Neotectonic Activity in the Zubair Oil Field, Southern Iraq: Analyzing Ground-Level Measurements and DEM Data

The study investigated the neotectonic indicators associated with the four anticlines (Hammar, Shuaiba, Rafdyia, and Safwan) of the Zubair Oil Field in southern Iraq. The surface topography elevation of the study area was plotted utilizing ground-level measurements and the Digital Elevation Model data. The findings indicate an upward or uplift in the Shuaiba, Rafdyia, and Safwan anticlines. In contrast, the Hammar anticline is still downward. The downward level of the Hammar anticline possibly facilitated the deposition of the Hammar Formation in the Holocene. Meanwhile, the Dibdibba Formation from the Pleistocene covers the other anticlines. Furthermore, the calculated neotectonic rate suggests that tectonic processes varied in intensity during the Middle Miocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene. Additionally, the general trend of the Zubair Oil Field during the Quaternary period is NW-SE, which is consistent with the trend of deeper formations such as the Lower Fars in the Middle Miocene and the Mishrif Formation in the Upper Cretaceous. This trend is attributed to the influence of the Red Sea opening tectonic event. These findings reveal the presence of neotectonic in the Zubair oil field and, consequently, within the Mesopotamian Plain.