Geographical Distribution and Strategic Importance of Iraq's Oil Reserves from 1980 – 2024 Using GIS

Geographical Distribution and Strategic Importance of Iraq's Oil Reserves from 1980 – 2024 Using GIS

Section: Article
Issue
Vol. 6 No. 21 (2026): Volume Six / Issue 21
Published
Jan 1, 2026
Pages
1340-1323

Abstract





Crude oil was discovered in Iraq in 1927, with production and exports beginning in 1934,the Iraqi economy is heavily dependent on the oil sector, which accounted for 89% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings between 2010 and 2024,in Iraq, oil is found near the Earth's surface and has been observed seeping through cracks in geological formations, the country possesses vast oil reserves, many of which are located close to the surface. Iraq's oil fields are among the oldest exploited fields in the world, extensive geological studies in Iraq have identified around 530 geological structures (or potential storage sites) with significant oil potential. However, only 115 of these sites have been drilled or developed, while 75 are believed to contain substantial reserves spread across multiple fields, Iraq ranks fifth in the world in oil reserves, with 162 billion barrels, accounting for 10.2% of the world's total reserves. these reserves are distributed across 75 fields, including 10 giant fields and 22 large fields. Geographically, the fields span the Tigris and Euphrates Basin, stretching from north to south and west to east. About 73% of the reserves are in the southern region, with a small percentage in the Western Desert.





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Author

Rebin Samad Abdullah

Department of Surveying, College of Technology, Erbil Polytechnic University / Erbil - Iraq

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How to Cite

ريبين صمد عبدالله. (2026). Geographical Distribution and Strategic Importance of Iraq’s Oil Reserves from 1980 – 2024 Using GIS : Geographical Distribution and Strategic Importance of Iraq’s Oil Reserves from 1980 – 2024 Using GIS . Journal of Education for the Humanities, 6(21), 1340–1323. Retrieved from https://jeh.uomosul.edu.iq/index.php/jeh/article/view/61464
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