Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences

Comparison of sedimentology and changes in the sedimentary environment of the Shurijeh Formation in the central and eastern parts of the Kopet-Dagh Basin, northeastern Iran

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Zahra Esmaeili Khoshmardan
Mohamad Hosein Mahmudy Gharaie
Asadollah Mahboubi
Sayyed Reza Moussavi Harami
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
10.22071/gsj.2025.520806.2194
Abstract
The Shurijeh Formation (Early Cretaceous) in the studied sections in northeastern Iran, with a thickness of 570.40 m in Bid-Sukhteh and 850 m in Radkan, consists of conglomerate, sandstone, shale (mudstone), limestone, and dolomite. A detailed facies analysis indicates the presence of 7 types of coarse-grained facies (Gmm, Gmg, Gci, Gcm, Gh, Gt, Gms), 6 sandstone facies (St, Sp, Sm, Sh, Sl, Sr), 2 fine-grained facies (Fm, Fl), 2 intertidal facies (bioclastic sandy dolomite, dolostone), and 17 diverse subtidal facies. Based on the studied facies, the sedimentary environment of these deposits is primarily continental, characterized by a meandering fluvial system with low sinuosity, and a marine carbonate ramp. Sequence stratigraphic studies have identified 3 sedimentary sequences of third-order in each of the studied sections. Fluctuations in the water table in continental sediments and sea- level changes in marine sediments have resulted in facies diversity in these sections.
Keywords
Sedimentary environment
Sequence stratigraphy
Shurijeh Formation
Kopet-Dagh

Subjects

Afshar Harb, A., 1994. Geology of Kopeh Dagh, Publications of the Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization of the Country, No. 11, 276 p (In Persian).
Afshar, A., 1982. Geological map of Sarakhs, scale 1:250,000, Publications of the Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization of the Country (In Persian).
Aghanabati, A., 2004. Geology of Iran, Geological Survey of Iran, 586 p. (In Persian).
Aigbadon, G. O., Igbinigie, N. S., Obasi, A. I., Akudo, E. O., Christopher, S. D., Ocheli, A., Igwe, D. O., Francis, A. J., Joseph, G.E, and Akor, D. J., 2024. Microfacies and mineralogical analyses of the late cretaceous carbonate rocks from The Central Benue Trough, Nigeria. Ife Journal of Science, 26(1), 101-118. doi:10.4314/ijs. v26i1.8.
Ali, A. M., Kwaya, M. Y., and Aminu, A. A., 2024. Investigating the mineralogical and geochemical composition of fluvial sediments of Watari River system, Kano, Nigeria. Kuwait Journal of Science, 51(1), 100151. doi: 10.1016/j.kjs.2023.11.002.
Amini, A. Zaman Zadeh, S.M., 2006. Analytical Sedimentology (Translation). Iran University press.250p.
Bachmann, M., and Hirsch, F., 2006. Lower Cretaceous carbonate platform of the eastern Levant (Galilee and the Golan Heights): stratigraphy and second-order sea-level change. Cretaceous Research, 27(4), 487-512. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2005.09.003.
Benavente, C. A., Matheos, S., Barredo, S., Abarzúa, F., and Mancuso, A. C., 2023. Diagenesis of continental carbonates linked to the evolution of the flexural margin of the Triassic Sorocayense-Hilario rift sub-basin, Argentina. Andean geology, 50(2), 270-291. doi:10.5027/andgeov50n2-3450.
Capuzzo, N., and Wetzel, A., 2004. Facies and basin architecture of the Late Carboniferous Salvan‐Dorénaz continental basin (Western Alps, Switzerland/France). Sedimentology, 51(4), 675-697. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2004.00642. x.
Carozzi, A. V., 1989. Carbonate Rocks Depositional Model: A Microfacies Approach Prentice Hall, London, 604pp.
Catuneanu, O., 2017. Sequence Stratigraphy: Guidelines for a Standard Methodology. In Stratigraphy & timescales. Academic Press, 2, 1–57. doi: 10.1016/bs.sats.2017.07.003.
Catuneanu, O., 2019. Scale in sequence stratigraphy. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 106, 128-159. doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.04.026.
Catuneanu, O., Abreu, V., Bhattacharya, J., Blum, M., Dalrymple, R., Eriksson, P., Fielding, C.R., Fisher, W., Galloway, W., Gibling, M., Giles, K.A., Holbrook, J.M., Jordanm, R., Kendall, C.G.St.C., Macurda, B., Martinsen, O.J., Miall, A.D., Neal, J.E., Nummedal, D., Pomar, L., Posamentier, H.W., Pratt, B.R., Sarg, J.F. Shanley, K.W., Steel, R.J., Strasser, A., Tucker, M.E., and Winker, C., 2009. Towards the standardization of sequence stratigraphy. Earth-Science Reviews, 92(1-2), 1-33. doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2008.10.003.
Chiarella, D., Longhitano, S. G., Spalluto, L., and Martinius, A. W., 2024. Hierarchies of stratigraphic discontinuity surfaces in siliciclastic, carbonate and mixed siliciclastic‐bioclastic tidalites: Implications for fluid migration in reservoir quality assessment. The Depositional Record,11(1):373-402, 1-30. doi:10.1002/dep2.307.
Clement, A. M., Tackett, L. S., Ritterbush, K. A., and Ibarra, Y., 2020. Formation and stratigraphic facies distribution of early Jurassic iron oolite deposits from west central Nevada, USA. Sedimentary Geology, 395, 105537.
Daryono, S. K., Afrilita, A., and Idarwati, I., 2024. Deposition Environment Interpretation of Lemat Formation in the West Tanjung Jabung, Jambi Province. Journal of Earth and Marine Technology (JEMT), 4(2), 240-254.
Dunham, R. J., 1962. Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional textures. In: Classification of Carbonate Rocks, Ham, W.E. (ed.). American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 1,108-121.
Eltijani, A., Mohammed, M. A., Abuobida, Y., and Yousif, I., 2024. Integrating CoDA and PCA for enhanced characterization of fluvial depositional processes: a case study of the Shendi formation, Sudan. Discover Geoscience, 2(1), 10. doi: 10.1007/s44288-024-00011-7.
Embry, A. F., and Klovan, J. E., 1971. A late Devonian reef tract on northeastern Banks Island, NWT. Bulletin of Canadian petroleum geology, 19(4), 730-781.
Finthan, B., and Mamman, Y. D., 2020. The lithofacies and depositional paleoenvironment of the Bima Sandstone in Girei and Environs, Yola Arm, Upper Benue Trough, Northeastern Nigeria. Journal of African Earth Sciences 169, 103863. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2020.10386.
Flugel, E., 2010. Microfacies of carbonate rocks, analysis interpretation and application, Berlin-Heidelberg, New York, Springer ,976p.
Folk, R. L., 1980. Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Hemphill publishing company, Austin, Taxas,182p.
Gil-Gil, J., Bretones, A., Boix, C., and García-Hidalgo, J. F., 2024. Evolution of coniacian facies and environments in the Iberian basin: a longshore current controlling siliciclastic sand distribution on a carbonate platform. Facies, 70(2), 7. doi:10.1007/s10347-024-00681-2.
Haq, B. U., Hardenbol, J. A. N., and Vail, P. R., 1987. Chronology of fluctuating sea levels since the Triassic. Science, 235(4793), 1156-1167.
Khan, E. U., Saleem, M., Naseem, A. A., Ahmad, W., Yaseen, M., and Khan, T. U., 2020. Microfacies analysis, diagenetic overprints, geochemistry, and reservoir quality of the Jurassic Samanasuk Formation at the Kahi Section, Nizampur Basin, NW Himalayas, Pakistan. Carbonates and Evaporites 35:95. doi:10.1007/s13146-020-00622-4.
Khan, E. U., Saleem, M., Sajjad, S. M. W., and Khan, S. U., 2024. Depositional Environment, Diagenesis and Source Rock Characterization of Middle Jurassic Carbonates, North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In Doklady Earth Sciences, 519(1),1792-1807. Moscow: Pleiades Publishing.doi:10.1134/S1028334X2460244X.
Khan, E., Naseem, A. A., Khan, S., Wadood, B., Rehman, F., Saleem, M., Mehmood, Ahmad, W., Ahmed, Z., and Azeem, T., 2022. Facies Analysis, Sequence Stratigraphy and Diagenetic Studies of the Jurassic Carbonates of the Kohat Basin, Northwest Pakistan: Reservoir Implications. Acta Geologica Sinica‐English Edition, 96(5), 1673-1692.‏ doi: 10.1111/1755-6724.14938.
Korus, J.T., Gilmore, T.E., Waszgis, M.M., and Mittlestet, A.R., 2018. Unit-bar migration and bar-trough deposition: Impacts on hydraulic conductivity and grain size heterogeneity in a sandy streambed. Hydrogeology Journal, 26(2): 553- 564. doi:10.1007/s10040-017-1661-6.
Li, M.W., Ma, X.X., Jin, Z.J., Li, Z.M., Jiang, Q.G., Wu, S.Q., Li, Z., and Xu, Z., 2022. Diversity in the lithofacies assemblages of marine and lacustrine shale strata and significance for unconventional petroleum exploration in China. Oil Gas Geol., 43, 1–25.
Mahdieh NajafAbadi, N., Salehi, M. A., and Yahya Sheibani, V., 2024. Facies, sedimentary environment and log facies of the Hojedk Formation (Middle Jurassic) in Parvadeh Tabas Coal Mine, South of Tabas. Journal of Stratigraphy and Sedimentology Researches, 40(2), 1-26. doi:10.22108/jssr.2024.141278.1284. (In Persian).
Mahmoodabadi, R. M., and Zahiri, S., 2022. Formation evaluation and Rock Type Classification of Asmari Formation based on petrophysical-petrographic data: A case study in one of super fields in Iran southwest. Petroleum, 9(2), 143-165. doi:10.1016/j.petlm.2022.01.009.
Miall, A. D., 2013. The geology of fluvial deposits: sedimentary facies, basin analysis, and petroleum geology. Springer Berlin, Heidelberg,598p.
Miall, A., 2014. The facies and architecture of fluvial systems. Fluvial depositional systems, Springer Geology, Springer, 14. 316p.
Miall, A.D., 2014. Fluvial Depositional Systems. Dordrecht: Springer, 319 p.
Milaneschi, L., Cornamusini, G., Martini, I., Conti, P., Liberato, G. P., Tavarnelli, E., and Foresi, L. M. 2024. Shallow-water clastic carbonates of the southwestern margin of Valdelsa Neogene Basin. Preliminary data on mid-Pliocene Warm Period in Southern Tuscany (Italy). Rend. Online Soc. Geol. It, 63. doi:10.3301/ ROL.2024.29.
Moussavi-Harami, R., 1986. Neocomian (Lower Cretaceous) continental sedimentation in eastern Kopet-Dagh in NE Iran. Abstract, 12th International Sedimentological. Congress, Canberra, Australia, 220 p.
Moussavi-Harami, R., and Brenner, R. L., 1993. Diagenesis of non-marine petroleum reservoirs: The Neocomian (Lower Cretaceous) Shurijeh Formation, Kopet-Dagh Basin, NE Iran. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 16 (1),55-72.
Moussavi-Harami, R., Mahboubi, A., Nadjafi, M., Brenner, R.L., and Mortazavi, M., 2009. Mechanism of calcrete formation in the Lower Cretaceous (Neocomian) fluvial deposits, northeastern Iran based on petrographic, geochemical data, Cretaceous Research 30, 1146-1156. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2009.04.003.
Pettijohn, F. J., 1975. Sedimentary rocks. Harper and Row. New York, 3, 628p.
Pleș, G., Schlagintweit, F., Kołodziej, B., Bucur, I. I., Gawlick, H. J., Mircescu, C. V., Sasaran, E., and Lazăr, I. 2024. Upper Jurassic–lowermost Cretaceous hybrid build-ups of the Western Tethys Realm: Cement-rich microencruster-microbialite-calcified sponge framework. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 639, 112035.doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112035.
Rasool, R. H., Ali, S. A., and Al-Juboury, A. I., 2023. Petrography and diagenesis of the middle to upper Jurassic succession from Sargelu section, northeastern Iraq. Al-Kitab Journal for Pure Sciences, 7(2), 153-172.doi:10.32441/kjps.07.02. p12.
Salehi, M.A., Wilmsem, M., Zamanian, E., Baniasad, A., and Heubeck, C., 2023. Depositional and thermal history of a continental, coal-bearing Middle Jurassic Succession from Iran: Hojedk Formation northern Tabas Block. Geological Magazine,160(2),235-259. doi:10.1017/S0016756822000814.
Shah, N. H., and Patel, S. J., 2024. Lithofacies and geochemical analysis of intertrappeans of the Ninama Basin, Saurashtra, Western India: An integrated approach for paleolake depositional system. Journal of Earth System Science, 133(2), 50. doi:10.1007/s12040-024-02265-8.
Smith, J. J., and Platt, B. F., 2023. Reconstructing late Miocene depositional environments in the central High Plains, USA: Lithofacies and architectural elements of the Ogallala Formation. Sedimentary Geology, 443, 106303. doi: 10.1016/j.sedgeo.2022.106303.
Sun, Z., Lin, S., Wang, G., Liu, L., and Wang, M., 2024. Sedimentary evolution pattern influenced by sequence stratigraphy: a case study of the Nanpu Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, China. Geoscience Letters, 11(1), 1-25. doi:10.1186/s40562-024-00345-7.
Torshizian, H., 1998. Geological map of Chenaran, scale 1:100,000, Publications of the Geology and Mineral Exploration Organization of the Country (In Persian).
Tucker, M.E., 1993. Carbonate diagenesis and sequence stratigraphy, In: V.P. Wright (Ed.), Sedimentology Rev., Blackwell, Oxford, 51-72. doi: 10.1002/9781444304534.ch4.
Tucker, M.E., 2001. Sedimentary Petrology, An introduction to the origin of sedimentary rocks, Blackwell, Scientific Publication, 260p.
Tucker, M.E., 2014. Rochas sedimentares: guia geológico de campo. 4.ed. Porto Alegre: Bookman, 324 p.
Tucker, R. T., King, M. R., Mohr, M. T., Renaut, R. K., Crowley, J. L., Fekete, J. W., Makovicky, P.J., and Zanno, L. E., 2024. Tectono‐sedimentary history of the upper Cedar Mountain Formation, Central Utah, USA. Sedimentology.71, 2144-2182. doi:10.1111/sed.13211.
Wakefield, O. J., Hough, E., and Peatfield, A. W., 2015. Architectural analysis of a Triassic fluvial system: the Sherwood Sandstone of the East Midlands Shelf, UK. Sedimentary Geology, 327, 1-13.
Wilson, V.P., 1975. Carbonate Facies in Geologic History. Springer-Verlag, 471p.
Yeste, L.M., Varela, A.N., Viseras, C., Mcdougall, N.D., and García-García, F., 2020. Reservoir architecture and heterogeneity distribution in floodplain sandstones: Key features in outcrop, core and wireline logs. Sedimentology, 67, 3355–3388. doi:10.1111/sed.12747.
Zaheer, M., Khan, M. R., Mughal, M. S., Janjuhah, H. T., Makri, P., and Kontakiotis, G., 2022. Petrography and Lithofacies of the Siwalik Group in the Core of Hazara-Kashmir Syntaxis: Implications for Middle Stage Himalayan Orogeny and Paleoclimatic Conditions. Minerals, 12(8), 1055. doi:10.3390/min12081055.
Zamani, Z., Rahimpour-Bonab, H., and Littk, R., 2023. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of a coal bearing unit: the upper Triassic Nayband Formation, Tabas Block, East-Central Iran. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments, 103,733-757. doi:10.1007/s12549-023-00574-2.
Zhang, Y., Pan, H., Bai, Y., Chen, G., Luo, J., and Zhang, Y.,.2023. Pore Characteristics, Oil Contents and Factors Influencing Laminated Shale in the First Member of the Qingshankou Formation in the Gulong Sag, Northern Songliao Basin. Minerals, 13(9), 1220. doi:10.3390/min13091220.
 
Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences
Volume 35, Issue 3 - Serial Number 137
Autumn 2025, vol. 35, Issue 3, Serial no. 137
Summer 2025
Pages 41-62