Egyptian exploration: background, models, and future potential

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6419436

Kanes, W H; Abdine, S

Egypt has proven to be an area with excelllnt exploration potential. Recent discoveries in the Western Desert tilted fault blocks are leading to a reevaluation of new play concepts based on an east-west Tethyan rift structure model. Facies favorable to hydrocarbon accumulation are associated with shallow-water marine depositional environments. Production has not been great on a per-well basis, but fields have consistently out-produced the original recoverable reserve estimates. The Gulf of Suez lies within the rift between North Africa and Arabia-Sinai. It remains a major producing area with production from sandstones which range in age from Carboniferous to Cretaceous. The Upper Cretaceous and Lower Tertiary carbonates are potentially attractive zones, as are the Miocene clastics and carbonates. Miocene marls and Upper Cretaceous shales are source rocks, and thermal maturation can be directly related to continental rifting with the oil window most attractive in the southern third of the Gulf of Suez. Structural style is strongly rift-influenced with tilted and locally eroded hosts prevalent. The central gulf has a general eastern dip, whereas the northern and southern areas have a regional westward dip. This has had a direct influence in isolating some major oil fields and has adversely affected reflection seismic surveys. Exploration has been difficult because of excessive Miocene and younger salt thicknesses. With increasingly refined technology, attractive targets now are being delineated in the hitherto unexplored lows between horsts within the gulf.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia
• OSTI ID: 6419436
• Report Number(s): CONF-8304200-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 67:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
AFRICA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EGYPTIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS