Iraqi Journal of Oil and Gas Research

The 3D geological model is very important for reservoir characterization, volumetric calculation, reservoir simulation, and setting development strategies. The present paper is dealing with building 3D geological model for the Nar Umr reservoir of Al Rafidain oil field located in southern Iraq.
The data needed to construct the 3D model: contour map, well head, well tops, and computer processing interpretation (CPI) data that comprised porosity (Ø), water saturation (Sw), and net to gross thickness (N/G). The model is built in sequential steps as make units’ surfaces, 3D skeleton grids, layering, petrophysical properties arithmetic scale-up, property modeling by the sequential Gaussian simulation (SGS) method, and finally volumetric oil reserve calculations by volumetric method.
The Nahr Umr reservoir is classified into three unit zones: A, B, and C. These units are described as shaly-lime, clean sandstone, and shale zones, respectively. The last one is declined in volumetric calculations because it is a shale zone. The volumetric equation provided an initial oil in place (IOIP) value as 805.0944 MMSTB. This value is compared with a unique study before the existing one that handled IOIP value as 748.48482 MMSTB. The value of IOIP depends upon distributed CPI properties for each grid and reservoir volume. Accurate property modeling led to best estimate of IOIP.

Heavy oil recovery is challenging owing to the high viscosity and low mobility of the oil, necessitating the application of modern recovery technologies. This paper presents a detailed comparative study of the four most widely used recovery processes: Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS)/Steam Flooding, Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD), In-Situ Combustion (ISC), and THOR Cavitas (mechanical heating system). The qualitative and quantitative comparisons show the relative merits and demerits of the four processes. SAGD has the maximum recovery efficiency (60-70%) for heavy oil in thick, homogeneous reservoirs, while CSS has a moderate recovery (25-30%), with high energy requirements (500-1000 MJ/bbl) and water requirements (2-5 bbl of water per barrel of oil). ISC has the highest energy efficiency (50-60%) and low water requirements (0.5-1.5 barrels of water per barrel of oil), but it has issues with combustion control. THOR Cavitas has high recovery efficiency (50-60%) by mechanically generating heat directly inside the wellbore with water requirements and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and has significantly lower capital costs when compared with steam-based facilities. CSS and steam flooding are mature and flexible technologies, but are environmentally taxing. While SAGD is good at continuous operation but is limited to certain reservoirs, and ISC utilizes in-situ energy but needs precise operational control. THOR Cavitas is unique in that it is a selective direct contact heating method with environmental advantages, but it is a less mature technology. From the results, we can gather data that can help us in selecting certain techniques, including hybrids and new technology such as THOR Cavitas, which can assist us in recovering heavy oil in an environmentally friendly manner.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are increasingly vital for investment attractiveness and sustainable development in oil-dependent economies like Iraq. However, the absence of a structured quantitative framework has led to fragmented assessments and limited policy effectiveness. This study develops an integrated AI-driven framework for ESG assessment in Iraq, combining composite index construction, benchmark-based gap analysis, and predictive modeling within a unified system. Utilizing a hybrid dataset spanning 2016–2025, a national ESG index was synthesized from 14 key indicators, including gas flaring, emissions intensity, and governance quality. The methodological core employs a Random Forest regressor to model non-linear interactions and forecast performance under varied policy scenarios. Results reveal a gradual improvement in Iraq’s ESG trajectory; however, significant structural gaps persist, particularly in gas flaring and governance-related metrics such as transparency and anti-corruption. Feature importance analysis identifies environmental efficiency and regulatory quality as the primary drivers of the national ESG score. Predictive simulations suggest that incremental reforms are insufficient, emphasizing the necessity of structural interventions to achieve meaningful alignment with international standards. This research contributes a novel, scalable assessment framework tailored to data-constrained, resource-rich environments. By demonstrating the utility of artificial intelligence in sustainability forecasting, the proposed framework provides a robust foundation for data-driven decision-support systems aimed at enhancing institutional capacity and aligning Iraq’s energy sector with global ESG benchmarks.

Wax precipitation is one flow assurance problem in production from the oil and gas system. Its problems cause many production problems in reservoirs, near wellbores, production tubing, surface flow lines, and surface facilities that lead to more frequent shutdowns, operational problems, and high costs for cleaning. This study aims to proactively predict the temperature at which wax may precipitate and forecast the wax deposition envelope (WDE) and the probability that it will occur; this study attempts to build a thermodynamic model that provides an accurate indication of the temperature at which wax precipitation occurs. The study focuses on temperature because wax crystals depend significantly on temperature change rather than other factors. Solid-liquid equilibrium (Coutenho Framework) which are couple between SRK-EOS and Wilson equation, has been used to simulate the wax phase envelope and wax appearance temperature. which are coupled between SRK-EOS and Wilson equation. In this study, wax moves from a liquid to a solid state when it reaches 138.5°C, which represents the wax appearance temperature (WAT) at which the solid phase begins to develop. Continued temperature decrease below this threshold results in wax release as solid crystals and accompanying production issues. Testing the well's operating conditions on the phase diagram revealed a significant probability of wax production, especially at the wellhead and surface equipment. The primary conclusion is that the couple model may be utilized to predict wax with acceptable precision, which improves with the availability of accurate laboratory data.

In this research, Iraqi clays rich in iron oxides, which are available in the regions of Al-Rutba and Al-Qaim, west of Iraq, were used for the first time to separate aromatic compounds from light oil sections, in addition to determining the optimal conditions for purifying and shortening these sections to obtain medical paraffin liquid. On the principle of separation (liquid-solid chromatography), where the slurry was used as a stationary phase (solid), while the oil sections dissolved in hexane were used as a mobile phase (liquid), and the specifications of the resulting paraffin liquid depend on the quality and specifications of the oil section used as a raw material to obtain Medical paraffin fluid according to specific specifications. The effect of the particle size of the muds on the efficiency of the separation process was also studied, and the results demonstrated the quality of the separation process for these muds, showing that the lowest particle sizes are relatively large, with a diameter of 1.6 mm.

Petroleum centrifugal pumps require materials with reliable mechanical performance under demanding conditions. This study presents the adaptation of a tensile testing device into a universal testing machine (UTM) tailored for evaluating such materials. The objective was to enhance measurement precision and performance stability through mechanical redesign and control system integration. The modified UTM was tested using ASTM-approved specimens of stainless steel 316, steel 1018, A514 alloy steel, cast iron, and ductile iron, which are commonly employed in pump components. Improvements included a reinforced loading frame, upgraded sensors and power train, and a digital control interface. The machine successfully pulled a sample of high-strength SS316 steel to an ultimate strength of 858 MPa, as well as A514 alloy steel to an ultimate strength of 748 MPa, with a variance of ±5 MPa and an error of 1.6%. These enhancements significantly improved the reliability and repeatability of mechanical property evaluations, including tensile strength and elongation. The redesigned system offers a cost-effective and accurate solution for material testing in petroleum applications. The adapted UTM demonstrates superior performance over the original tensile device, making it a valuable tool for industrial material assessment and postgraduate studies.