Tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of the Neogene Gulf of Suez and northern Red Sea rift: Depositional environment and hydrocarbon source potential of evaporites
Quantitative basin analysis (backstripping) was carried out to examine the interplay between basin subsidence, tectonic events, sedimentation patterns and sea level changes in a young developing ocean basin and continental margin. Rifting and subsidence were initiated {approximately}25 Ma with the earliest sediments within the basin recording the transition from continental to marine depositional environments. Open marine sedimentation continued in the basin from early to middle Miocene times with a series of prograding siliciclastic fan-deltas developing at the rift-margins in response to major tectonic events and periods of lowered global sea level. Opening and major subsidence with the rift-basin was termination at {approximately}15.5 Ma as tensional plate motions were transferred from the Gulf of Suez to sinistral strike-slip movement on the Dead Sea transform fault system. Tectonic quiescence combined with lowered global sea level resulted in the deposition of up to 3 km of evaporites in the rift basin from middle to late Miocene times. The evaporite strata contain significant amounts of well-preserved organic carbon (OC). Rock-Eval and elemental pyrolysis analysis indicates that the kerogen in these OC-rich evaporite associated sediments constitutes good to excellent potential hydrocarbon source-rock. Gas chromatography studies show that free hydrocarbons derived from these sediments are indigenous and derived from organic carbon deposited and preserved in a highly reducing, anoxic, hypersaline environment. Thermal modeling and Rock-Eval pyrolysis analysis results indicate that although evaporite-associated OC is immature in the Gulf of Suez and northern Red Sea, OC-rich evaporite strata are buried within the oil window in the southern Red Sea.
- Research Organization:
- Rhode Island Univ., Kingston, RI (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7034504
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Neogene tectono-stratigraphic events in Gulf of Suez rift area, Egypt
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Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
DECOMPOSITION
DEPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EVAPORITES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
GULF OF SUEZ
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
KEROGEN
LEVELS
MATERIALS
MATURATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
MIOCENE EPOCH
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PLATE TECTONICS
PYROLYSIS
RED SEA
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
RIFT ZONES
ROCKS
SEA LEVEL
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOURCE ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
TECTONICS
TERTIARY PERIOD
TEXTURE
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VARIATIONS