositional facies, aragonitic and HMC mineralogy, and diagenetic processes such as dolomitization and dissolution.

Carbonates and Evaporites, 2012

The Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Asmari Formation are the most important oil reservoirs in t... more The Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Asmari Formation are the most important oil reservoirs in the Zagros fold-thrust belt in southwest Iran. The Aquitanian evaporites of Kalhur Member of the Asmari Formation were deposited in a depression situated nearly between the Mountain Front Fault and the Dezful Embayment Fault, which borders northern and southern margins, respectively. Detailed field, petrographic studies and wireline log analyses were used to investigate the depositional facies and sedimentary environments of the Kalhur Member. The occurrence of evaporites between pelagic facies and the presence of slump folding, considerable continuity of laminated gypsum/anhydrite along with progradation of clinoforms towards depositional side of evaporites, suggest the presence of relatively deep and isolated depressions during deposition of Kalhur Member. Different facies and thickness variation along with various geometries were formed as the result of overthrust loading event related to the Zagros deformation during Rupelian-Chattian. As the result of this tectonic event, depocentres shifted laterally and relatively narrow deep depressions were filled by evaporites under relative sea-level lowstand and arid conditions and sea-level falls during Aquitanian. Sea-level rise during Burdigalian resulted in sedimentation of the Asmari Formation carbonates throughout the Lurestan and Dezful Embayment, meanwhile with deeper facies towards north. This was along with basin reconfiguration and creation of carbonate ramp.

Journal of Petroleum Geology, 2009

Upper Jurassic carbonates of the Mozduran Formation constitute the principal reservoir intervals ... more Upper Jurassic carbonates of the Mozduran Formation constitute the principal reservoir intervals at the giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gasfields in the Kopet Dagh Basin, NE Iran. These carbonates were investigated using detailed field studies and petrographic and wireline log analyses in order to clarify their depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy. Facies were interpreted to reflect deep basin, fore-shoal, shelf margin, lagoon, tidal flat and coastal plain depositional systems. The Mozduran Formation is composed of six depositional sequences. Thickness variations were controlled by differential subsidence. Aggradation on the platform margin and reduced carbonate production in the deep basin together with differential subsidence resulted in the creation of a narrow seaway during the late Oxfordian. Petrographic studies suggest that Mozduran Formation carbonates had a low-Mg calcite mineralogy during the Oxfordian, and an aragonite to high-Mg calcite mineralogy during the Kimmeridgian. Reservoir pay zones are located in highstand systems tracts within the lower and middle Kimmeridgian depositional sequences. The rapid lateral thickness variations of these sequences were controlled by tectonic factors, leading to compartmentalization of the Mozduran Formation reservoir with the possible creation of stratigraphic traps, especially at the Khangiran field.

Nowadays, processing and interpretation of remote sensing satellite images is the only method of ... more Nowadays, processing and interpretation of remote sensing satellite images is the only method of surfacegeological rock surfaces mapping. This doubtlessly requires time-consuming field observations forcomplementary morphological information, i.e. field measurements in geomorphology is unavoidable sincethe hyper-spectral images that are used for geological mapping do not discriminate the lithologies textureand cannot be used to determine the geological morphology. However, due to the impassable and fault cliffs,comprehensive field operations within a geological map is almost impossible. Microwave or radar remotesensing via Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images is capable of obtaining the surface morphology andalteration zones discrimination based on lithologies texture. To fulfill this aim, the Integral Equation Model(IEM), which has been proposed by Fung et al. (1992) and has been developed and improved several times,seems to be the most outstanding method being adopted to model the...

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences

Green-house is one of the most interesting phenomena in Cretaceous period, which has been caused ... more Green-house is one of the most interesting phenomena in Cretaceous period, which has been caused by increasing the rate of sea floor spreading and increasing the amount of CO2 in atmosphere. Global sea level rise in Aptian-Turonian was more important than other stages in Phanerozoic. There are many different parameters which influence changing in sedimentary facies. One of the most items that affect facies distribution is eustasy. This phenomenon is controlled by climate changes and tectonic regime. Other parameters which control local facies variations are tectonic setting, rate of uplift/subsidence and carbonate production. In order to investigate the effect of eustasy in Aptian, Upper Khami sediments in Kuzeh Kuh and Fahliyan anticlines, east and west of Kazerun Fault were studied. Upper Khami sediments (Neocomian-Aptian) consist of Fahliyan, Gadvan and Dariyan formations. Comparison of relative depth of sedimentary environments of studied sections with global sea level curves co...

The Kopet Dagh Basin in northeast Iran contains giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gas fields. This stu... more The Kopet Dagh Basin in northeast Iran contains giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gas fields. This study deals with the main hydrocarbon reservoir of Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian-Tithonian) Mozduran Formation, which is composed mainly of limestone and dolomite, with minor amounts of marl/shale, siliciclastics and evaporites. The objective of this study is carbonate mineralogy of the Mozduran Formation. Thin sections were stained by alizarin-red S to detect dolomitization of grains and cements. Regarding diagenetic products and their diagenetic environments, selected samples were observed with a cathodoluminescent microscope (Nikon CL, CCL 8200) at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (R.I.P.I). Detailed field studies, petrographic investigations and facies analyses of eight surface sections and four wells, led to the recognition of several facies that define deep basin, fore-shoal, shelf margin, lagoonal, tidal flat and coastal plain facies belts, which deposited on a rimmed-shelf a...

Journal of Applied Remote Sensing

Abstract. Geological mapping usually requires field visits, but the processing and interpretation... more Abstract. Geological mapping usually requires field visits, but the processing and interpretation of hyperspectral satellite images can also be very beneficial for this task. Microwave or radar remote sensing can obtain surface morphologies using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and reduce the duration of field visits dramatically by discriminating geological units based on lithology and texture. This requires the surface roughness to be modeled against microwave signal backscattering. The integral equation model (IEM) is the most well-known rough scattering model, in which surface roughness is calculated using the roughness height statistical parameter (rms-height); however, this study uses an improved IEM based on power-law geometry. The roughness map of the Anaran anticline (located between Dehloran and Ilam in Iran) using TerraSAR images is computed and classified to generate a morphological map. Calculating the roughness map requires training the IEM model and the formation of the look-up-table for pure lithological sites. In situ microtopography measurement was performed on seven different sites containing the main lithologies in the study area, using total station surveying, to train the mathematical model and compare and evaluate the results. Comparing this roughness map with ground-truth data at test sites indicates that computations using the new IEM model results in a misclassification of <10 % of the samples in the map. This error is acceptable, indicating that the new model could, in many cases, reduce the duration of field visits.

Journal of Geospatial Information Technology

Morphological discrimination of geological top-formations is the supplemental procedure of geolog... more Morphological discrimination of geological top-formations is the supplemental procedure of geological mapping; so in situ measurements to register geomorphological data are unavoidable; though due to the impassable and fault cliffs field operations to visit all areas within a geological map is almost impossible. Microwave or radar remote sensing, via synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is capable to obtain the surface morphology and alteration zones discrimination on the basis of lithology texture. For this purpose, it is necessary to model the surface roughness against microwave signal backscattering; among available models, Integral Equation Model (IEM) is the most famous one, in which surface roughness is calculable via roughness height statistical parameter (RMS-height). Whereas, this parameter is not capable enough to measure, since it measures the surface roughness merely in vertical direction, and roughness dispersion on the surface is not included. To apply the proposed method of geomorphological mapping, the roughness map for the area of concern which is the northern part of Anaran anticline (located between Dehloran and Ilam cities in Iran) using ALOS-PALSAR and TerraSAR images is computed. Field micro-topography measurement is performed on three different sites containing the main lithologies of the case study, using surveying total station. It is clarified in comparison of roughness map with the ground truth, that using fractal geometry parameters in IEM model computation, the standard deviation had more than 10% of decrease, in comparison with conventional IEM calculations. In addition, in this paper, a comparison is made between the results obtained with another article from the authors to the results gained by the method of this article, which shows a 10 to 15 percent advantage of this paper method.

Journal of African Earth Sciences

Abstract The carbonates accumulated within a time interval spanning the late Barremian-early Apti... more Abstract The carbonates accumulated within a time interval spanning the late Barremian-early Aptian, comprise the Member 2 of the Chalous Formation. The member cropped out in the northern Central Alborz Mountains Range, northern Iran. Detailed field surveys, lithofacies and facies analyses was carried out to investigate the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy analysis at five outcrop sections. Based on petrographic investigation and texture, sixteen facies and microfacies were defined and assigned to the back-barrier lagoon, shelf margin/shoal, and shallow open marine facies belts. Vertical and lateral facies changes, lack of several geological evidence including siliciclastics, bioherms, calciturbidites, clinoforms, together with lateral thickness changes as well as comparison to recent and ancient carbonate platforms, suggest deposition on a non-rimmed isolated carbonate platform. The upper Barremian to lower Aptian deposits of the study areas comprises three third-order depositional sequences. We infer that relative sea-level changes and climate played a deeply influential role in the platform evolution and its geometry on the base of facies analysis, vertical transition of fauna, diagenetic overprints, accompanied by stacking patterns and geometries, and correlation of the depositional sequences.

Marine and Petroleum Geology

Abstract The 300 km long arc of the Fars province is located to the south east of the NW-SE trend... more Abstract The 300 km long arc of the Fars province is located to the south east of the NW-SE trending and SW vergent orogen of the Zagros Mountains. This region is one of the largest hydrocarbon reserves worldwide, and also as a territory of high quality outcrops. Geological cross-sections of the Zagros belt are usually based on very large scale geological maps (1:1.000.000 or 1:250.000), and on few subsurface data and aim at describing the decoupling relationship between cover and basement rocks and the subduction/collision history of the Arabian – Eurasia plates. In this paper, we present a 253 km long cross-section across the Fars province on the basis of detailed geological maps (1:100.000 scale), field and subsurface data. Our purposes are to: 1) investigate the link between shortening inferred from our original cross-section (from a maximum of 9,1% to a minimum of 4,4%. for different sectors of the belt) and rift-related and flexure-related extensional faults, which in turn, control thickness and lateral facies variations; 2) describe the geometries of folds and thrusts and their relationship with pre-thrusting normal faults, that were inverted during shortening as transpressional or strike slip faults. Moreover, we present for the first time new field data showing evidences of syn-collisional normal faults likely related to the bending of the Arabian plate in the Fars area.

Marine and Petroleum Geology

Abstract Temperature-dependent clay minerals and vitrinite reflectance data, surface and subsurfa... more Abstract Temperature-dependent clay minerals and vitrinite reflectance data, surface and subsurface geological constraints were used to unravel the burial evolution of the Ordovician-Quaternary sedimentary successions from the inner to the outer zones of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in the Fars province (Iran). These sedimentary successions were buried to their thermal maxima during early to late diagenesis, achieving temperatures corresponding to the immature to early mature stages of hydrocarbon generation. They experienced low levels of thermal maturity in the Interior Fars, corresponding to vitrinite reflectance values between 0.38 and 0.66%, to mixed layers illite-smectite (I-S) with an illite content between 30 and 75% and to KI values between 0.97 and 1.18°Δ2θ. In the Central and Coastal Fars, vitrinite reflectance ranges between 0.35 and 0.51%, the illite content in I-S displays values between 20 and 85% and KI data are between 0.71 and 1.30°Δ2θ. In individual anticlines, mixed layers I-S show an increase of the illite content as a function of stratigraphic age (depth), suggesting that levels of thermal maturity are controlled by sedimentary burial. One dimensional thermal history models allowed us: (i) to estimate the maximum burial experienced by the sedimentary successions and the amount of the sedimentary pile currently removed by erosion, (ii) to determine the thickness of the ophiolite units obducted during Late Cretaceous time in the High Zagros, and (iii) to define the onset of oil generation for the Albian source rocks throughout the Zagros belt. Paoleothermal data were used to constrain the geometry of eroded structures in a 253 km long cross-section extending from the High Zagros to the Coastal Fars. Along the cross-section, lithostatic load slightly decreases towards the foreland (e.g., from 3.65 km to 3.2 km for the Bangestan Group) and the amount of the eroded material varies between ∼6 km (above anticlines in the Central and Interior Fars) and ∼200 m (above synclines in the external part of the belt).

Remote Sensing

Microwave remote sensing can measure surface geometry. Via the processing of the Synthetic Apertu... more Microwave remote sensing can measure surface geometry. Via the processing of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, the earth surface geometric parameters can be provided for geoscientific studies, especially in geological mapping. For this purpose, it is necessary to model the surface roughness against microwave signal backscattering. Of the available models, the Integral Equation Model (IEM) for co-polarized data has been the most frequently used model. Therefore, by the processing of the SAR data using this model, the surface geometry can be studied. In the IEM, the surface roughness geometry is calculable via the height statistical parameter, the rms-height. However, this parameter is not capable enough to represent surface morphology, since it only measures the surface roughness in the vertical direction, while the roughness dispersion on the surface is not included. In this paper, using the random fractal geometry capability, via the implementation of the power-law roughness spectrum, the precision and correctness of the surface roughness estimation has been improved by up to 10%. Therefore, the random fractal geometry is implemented through the calculation of the input geometric parameters of the IEM using the power-law surface spectrum and the spectral slope. In this paper, the in situ roughness measurement data, as well as SAR images at frequencies of L, C, and X, have been used to implement and evaluate the proposed method. Surface roughness, according to the operational frequencies, exhibits a fractal or a diffractal behavior.

Comptes Rendus Geoscience

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Ber... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".

Upper Callovian to Tithonian (late Jurassic) sediments represent an important hydrocarbon reservo... more Upper Callovian to Tithonian (late Jurassic) sediments represent an important hydrocarbon reservoir in the Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran. These deposits consist mainly of limestone, dolostone, and calcareous mudstone with subordinate siliciclastic interbeds. Detailed field surveys, lithofacies and facies analyses at three outcrop sections were used to investigate the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy of the Middle to Upper Jurassic interval in the central and western areas of the basin. Vertical and lateral facies changes, sedimentary fabrics and structures, and geometry of carbonate bodies resulted in recognition of various carbonate facies related to tidal flats, back-barrier lagoon, shelf-margin/shelf-margin reef, slope and deep-marine facies belts. These facies were accompanied by interbedded beach and deep marine siliciclastic petrofacies. Field surveys, facies analysis, parasequences stacking patterns, discontinuity surfaces, and geometries coupled with relative depth variation, led to the recognition of six third-order depositional sequences. The depositional history of the study areas can be divided into two main phases. These indicate platform evolution from a rimmed-shelf to a carbonate ramp during the late Callovian– Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian–Tithonian intervals, respectively. Significant lateral and vertical facies and thickness changes, and results obtained from regional correlation of the depositional sequences, can be attributed to the combined effect of antecedent topography and differential subsidence related to local tectonics. Moreover, sea-level changes must be regarded as a major factor during the late Callovian–Tithonian interval.

The ?late Kimmeridgian-early Barremian Shurijeh Formation is one of the most important hydrocarbo... more The ?late Kimmeridgian-early Barremian Shurijeh Formation is one of the most important hydrocarbon reservoir of the Kopet-Dagh Basin in northeast Iran. Sequence stratigraphy analysis was carried out based on field surveys, seismic data, and wireline logs together with microscopic investigation. Lithofacies investigation resulted in recognition of the braided-and meandering rivers, beach and tidal flat depositional systems. Combination of the data led to recognition of 3 third-order depositional sequence in the studied succession. The recognized petrofacies, lateral and vertical together with lithofacies stacking patterns, depositional environments and sharp lateral lithofacies changes indicate differential subsidence rate in an uneven depositional setting. Depositional sequence of 1 (the oldest one) indicate tectonic had main role, while rate of subsidence was less than sediment supply. The stacking pattern of succession in this depositional sequence is attributed to base-level changes and local tectonic. Meanwhile, the second and third depositional sequences were formed during tectonic quiescence and relative sea-level rise, with evidence of higher subsidence rate in comparison to sediment supply. Local tectonic, climate and relative sea-level played main role in creation of depositional sequences and stacking patterns of systems tracts, quality of reservoir zones and lateral migration of river channels.

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2022

The Fahliyan Formation is an important part of the Khami Group reservoir in the Zagros structural... more The Fahliyan Formation is an important part of the Khami Group reservoir in the Zagros structural zone, particularly in the Dezful Embayment. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the microfacies, depositional environment and sequence stratigraphy based on petrographic data of six hundred and seventy thin sections and gamma ray log. Accordingly, 21 carbonate microfacies and two clastic lithofacies were recognized within the Fahliyan Formation, which were deposited in four distinct facies belts including open marine, shoal, lagoon and tidal flat. Based on facies characteristics and sedimentary features, a carbonate rimmed shelf setting was purposed. The predominant abundance of lagoon facies indicates that the study area is located in the shallow part and margin of Zagros structural zone during sedimentation of the Fahliyan Formation. The lower part of the Fahliyan Formation was deposited in a rimmed carbonate platform, and the upper part gradually passes to a mixed carbonate-clastic environment (Khalij Member of the Gadvan Formation). This transition is well documented in the upper parts of well H3. The Fahliyan Formation comprises two third-order depositional sequences in this oil field and could be subdivided into two parts including lower Fahliyan (Berriasian-Valanginian) and upper Fahliyan (Hauterivian-Barremian). Also based on foraminifers, two biozones including Pseudocyclammina lituus-Trocholina sp. zone (Valanginian-Barremian) and Choffatella-Cyclammina zone (Hauterivian-Barremian) were recognized.

Carbonates and Evaporites, 2014

The Upper Jurassic Mozduran Formation (Oxfordian-Tithonian) is the main petroleum reservoir in th... more The Upper Jurassic Mozduran Formation (Oxfordian-Tithonian) is the main petroleum reservoir in the Kopet-Dagh Basin, northeast Iran, which consists predominantly of carbonate rocks with subordinate evaporites and siliciclastics deposited in platform to deep marine settings of a subtropical sea. Detailed field surveys, petrographic investigations, facies and wire line log analyses were carried out at eight surface sections and four wells in the Kopet-Dagh Basin. Integration of petrographic and isotopic data suggests primary low-Mg calcite mineralogy of Oxfordian and Tithonian ooids. On the other hand, in the wells, Kimmeridgian ooids and cements are dominantly aragonitic and high-Mg calcite mineralogy (HMC). Marine cements with isopachous, fibrous and isopachous bladed fabrics indicate original aragonite and HMC mineralogy, respectively. The domination of aragonite mineralogy could be related to increased hypersalinity, evaporite precipitation and consequently an increase in Mg/Ca ratio, which resulted in formation of aragonite in preference to calcite. Preserved ooids with radial and concentric cortices in shallow-water settings that are nearby siliciclastic source, together with aragonitic and HMC ooids accompanied by evaporites in the drilled fields, suggest original mineralogy was probably controlled inorganically following local salinity variations. This study suggests that Kimmeridgian pay zones are mainly controlled by depositional facies, aragonitic and HMC mineralogy, and diagenetic processes such as dolomitization and dissolution.

Carbonates and Evaporites, 2012

The Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Asmari Formation are the most important oil reservoirs in t... more The Oligocene-Miocene deposits of the Asmari Formation are the most important oil reservoirs in the Zagros fold-thrust belt in southwest Iran. The Aquitanian evaporites of Kalhur Member of the Asmari Formation were deposited in a depression situated nearly between the Mountain Front Fault and the Dezful Embayment Fault, which borders northern and southern margins, respectively. Detailed field, petrographic studies and wireline log analyses were used to investigate the depositional facies and sedimentary environments of the Kalhur Member. The occurrence of evaporites between pelagic facies and the presence of slump folding, considerable continuity of laminated gypsum/anhydrite along with progradation of clinoforms towards depositional side of evaporites, suggest the presence of relatively deep and isolated depressions during deposition of Kalhur Member. Different facies and thickness variation along with various geometries were formed as the result of overthrust loading event related to the Zagros deformation during Rupelian-Chattian. As the result of this tectonic event, depocentres shifted laterally and relatively narrow deep depressions were filled by evaporites under relative sea-level lowstand and arid conditions and sea-level falls during Aquitanian. Sea-level rise during Burdigalian resulted in sedimentation of the Asmari Formation carbonates throughout the Lurestan and Dezful Embayment, meanwhile with deeper facies towards north. This was along with basin reconfiguration and creation of carbonate ramp.

Journal of Petroleum Geology, 2009

Upper Jurassic carbonates of the Mozduran Formation constitute the principal reservoir intervals ... more Upper Jurassic carbonates of the Mozduran Formation constitute the principal reservoir intervals at the giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gasfields in the Kopet Dagh Basin, NE Iran. These carbonates were investigated using detailed field studies and petrographic and wireline log analyses in order to clarify their depositional facies and sequence stratigraphy. Facies were interpreted to reflect deep basin, fore-shoal, shelf margin, lagoon, tidal flat and coastal plain depositional systems. The Mozduran Formation is composed of six depositional sequences. Thickness variations were controlled by differential subsidence. Aggradation on the platform margin and reduced carbonate production in the deep basin together with differential subsidence resulted in the creation of a narrow seaway during the late Oxfordian. Petrographic studies suggest that Mozduran Formation carbonates had a low-Mg calcite mineralogy during the Oxfordian, and an aragonite to high-Mg calcite mineralogy during the Kimmeridgian. Reservoir pay zones are located in highstand systems tracts within the lower and middle Kimmeridgian depositional sequences. The rapid lateral thickness variations of these sequences were controlled by tectonic factors, leading to compartmentalization of the Mozduran Formation reservoir with the possible creation of stratigraphic traps, especially at the Khangiran field.

Nowadays, processing and interpretation of remote sensing satellite images is the only method of ... more Nowadays, processing and interpretation of remote sensing satellite images is the only method of surfacegeological rock surfaces mapping. This doubtlessly requires time-consuming field observations forcomplementary morphological information, i.e. field measurements in geomorphology is unavoidable sincethe hyper-spectral images that are used for geological mapping do not discriminate the lithologies textureand cannot be used to determine the geological morphology. However, due to the impassable and fault cliffs,comprehensive field operations within a geological map is almost impossible. Microwave or radar remotesensing via Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images is capable of obtaining the surface morphology andalteration zones discrimination based on lithologies texture. To fulfill this aim, the Integral Equation Model(IEM), which has been proposed by Fung et al. (1992) and has been developed and improved several times,seems to be the most outstanding method being adopted to model the...

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences

Green-house is one of the most interesting phenomena in Cretaceous period, which has been caused ... more Green-house is one of the most interesting phenomena in Cretaceous period, which has been caused by increasing the rate of sea floor spreading and increasing the amount of CO2 in atmosphere. Global sea level rise in Aptian-Turonian was more important than other stages in Phanerozoic. There are many different parameters which influence changing in sedimentary facies. One of the most items that affect facies distribution is eustasy. This phenomenon is controlled by climate changes and tectonic regime. Other parameters which control local facies variations are tectonic setting, rate of uplift/subsidence and carbonate production. In order to investigate the effect of eustasy in Aptian, Upper Khami sediments in Kuzeh Kuh and Fahliyan anticlines, east and west of Kazerun Fault were studied. Upper Khami sediments (Neocomian-Aptian) consist of Fahliyan, Gadvan and Dariyan formations. Comparison of relative depth of sedimentary environments of studied sections with global sea level curves co...

The Kopet Dagh Basin in northeast Iran contains giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gas fields. This stu... more The Kopet Dagh Basin in northeast Iran contains giant Khangiran and Gonbadli gas fields. This study deals with the main hydrocarbon reservoir of Upper Jurassic (Oxfordian-Tithonian) Mozduran Formation, which is composed mainly of limestone and dolomite, with minor amounts of marl/shale, siliciclastics and evaporites. The objective of this study is carbonate mineralogy of the Mozduran Formation. Thin sections were stained by alizarin-red S to detect dolomitization of grains and cements. Regarding diagenetic products and their diagenetic environments, selected samples were observed with a cathodoluminescent microscope (Nikon CL, CCL 8200) at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (R.I.P.I). Detailed field studies, petrographic investigations and facies analyses of eight surface sections and four wells, led to the recognition of several facies that define deep basin, fore-shoal, shelf margin, lagoonal, tidal flat and coastal plain facies belts, which deposited on a rimmed-shelf a...

Journal of Applied Remote Sensing

Abstract. Geological mapping usually requires field visits, but the processing and interpretation... more Abstract. Geological mapping usually requires field visits, but the processing and interpretation of hyperspectral satellite images can also be very beneficial for this task. Microwave or radar remote sensing can obtain surface morphologies using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images and reduce the duration of field visits dramatically by discriminating geological units based on lithology and texture. This requires the surface roughness to be modeled against microwave signal backscattering. The integral equation model (IEM) is the most well-known rough scattering model, in which surface roughness is calculated using the roughness height statistical parameter (rms-height); however, this study uses an improved IEM based on power-law geometry. The roughness map of the Anaran anticline (located between Dehloran and Ilam in Iran) using TerraSAR images is computed and classified to generate a morphological map. Calculating the roughness map requires training the IEM model and the formation of the look-up-table for pure lithological sites. In situ microtopography measurement was performed on seven different sites containing the main lithologies in the study area, using total station surveying, to train the mathematical model and compare and evaluate the results. Comparing this roughness map with ground-truth data at test sites indicates that computations using the new IEM model results in a misclassification of <10 % of the samples in the map. This error is acceptable, indicating that the new model could, in many cases, reduce the duration of field visits.

Journal of Geospatial Information Technology

Morphological discrimination of geological top-formations is the supplemental procedure of geolog... more Morphological discrimination of geological top-formations is the supplemental procedure of geological mapping; so in situ measurements to register geomorphological data are unavoidable; though due to the impassable and fault cliffs field operations to visit all areas within a geological map is almost impossible. Microwave or radar remote sensing, via synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is capable to obtain the surface morphology and alteration zones discrimination on the basis of lithology texture. For this purpose, it is necessary to model the surface roughness against microwave signal backscattering; among available models, Integral Equation Model (IEM) is the most famous one, in which surface roughness is calculable via roughness height statistical parameter (RMS-height). Whereas, this parameter is not capable enough to measure, since it measures the surface roughness merely in vertical direction, and roughness dispersion on the surface is not included. To apply the proposed method of geomorphological mapping, the roughness map for the area of concern which is the northern part of Anaran anticline (located between Dehloran and Ilam cities in Iran) using ALOS-PALSAR and TerraSAR images is computed. Field micro-topography measurement is performed on three different sites containing the main lithologies of the case study, using surveying total station. It is clarified in comparison of roughness map with the ground truth, that using fractal geometry parameters in IEM model computation, the standard deviation had more than 10% of decrease, in comparison with conventional IEM calculations. In addition, in this paper, a comparison is made between the results obtained with another article from the authors to the results gained by the method of this article, which shows a 10 to 15 percent advantage of this paper method.

Journal of African Earth Sciences

Abstract The carbonates accumulated within a time interval spanning the late Barremian-early Apti... more Abstract The carbonates accumulated within a time interval spanning the late Barremian-early Aptian, comprise the Member 2 of the Chalous Formation. The member cropped out in the northern Central Alborz Mountains Range, northern Iran. Detailed field surveys, lithofacies and facies analyses was carried out to investigate the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy analysis at five outcrop sections. Based on petrographic investigation and texture, sixteen facies and microfacies were defined and assigned to the back-barrier lagoon, shelf margin/shoal, and shallow open marine facies belts. Vertical and lateral facies changes, lack of several geological evidence including siliciclastics, bioherms, calciturbidites, clinoforms, together with lateral thickness changes as well as comparison to recent and ancient carbonate platforms, suggest deposition on a non-rimmed isolated carbonate platform. The upper Barremian to lower Aptian deposits of the study areas comprises three third-order depositional sequences. We infer that relative sea-level changes and climate played a deeply influential role in the platform evolution and its geometry on the base of facies analysis, vertical transition of fauna, diagenetic overprints, accompanied by stacking patterns and geometries, and correlation of the depositional sequences.

Marine and Petroleum Geology

Abstract The 300 km long arc of the Fars province is located to the south east of the NW-SE trend... more Abstract The 300 km long arc of the Fars province is located to the south east of the NW-SE trending and SW vergent orogen of the Zagros Mountains. This region is one of the largest hydrocarbon reserves worldwide, and also as a territory of high quality outcrops. Geological cross-sections of the Zagros belt are usually based on very large scale geological maps (1:1.000.000 or 1:250.000), and on few subsurface data and aim at describing the decoupling relationship between cover and basement rocks and the subduction/collision history of the Arabian – Eurasia plates. In this paper, we present a 253 km long cross-section across the Fars province on the basis of detailed geological maps (1:100.000 scale), field and subsurface data. Our purposes are to: 1) investigate the link between shortening inferred from our original cross-section (from a maximum of 9,1% to a minimum of 4,4%. for different sectors of the belt) and rift-related and flexure-related extensional faults, which in turn, control thickness and lateral facies variations; 2) describe the geometries of folds and thrusts and their relationship with pre-thrusting normal faults, that were inverted during shortening as transpressional or strike slip faults. Moreover, we present for the first time new field data showing evidences of syn-collisional normal faults likely related to the bending of the Arabian plate in the Fars area.

Marine and Petroleum Geology

Abstract Temperature-dependent clay minerals and vitrinite reflectance data, surface and subsurfa... more Abstract Temperature-dependent clay minerals and vitrinite reflectance data, surface and subsurface geological constraints were used to unravel the burial evolution of the Ordovician-Quaternary sedimentary successions from the inner to the outer zones of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in the Fars province (Iran). These sedimentary successions were buried to their thermal maxima during early to late diagenesis, achieving temperatures corresponding to the immature to early mature stages of hydrocarbon generation. They experienced low levels of thermal maturity in the Interior Fars, corresponding to vitrinite reflectance values between 0.38 and 0.66%, to mixed layers illite-smectite (I-S) with an illite content between 30 and 75% and to KI values between 0.97 and 1.18°Δ2θ. In the Central and Coastal Fars, vitrinite reflectance ranges between 0.35 and 0.51%, the illite content in I-S displays values between 20 and 85% and KI data are between 0.71 and 1.30°Δ2θ. In individual anticlines, mixed layers I-S show an increase of the illite content as a function of stratigraphic age (depth), suggesting that levels of thermal maturity are controlled by sedimentary burial. One dimensional thermal history models allowed us: (i) to estimate the maximum burial experienced by the sedimentary successions and the amount of the sedimentary pile currently removed by erosion, (ii) to determine the thickness of the ophiolite units obducted during Late Cretaceous time in the High Zagros, and (iii) to define the onset of oil generation for the Albian source rocks throughout the Zagros belt. Paoleothermal data were used to constrain the geometry of eroded structures in a 253 km long cross-section extending from the High Zagros to the Coastal Fars. Along the cross-section, lithostatic load slightly decreases towards the foreland (e.g., from 3.65 km to 3.2 km for the Bangestan Group) and the amount of the eroded material varies between ∼6 km (above anticlines in the Central and Interior Fars) and ∼200 m (above synclines in the external part of the belt).

Remote Sensing

Microwave remote sensing can measure surface geometry. Via the processing of the Synthetic Apertu... more Microwave remote sensing can measure surface geometry. Via the processing of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, the earth surface geometric parameters can be provided for geoscientific studies, especially in geological mapping. For this purpose, it is necessary to model the surface roughness against microwave signal backscattering. Of the available models, the Integral Equation Model (IEM) for co-polarized data has been the most frequently used model. Therefore, by the processing of the SAR data using this model, the surface geometry can be studied. In the IEM, the surface roughness geometry is calculable via the height statistical parameter, the rms-height. However, this parameter is not capable enough to represent surface morphology, since it only measures the surface roughness in the vertical direction, while the roughness dispersion on the surface is not included. In this paper, using the random fractal geometry capability, via the implementation of the power-law roughness spectrum, the precision and correctness of the surface roughness estimation has been improved by up to 10%. Therefore, the random fractal geometry is implemented through the calculation of the input geometric parameters of the IEM using the power-law surface spectrum and the spectral slope. In this paper, the in situ roughness measurement data, as well as SAR images at frequencies of L, C, and X, have been used to implement and evaluate the proposed method. Surface roughness, according to the operational frequencies, exhibits a fractal or a diffractal behavior.

Comptes Rendus Geoscience

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Ber... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".

Upper Callovian to Tithonian (late Jurassic) sediments represent an important hydrocarbon reservo... more Upper Callovian to Tithonian (late Jurassic) sediments represent an important hydrocarbon reservoir in the Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran. These deposits consist mainly of limestone, dolostone, and calcareous mudstone with subordinate siliciclastic interbeds. Detailed field surveys, lithofacies and facies analyses at three outcrop sections were used to investigate the depositional environments and sequence stratigraphy of the Middle to Upper Jurassic interval in the central and western areas of the basin. Vertical and lateral facies changes, sedimentary fabrics and structures, and geometry of carbonate bodies resulted in recognition of various carbonate facies related to tidal flats, back-barrier lagoon, shelf-margin/shelf-margin reef, slope and deep-marine facies belts. These facies were accompanied by interbedded beach and deep marine siliciclastic petrofacies. Field surveys, facies analysis, parasequences stacking patterns, discontinuity surfaces, and geometries coupled with relative depth variation, led to the recognition of six third-order depositional sequences. The depositional history of the study areas can be divided into two main phases. These indicate platform evolution from a rimmed-shelf to a carbonate ramp during the late Callovian– Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian–Tithonian intervals, respectively. Significant lateral and vertical facies and thickness changes, and results obtained from regional correlation of the depositional sequences, can be attributed to the combined effect of antecedent topography and differential subsidence related to local tectonics. Moreover, sea-level changes must be regarded as a major factor during the late Callovian–Tithonian interval.

The ?late Kimmeridgian-early Barremian Shurijeh Formation is one of the most important hydrocarbo... more The ?late Kimmeridgian-early Barremian Shurijeh Formation is one of the most important hydrocarbon reservoir of the Kopet-Dagh Basin in northeast Iran. Sequence stratigraphy analysis was carried out based on field surveys, seismic data, and wireline logs together with microscopic investigation. Lithofacies investigation resulted in recognition of the braided-and meandering rivers, beach and tidal flat depositional systems. Combination of the data led to recognition of 3 third-order depositional sequence in the studied succession. The recognized petrofacies, lateral and vertical together with lithofacies stacking patterns, depositional environments and sharp lateral lithofacies changes indicate differential subsidence rate in an uneven depositional setting. Depositional sequence of 1 (the oldest one) indicate tectonic had main role, while rate of subsidence was less than sediment supply. The stacking pattern of succession in this depositional sequence is attributed to base-level changes and local tectonic. Meanwhile, the second and third depositional sequences were formed during tectonic quiescence and relative sea-level rise, with evidence of higher subsidence rate in comparison to sediment supply. Local tectonic, climate and relative sea-level played main role in creation of depositional sequences and stacking patterns of systems tracts, quality of reservoir zones and lateral migration of river channels.