Tectonostratigraphic History of Mesopotamian Passive Margin during Mesozoic and Cenozoic, South Iraq

Passive margin of Mesopotamian zone formed by two tectonic phases: opening and closing phases. Opening tectonic phase (Permian-Jurassic) represents the beginning of Wilson cycle. This phase includes three stages: pre-rifting, rifting and post-rifting. In opening phase the passive margin was beginning in formation when the Iranian and Turkish plates split off from Arabian plate with the opening of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. The clastic sediments and evaporites deposited in passive margin, and then the gradual subsidence occurred for two reasons: thermal decay and crustal isostacy. Because of this subsidence, the thick chemical deposits accumulated in the passive margin. Closing tectonic phase (Cretaceous-Recent), include three stages: pre-collision, initial collision and collision stages. In this tectonic phase the plates moved together so Neo-Tethys became narrow. The compressive forces that effected on passive margin deformed the rocks and moved the salt rocks. Then the oil traps are formed and the width of Mesopotamian passive margin become narrow. Mesopotamian passive margin was ended in the Miocene, when the Arabian plate collide with Iranian plate.