关键词: 勘探潜力, 油气成藏, 海外勘探, 伊拉克

Abstract: Iraq is one of the most petroleumrich countries in the Middle East, displaying differential in petroleum geology and distribution. Regional tectonics and stratigraphic succession show that passive continental margin and foreland phases are the major stages for generating hydrocarbon. After evaluating and comparing the central and eastern basins, this paper analyzes the features of typical reservoirs and concludes that tectonics and depositional evolution are the key factors controlling development of petroleum geology. And it also displays that it is earlier for hydrocarbon generation in southern Iraq than in northern Iraq. The main periods of hydrocarbon generation and accumulation in Dibdibah subbasin and Mesopotamia foredeep are from Mesozoic to Paleogene. Because of tectonic deforming at late Miocene, the hydrocarbon reservoir forming is later in North Iraq Zagros. The exploration potential in North Iraq Zagros is better than in Dibdibah subbasin and Mesopotamia foredeep. The Akkas hydrocarbon system, distributing in central and northwestern Iraq desert, is the further prospecting area.

Key words: exploration potential, oil and gas reservoirs, overseas exploration, Iraq