JABAL HAMRIN AND JABAL MAKHUL. 13 



•oil usually conti ruinates this water and there is then a confliction 

 of the odours of hydrogen sulphide and that of aromatic hydrocar- 

 bons. Similar indications were noticed in a stream-course 2\ 

 miles east-south-east of Fathah on the south side of the range, and 

 others about 5 miles above Fathah on the north-east side of the 

 Jabal Makhul ; these are merely instances and there are doubtless 

 others. Their particular abundance at the gap made by the river 

 may be due to disturbance of the strata caused by the twist in the 

 anticline and the pitch of its axis. Seepages are frequently found 

 where a fold pitches, perhaps on account of disturbance in the beds. 



Prospects of Boriwj. — Mr. Lister James divided what he called the 

 Lower Fars of the large Persian Oilfield into three zones, a, b and c. a 

 being the oldest. The Hamrin beds seem to agree very closely with 

 his b zone, and as the important oil horizons occur in the cellular 

 limestones of the lowest or a zone in the Maidan-i-naftun field, there 

 is good reason to suppose that such limestones are within easy access 

 of the drill in the Jabal Hamrin and Jabal Makhul ; three at least of 

 these petroliferous limestones, which, in Persia, extend up. into Jame3' 

 middle or b zone, are perhaps represented by the denuded seeping 

 limestones on the river banks at Fathah. The structure could 

 scarcely be more suitable, the fold being broad, simple, fairly 

 symmetric, gentle, regular and singularly free from faulting, with 

 the possible exception of the vicinity of the gap made by the 

 river, where the crest is too low for any faulting to have disturbed 

 possible " oil pools " in the more likely parts of the anticline. 

 This part of the Jabal Hamrin is not quite fifty miles from the line 

 of strike of the Kirkuk occurrences. Further to the south east its 

 distance from the Tuz Khurmatu (Palkanah) seepages is less than 

 20 miles, and still further in the same direction, in the neighbourhood 

 of Table Mountain, this rang<^ is about the sxras distance from the 

 promising oil locality of Naft Khana, north of Mandli. 



We have, therefore, favourable geographical position, eminently 

 favourable structure, beds of the same age as those known to be 

 highly petroliferous in the Persian field and within easy reach of the 

 drill, and abundant seepages, though somewhat local, to confirm 

 this. Altogether the prospects are good and warrant tests being 

 made on the highest points of the anticlinal crest, one somewhere 

 opposite the word "Jabal" of "Jabal Hamrin" on the h in. map 

 T.C. 225 (pi. 2), and another south of Qalah Jabbar on tbe summit 

 of the Jabal Makhul (pi. 1). The physiographic crest of the ridges 



