Palynofacies analysis of 38 rock samples of the Late Oxfordian-Early Kimmeridgian Naokelekan Formation from two exploratory wells and two outcrops in northern Iraq was performed. All samples taken from outcrops in Duhok and Sulaymaniyah provinces and well Bj-1 in northern Iraq were classified as palynofacies Type I (PF-1), which comprises mainly amorphous organic matter (AOM). The samples were deposited in a distal suboxic-anoxic basin and their organic matter (OM) is considered as Type II kerogen. Samples from well Jk-1 were interpreted as palynofacies Type II (PF-2) having mixed AOM and phytoclasts. These samples were deposited in a distal dysoxic-anoxic shelf basin and their organic matter is classified as Type II kerogen.
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