Characterization of the source horizons within the Late Cretaceous transgressive sequence of northeast Africa

Conference · Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:7271775

Robinson, V ^[1]; Engel, M ^[2]

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1. Texaco, Inc., Houston (United States)
2. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, TX (United States)

Source rocks were deposited in northeastern Africa during a major Late Cretaceous transgression. The preserved stratigraphic sequence begins with a series of fluvio-deltaic sands and progresses up into a thick marine carbonate section. These deposits represent ever increasing water depths and isolation from the continental landmass. Across northeast Africa and portions of Arabia, oil-prone source facies were deposited along the mid to outer shelf during the initial phases of this Late Cretaceous transgression. Within the source sequence itself, variations in the organic matter record the changing influences of coastal upwelling, development of anoxia, and terrigenous input. In Egypt, the transgression deposited sediments found today in the upper portion of the Nubian through Thebes formations. The source facies found within this sequence include portions of the Duwi and Dakhla formations. Both the Duwi and Dakhla record changes in salinity, depth of the water column, and oxygen concentration, which are depicted in the organic matter content, quality, and type. The variability observed in the source sequence in Egypt can be related to the Late Cretaceous source facies preserved across northeast Africa.

• OSTI ID: 7271775
• Report Number(s): CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
ALGERIA
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
MALI
MAURITANIA
MOROCCO
SOURCE ROCKS
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DEPOSITION
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
STRATIGRAPHY
AFRICA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration