GEOLOGY OF EGYPT

INTRODUCTION

This course tends to present a general geological framework of Egypt; its litho-and
bio-stratigraphy, structural setting, geological history and main economic resources.
Geographic Location
Egypt located in NE corner of Africa; approximately between Lat. 25ْ and 31ْ 20َ N,

and Long. 25ْ and 34ْ 30َ E. It covers an area of about one million square kilometers, and is
bordered from north by the Mediterranean Sea, from south by Sudan, from west by Libya
and from east by the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba and Palestine.
Climatic Conditions
Egypt lies in the arid belt, which extends from the Atlantic Ocean from west,
crossing North Africa and further eastwards to Saudi Arabia, Arab Gulf, Iran and Pakistan.
The climate is characterized by high temperature in summer (up to 40 ْ) and mild (above 0 ْ)
in winter. Rainfall precipitation is generally rare except the northern coastal stretch where
the precipitation ranges between 15 to 25 mm per a year in winter. Occasionally heavy
rainfall and flash floods do happen on Sinai and Eastern Desert Mountains destroying roads,
cultivated lands and villages.
Geomorphological Features
Physiographically, Egypt is classified into four main geographic provinces:
 Western Desert
 Nile Valley , Nile Delta and Fayum Depression
 Eastern Desert and Red Sea mountains
 Sinai peninsula
1- Western Desert
It covers an area of about 610.000 square kilometers, lies between Libyan border and
Nile Valley and Delta from west and east, respectively, and is bounded from north by the
Mediterranean Sea and Sudanese border from south. Geomorphologically, Western Desert is
characterized by:
1 Arid climate with very rare rainfall and seasonally windy weather
2 Absence of high relief mountainous areas and prominent wades except Gabal
Uweinat at its southwestern corner
3 presence of internal drainage lines

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4 Sandy wind is the principal geomorphic agent that accentuated its
characteristic landforms.
5 Presence of large number of depressions and oases (e.g. Siwa, Qattara,
Moghra, Fayum, Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla, Kharga, Kurkur and Dungul)
6 Presence of several sands dune belts and sand sea (Ex. Abu Moharik Sand
Dune, Ghorabi Sand Dune, El Hussein Sand Dune and Qazzun Sand Dune).
7 Peoples (inhabitants) live and plant the oases of the depressions depending
upon the underground water and springs.
8 The vast desert land of the Western Desert comprises six main geomorphic
units being from south to north:
1.1 Gabal Uweinat
It lies at the southwestern corner of the Western Desert, and extends in
Libya, Sudan and Chad. The mountain attains a height of about 1934 m above sea
level (a.s.l), and is built up of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks. East-
and northwards, that high mountain descends gradually forming more or less
sandy plain of low relief with scattered hills and hillocks. This vast sandy plain
area (~ 250 square Km.) is subjected since nineties to development programs for
cultivation based on the underground water and known as East Qweinat- Darb El
Arbin project to establish a new human being community.
1.2 El Gilf El Kebir Plateau
El Gilf El Kebir Plateau attains height oh about 1000-m (a.s.l), and is formed of
Nubian sandstone ranging in age from Paleozoic to Cretaceous. It receives no rainfall, and of
high summer- and low winter- temperatures. At the west and north the Great Sand Sea
covers it, while natural glass sands cover its eastern side.
1.3 Oases Land
The Gilf El Kebir Plateau slopes northeastwards to the well-known Kharga, Dakhla
and Farafra Depressions, which have different geomorphic shapes and landforms. During
sixties the Egyptian Government made a great effort to establish a new large human
community called the New Valley at Kharga and Dakhla Depressions.
1.4 The Eocene Plateau
This plateau has an elevation of about 500 m (a.s.l), and is made up of Eocene
carbonates with scarps consisting of Cretaceous and Paleocene clastics and carbonates. The
plateau delimits from north the southern the Western desert Depressions (refers to Kharga,
Dakhla, Farafra, Kurkur and Dungul), while the Bahariya depression was carved within it.

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1.5 The Marmarica (Miocene Plateau)
The Eocene plateau merges northwards into another plateau with an elevation up to
200-m (a.s.l) Known as Marmarica Plateau. This plateau is made up of Oligo-Miocene
clastic scarps capped with Miocene carbonates forming the plateau surface. At the southern
margin of the plateau exist the Qattara, Siwa and Moghra depressions. The Qattara
Depression is huge sized depression reaching a depth of about – 134 m (b.s.l) with steep to
wall like scarps, and its floor is covered with loose sands, mud and sabkha. The Qattara
depression was studied geologically and hydrogoelogically for evaluating the possibility of
generating electricity through connecting the Mediterranean water to fall in the depression.
1.6 Mediterranean coastal stretch
This land stretch forms the Mediterranean coast, with an average width of about 1
Km. It is characterized by beautiful beaches and bays, and is mainly built by Pliocene and
Pleistocene sandy carbonates forming coastal ridges.
2. Eastern Desert
Eastern Desert lies between Nile Valley and Delta from west and the Red Sea and
Gulf of Suez from east. Due north and south is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea and
Sudanese border, respectively. Geomorphologically, Eastern Desert is characterized by:
1 It is a mountainous desert and rocky plateau land with high relief.
2 Arid climate with winter rainfall.
3 Presence of high relief mountainous areas with external drainage and
prominent wades debauching either in the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea and Nile
Valley (e.g. Wadi Araba, Wadi Abu Had, Wadi El Tarfa, Wadi Qena, Wadi
Assuiti, Wadi Shait, Wadi Kharit and Wadi Allaqi).
4 Rainfall, flash floods and wind are the principal geomorphic agents that
accentuated its characteristic landforms.
5 Absence of depressions and oases.
6 Peoples (inhabitants) live in the great wades depending upon the heavy
seasonal rainfall.
7 The vast desert land of the Eastern Desert comprises four main geomorphic
units being from south to north:
2.1 Red Sea Mountains
They form a prominent triangular shape geomorphic unit; its base is at the Egyptian-
Sudanese border, and its apex occurs few tens of kilometers north of Ras Gharib. The
mountains have rough and rugged serrated topography, of which the highest one (Gabal El

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Shayeb) attains about 2187-m (a.s.l.). Gabal Gharib, Gabal Hamata and Gabal Nugrus are of
the most famous examples of these high relief mountains. This mountainous chain represents
the oldest Egyptian rocks and formed of Precamrian igneous and metamorphic rocks.
2.2 Eocene Plateau
The Eocene Plateau extends westwards from the Red Sea Mountains to the Nile
Valley where it forms its eastern bank. It is formed of Eocene carbonates and marls and is
dissected by a number of deep and long wades. Northwards, approximately, north of El
Sheikh Fadl- Gharib road, this Eocene plateau is dissected into three distinct small plateaus
or questas, known from south to north: South Galala Plateau, North Galala Plateau and
Gabal Ataqa. They are separated from each others by prominent wades and are formed of
Paleozoic and Mesozoic rocks constituting scarps capped by Eocene Carbonates.
2.3 Miocene Plateau
It extends approximately from Cairo -Suez road to the northeastern
border of the Nile Delta. It is characterized by low relief desert land with
isolated structurally controlled hills as Gabal Shabrawit, and Gabal Owiebid,
Gabal Homier.

3. Nile Valley, Nile Delta and Fayum Depression

3.1 Nile Valley
The Nile River is one of the longest rivers in the world (6825 km, in length);
its basin measures an area of about 50.000 square kilometers with annual
discharge being about 86 billion cubic meter/ year.
The Nile enters Egypt at Adindan Village in Wadi Halfa (at Egyptian -Sudanese border),
and flows northward without receiving any tributaries until debauching its load in the
Mediterranean via Rosseta and Damietta branches.
The Nile has a meander pass with several islands; its valley has different widths and is
drained by many large wadies (e.g. Wadi Kalabsha, Wadi Alaqi, Wadi Kharit, Wadi Shait,
Wadi Assuti, Wadi Qena, and Wadi Tarfa). The valley is embanked with different rocks
from place to another.
- From Adeindan to Aswan, the Nile course is itself the Nile Valley, and cuts in the
Cretaceous sandstone and shale rocks of the Nubia Group.
- At Kalabsha and Aswan, the Nile cuts through the Precambrian granites covered with
thin sandstone beds. Isolated blocks of granites obstruct the Nile course forming cataracts
(e.g. Aswan cataract)

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 -North Aswan, steep scarps of Nubian sandstone rise, extends N-S, and borders the Nile
from both sides. These scarps host the economic iron ore of Aswan.
- At Kom Ombo town (N. of Aswan) the Nubian sandstone cliffs turn and extend east-
westward, where the Nile forms the widest part of its valley known as Kom Ombo plain. The
E-W Kom Ombo plain has a flat surface and is about 20-25 m above the Nile water, and is
structurally graben.
- Going downstream, from Idfu to Luxor, the Nile Valley is banked by the Upper
Cretaceous rocks capped by the Lower Eocene Carbonates.
- At Qena, the Nile forms its famous bend (Qena bend), and from there to Cairo, it is
bordered from both sides by the Eocene carbonates, which build the Mokattam and Giza
Pyramid plateaus overlooking Cairo.
3.2The Nile Delta
The Nile Delta covers a triangular area of about 21.000 sq. Km; its apex is at north of
Cairo (at El Kanater El Khairia) where the Nile bifurcates into Rosetta and Damietta
branches. These branches are the remnant of pre-existing six branches that crossed the Delta
with the beginning of the Holocene and in historic times. The famous old branch is the
Pellusia branch that drained its load in Lake Manzala and in the Mediterranean Sea. Beside
Lake Manzala, other lakes as Lake Burullos, Lake Idku and Lake Marut, exist along the
northern margin of the Nile Delta.
3.3The Fayum and Wad Rayan Depressions
The Faytum and Rayan depression are dealt with the Nile Valley and Delta
geomorphic unit because they are close to the Nile Valley, and the Fayum is
connected with the Nile by the water channel “Bahr Youssif”.
The Fayum depression has a total area of about 1700 sq. km; Birket Qarun (-45 m, below
sea level) occupies its northern part, and is delimited from the north by an elongate scarp of
Gabal Qatrani trending generally east- west. The Lake Qarun occupied much area in old
times (pre-historic) proved by the presence of old raised beaches containing relics of ancient
man (implements), and was known as Lake “Moeris”.
Due to the south of Fayum depression lies Wadi El Rayan depression being over -60 m
below sea level. Now, it is connected with the Fayum depression by subsurface canal in
order to get rid of the drainage water of the cultivated lands of the Fayum instead of drain
this water into Birket Qarun.
4- Sinai Peninsula

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 Sinai lies at the northeast corner of Egypt. It has a triangular shape
covering an area of about 61.000 sq. km. It possesses geomorphologic
features as same as the Eastern Desert. It is divided into the following
geomorphologic units:
4.1. The southern Sinai mountainous unit
This unit occupies the southern triangle of Sinai overlooking the Red
Sea. It is built up of Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks forming
very high serrated peaked mountains (e.g. Gabal Kathrina, G. Musa, G. Um
Shumar, G. Serbal and G. Abu Banat). This geomorpic unit serves as a water
divide at its central part leading to the development of major wades draining
into the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba (e.g. Wadi Feiran, Wadi Taratir and
W. Kid).
4.2. The Egma- Tih Plateau unit
This unit occupies central Sinai. The Egma plateau is built up of
Cretaceous limestone and marls overlying pre-Cenomanian clastics, and
capped by Paleocene shale and Lower Eocene limestone (Egma Limestone
Formation). The top surface of this plateau is flat to undulated, and is
dissected by many wades and numerous faults with minor drag folds.
The Tih plateau encircles the Egma plateau, and both slope due north.
It is formed of Upper Cretaceous rocks capped with Egma limestone. Wadi El
Arish is the longest wadi in central and north Sinai, and collects its water
from the Tih Plateau.
4.3 The north folded geomorphic unit
This unit extends in NE – SW direction north of the Egma – Tih
Plateau unit. It is characterized by high hills, hillocks and small plateaus
separated from each other by wide plains and wide wades (e.g., W. El Arish,
Wadi El Hassana). The hills of this unit belong to the well-known Syrian Arc
structural system consisting of numerous anticlines and synclines (e.g. G. El
Maghara, G. Halal, G. Yelleg, and G. Aref El Naqa). A vast plain exists to the
NW of these anticlinal hills, and is covered by sand sheets, sand dunes and
playa deposits.
4.4- The northern coastal plain
This coastal unit extends from Rafa in the east to Suez Canal in the
west. It has an average width of 20 km but that width increases remarkably in

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 the direction of Lake Bardawil and further to the west to sahl El Tinah. This
unit is veneered by sand dunes, sand sheets, wadi deposits and sabkhas.

2- TECTONIC FRAMEWRK OF EGYPT

The general tectonic megapicture of Egypt is formed of a persistent
nuclear Arabo-Nubian shield or Massive of Precambrian igneous and
metamorphic rocks surrounded and covered by platform sedimentary
deposits. The latter was accumulated via shallow seas invaded Arabian shield
during Phanerozoic Era.
Tectonically there is a general agreement that Egypt can be divided
into 6 distinctive tectonic units; each one possesses a characteristic structural
features and geological history. These tectonic units include:
1- Arabo-Nubian shield
2- Stable shelf
3- Unstable shelf
4- Red Sea and Gulf of Suez Rift
5- Gulf of Aqaba
6- Delta hinge Zone
1. Arabo-Nubian Shield
This massive includes the Precambrian rocks of Eastern Desert (Red Sea
Mountains), south Western Desert (G. Uweinat), Southern Sinai Mountains, west Saudi
Arabia and northeast Sudan.
The shield is formed of highly deformed igneous and metamorphic rocks with
extensive folds, thrusts, shears, extensional fractures and dykes. The main lineament
dissecting these rocks trends due N-S and E-W.
The shield rocks host in different localities different magmatic mineral
wealth comprising: gold, copper, banded iron ore, barite, talc, lead, and zinc,
asbestos and ornamental stones.
2. Stable Shelf
Stable shelf constitutes the southern and middle portions of both
Eastern and Western Dessert as well as mid Sinai. It is characterized by:

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1. Thin sedimentary cover, ranging, in thickness, from ~400 m in south to 1000 m in
north and, in age, from Paleozoic to Middle Eocene. However, isolated basins containing a
thick pile of sediments reaching to 4000 m are recently recorded, firstly via aeromagnetic
survey and later documented by drilling (e.g. Kom Ombo basin and Kharit basin at the
southern Nile Valley and Eastern Desert). The sedimentary cover of the stable shelf is
divided into lower clastic unit (Paleozoic- Cretaceous), and upper shale and carbonate unit
(Cretaceous- Eocene).
2. Structurally, this shelf is less deformed than the unstable shelf. It is mainly affected
by faulting with minor role of folding.
2.1 . Faulting: four main trends of faults dissect the stable shelf; these included:
E-W (Mediterranean or Tethyan) fault trend; these faults are old and
deep-seated fractures inherited from Precambrian tectonics, and
rejuvenated during Phanerozoic times. These faults are common in the
southern landstreach of the Western Desert. The most prominent example
of them is the Kalabsha fault, Abu Bayann fault, Mid Sinai fault and
Raqabet El Naam dyke. The first (Kalabsha) is strike slip fault trending E-
W, and represents an active fault where recent earthquake that happened
few tens of years ago was centered along its plane.
N – S (east African) fault trend: this trend is also inherited from
Precambrian tectonics; the best example of which, the Wadi Qena fault
and Kharga fault.
NW- SE (Clysmic) fault trend: these faults are parallel to the Gulf of
Suez, and are of normal type with different throws. They are common in
the Eocene plateau, east of the Nile Valley, and were considered to
control the pass of the Nile at many sectors, particularly Qena- Samalut
sector.
NE- SW (Aqba) fault trend: they are less prominent in the stable shelf,
and were considered to control the Nile Pass at north Samalut sector.
2.2 . Folding: folds in the stable shelf are subordinate, and comprise three types:
 Rolls: they are gentle folds with very great amplitude and gentle dip (2°
4°), with trend being almost N-S; examples: Kharga anticlinal roll, Nile
Valley synclinal roll, Wadi Qena anticlinal roll.
 Drag folds: they are small double plunging anticlines and synclines
formed due to dragging along movement of major faults; Examples:

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 anticlines and synclines arranged along Abu Bayann fault; south Kharga
depression and the anticlines and synclines developed along the mid Sinai
dextral fault
3. Unstable Shelf
It covers the northern belt of Egypt, and is characterized by:
Thick stratigraphic succession that range, in age, from Cambrian to
Holocene, and in thickness from 4 km in some subsurface basins in the
north Western Desert (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin) to more than 2 km in
some surface sections (as in Gabal El Maghara) in north Sinai.
The thick sedimentary cover of the unstable shelf is simply divided into
three main units, from top to base:
 Upper clastic- carbonate unit (Late Eocene- Holocene)
 Middle carbonate dominated unit (Late Cretaceous- Middle Eocene)
 Lower clastic dominated unit (Cambrian to Early Cretaceous)
Structurally; folding and faulting intensively deformed the unstable
shelf. The most pronounced structural feature of the unstable shelf is the
Syrian Arc fold system. This fold system started, probably with the end of
the Cenomanian, and was intensively active and vigorous during Turonian-
Santonian time interval, and probably culminated with local rejuvenation
during the Eocene. The system consists of a series of anticlines and synclines
that are characterized by:
 They are double plunging folds
 They are asymmetrical folds with its southern flanks are almost
steeper reaching in some folds to be vertical or even overturned.
 They trend due to NE- SW or ENE-WSW.
 They are brachy-anticlines and synclines with their cores are mostly
eroded.
 They are almost dissected by normal and reverse faults; the latter are
almost parallel to its fold axes, while the former extend mostly
perpendicular or oblique to its axes.
 They are almost related to shear movement along master wrench
faults that trend generally due ENE.

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  They commonly display an echelon array along the associated master
wrench fault.
 These folds arrange in series of nearly parallel lines, examples:
1- El Bahariya - Abu Roash – Shabrawit line
2- El Maghara - Minsherah line
3- Yelleg- Libni- Halal line
4- Aref El Naga line
4- Gulf of Suez / Red Sea Rift
The Gulf of Suez is northwest trending intracratonic basin that is
separated from the Red Sea by the Aqaba- trending transfer fault. It is
bounded on the east by the Sinai Massif and on the west by the Red Sea
Mountains of the Eastern Desert. The Gulf extends in N30W for a distance of
about 350-km, from Suez to Hurghada, with breadth is 25-100 km and
maximum depth of about 80 m.. The Suez rift has a great interest not from the
stratigraphical and structural points of view, but also due to its oil
potentiality, where about 80% of Egyptian oil production comes from the
Gulf of Suez (onshore and offshore).
The Suez rift is considered as one of the most faulted areas in the
world. A series of major faults extend along the rift and bound it from both
sides. These faults, which trend generally due NW, N-S, and locally NE,
dissect the Gulf area into a large number of faulted blocks with different
attitudes and throws. These faulted blocks are built up of Pre-rift rock
succession (Precambrian-Eocene) that unconformably covered by the syn-rift
and post-rift deposits.
The Gulf rift basin is divided into three distinct provinces based on the
location of the master faults and the attitude of the faulted blocks in each
province. These three provinces are assigned; northern sector, central sector
and the southern sector. In both northern and southern sectors there is a series
of major faults throwing due east and exist along the western boundary of the
rift. Meanwhile, in the same sectors, there is only a single major fault
throwing due west and bounds the rift from the east. Thus it is expected that
the combined throws of the major series of downthrown-east faults will be
more than the throw of the downthrown-west fault. This fact will result in

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regional southwest dip of the tilted fault blocks in both the northern and
southern provinces. On the other hand, the central province is bounded from
the east by a series of downthrown-west faults and from the west by a single
downthrown-east fault. Accordingly it is expected that the central province
will have a regional northeast dip. It is also interesting to note that two major
accommodations (transfer) zones (faults) bound and separate the central
province from both northern and southern provinces of regionally southwest
dip regime.
Close examination of the Gulf structural configuration shows the great
similarity between its style and the dogleg model proposed by Harding
(1984).
The Gulf of Suez is considered to be originated along a major NW
shear fracture that complements a major NE (Aqaba) shear fracture. Both of
the two complementary shear fractures (NW, NE) were resulted from a
northwesterly horizontal compression. This compressive force is believed to
have started in Late Eocene times as a result of the northward motion of
Africa toward Laurasia, which destroyed Tethys II and resulted in the
Mediterranean Sea. With the beginning of Oligocene a movement and
opening along the NW (Suez) shear component of the two complementary
trends was occurred resulting in a more highly developed Gulf of Suez-Red
Sea trend rather than opening along the NE (Aqaba) trend. This priority of
opening along NW trend may be attributed to the fact that the northwest trend
was an old Precambrian tectonic trend and that it has just rejuvenated in
Oligocene time.
Two possible primary dynamic forces that could initiate the opening
of the NW trend and form the Gulf of Suez rift. They either are a right lateral
coupled force along the shear plane or a regional extension across that NW
shear. A rifting due to right lateral shear as that proposed for the Western
North America almost resulted in basins and horsts of northeast trend, which
is totally opposite to that of the Gulf of Suez rift. Accordingly, the possibility
of initiation of the Suez rift by right lateral shear is completely excluded and
the regional extension in a direction approximately perpendicular to it is
generally accepted. Such extension began in early Oligocene time by normal
faulting and dyke injection, resulting in tilted fault blocks in the form of half

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grabens. The main bounding normal faults for the tilted blocks show an
original dip angle of 60°. With active horizontal extension, more thinning of
the earth crust took place due to the rotation of blocks; this resulted in
decreasing the dip angle of the main bounding faults down to 40. With
continued regional extension during the Early and Middle Miocene more
tilting and faulting of the larger blocks took place.
Red Sea rift is considered as an embryonic ocean occupies an elongate
escarpment bounded depression extending for a distance more than 650 kms
between the uplifted Arabian and Nubian shields. Oceanic basaltic crusts that
were erupted via two phases of sea floor spreading occupy the central portion
of the Red Sea. The older spreading had occurred since 29-23 my, and the
recent one started over the past 4.5 - 5.my. The spreading is believed to be at
rate of 0.5 cm/y, but may increase to 0.6 cm/y or more in the extreme
northern part of the Red Sea at the junction with the Gulf of Suez, where the
Aqaba shear has been active since Late Miocene. The central spreading of the
Red Sea is believed to be discontinuous duo to intersection of the Red Sea by
six transform faults of NE- SW trend.
5- Gulf of Aqaba
Gulf of Aqaba separates Sinai from Saudi Arabia. It has a length of
about 200 kms and a breadth of about 10-20 kms with water depth as Red Sea
reaching to 2000m.
The Gulf of Aqaba trends due N30-25E and was opened at Late
Miocene-Pliocene via sinistral movement along NE transform fault known as
Aqaba-Dead Sea transform fault. The left lateral movement was related to NE
differential movement of Arabia plate relative to Sinai plate.
6. Nile Delta Hinge Zone
This zone of normal faults extends parallel to the Mediterranean coast
crossing approximately mid Delta Province. It is developed during the
extensional regime that affected Egypt during Oligo-Miocene time. North of
that zone the thickness of deposits especially Miocene-Pleistocene is much
thicker than that in the south Delta. In the mean time there is a drastic facie
change for the Miocene- Pleistocene deposits across the Hinge zone
suggesting that its deposition was controlled by the activity of that zone of
faulting.

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 3- STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK
3.1 Paleozoic rocks in Egypt
Introduction and Classification
The Paleozoic Era lasted about 325 my, started approximately from
570 my and ended at 245 my. It is subdivided into the following periods,
from younger to older:
Permian
Late Paleozoic: Carboniferous
Devonian

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 ------------------------------------------
Silurian
Early Paleozoic: Ordovician
Cambrian
The Paleozoic rocks have yielded their secrets more readily than rocks
of the Precambrian. They are more accessible, less altered and more
fossiliferous. The Paleozoic Era was the Era of dismembering and rejoining
of the Proterozoic Proto-Pangaea supercontinent.
With the beginning of the Paleozoic (during Cambrian), the “Proto-
Pangaea” had begun to pull apart, and ocean tracts formed between the
separating landmasses. “Lapetus Ocean” was the Cambrian Proto-Atlantic
Ocean that was widening at the beginning of the Paleozoic.
Since Late Ordovician to the end of the Paleozoic, the drifted
continents started and continued closing and gradual collision to each others
forming several mountain ranges and, the consolidated supercontinent
“Pangaea” was formed.
Precambrian cratonization and related megastuctures
With the end of Proterozoic, the basement rocks of the Arabo-Nubian
Massif as portion of Africa, which was a plate of the Supercontinent
“Protopangaea”, were under cooling, consolidation and cratonization.
Resulted from that cratonization is a group of mega-structures inherited
within the Basement rocks of Egypt, Sudan, Chad, and Saudi Arabia. These
Precambrian mega-structures include a major fold belt and three major shear
zones, namely:
☻North Zalingei fold which is a regional fold belt with axes trending
due N, NNE, NE, ENE, and E-W. This belt was formed during Early to
Middle Proterozoic.
☻Transafrican lineament zone (Peluseim lineament zone), which
extends from West Africa, crossing westcentral Egypt and continues in NE
direction to east Mediterranean.
☻Central African lineament, which extends from southwest Africa
crossing central Sudan and continues due NE direction
☻Najd Fault system, which dissects Saudi Arabia in NW direction

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 Beside these old four mega-structures other lineament trends cut NE
Africa including 55°, 70°, 80°, 150°. These mega -structures and
associated faults in the basement rocks controlled to large extent the
creation and distribution of the intraplate basins of Egypt during the
successive periods of the Phanerozoic eras.
Global geography and tectonic setting during Paleozoic Era
During the Paleozoic Era the supercontinent “Proto-Pangaea” that
cratonized with the end of Proterozoic Era started drifting and fragmentation
into Six separate continents during Cambrian – Silurian period. This drifting
event was accompanied with extensional regime. From Devonian to Permian
the drifted six continents recolloided with each others and accreted together
another supercontinent “Pangaea” this event of collision was accompanied
with a compression regime
Paleozoic Paleogeography in Egypt
Structural differentiation and related paleohighs and basins
development in NE- Africa during Cambrian period was controlled by ENE-
WSW oriented tensional forces. The major consequence of that extensional
regime was the development of large NNW-SSE striking basins and horsts in
western Egypt, eastern Libya and western Sudan (e.g. Kufra basin, Siwa
basin, Khartoum basin and Uweinat Howar high). The rest of Egypt was a
positive area except its northern stretch that was invaded by shallow
Cambrian seas, received clastic sediments.
During the period interval Ordovician-Devonian, almost all-Egyptian
territory was under compression regime and uplifting forming positive land
under erosion except its southwestern corner that was invaded by a tongue of
Silurian Shallow seas.
With the beginning of Carboniferous, paleo-Tethyes renewed invasion
of the northern sectors of Egypt, and continued its deposition until Permian
period when it started retreat again and consequent exposure of the
Carboniferous and older deposits.

LOWER PALEOZOIC ROCKS IN EGYPT

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 The surface exposures of Paleozoic strata occupied small areas on the
geological map of Egypt. These included the well known Carboniferous
outcrops along the Gulf of Suez, Sinai and at Gabal Uweinat area.
The Lower Paleozoic (pre-Carboniferous) strata however were not
clearly identified until relatively recent. The poor identification is due to
insufficient stratigraphic evidences and nearly absence of index fossils.
A sequence of strata from Cambrian to Devonian outcrops only in the
area between Gabal Uweinat and west El Gilf El Kebir Plateau. Such
sequence of strata was also reported in the subsurface in the western part of
north Western Desert. The lower Paleozoic strata (except Cambrian strata) are
missing over most the remaining part of Egypt.
The following is a brief description of the Cambrian, Ordovician and
Silurian succession in Egypt.
1. Cambrian rocks in Egypt
Surface occurrences: rocks of Early Cambrian age are exposed in:
West-central Sinai at Gabal Um Bogma
Southwest Sinai at Gabal Durba-Gabal Araba Stretch
North Wadi Qena
North Uweinat area
Subsurface occurrence: in deep wells drilled in the Gulf of Suez and north Western
Desert.
Stratigraphic setting: the Cambrian deposits rest unconformably on an
irregular surface of the Precambrian basement and lie unconformably below
the Carboniferous rocks.
Facies and rock stratigraphic subdivision: the Cambrian succession in
Egypt forms a regressive facies sequence. It starts with shallow marine clastic
facies that grade upward to unfossiliferous fluvial sandstone facies. So the
Cambrian succession can be divided into two facies types; lower shallow
marine and upper fluvial deposits
The lower marine unit is distinguished by its overall pale red to dark
chocolate brown colors. It begins with a basal conglomerate consisting of
locally reworked boulders, cobbles and small gravels of igneous and
metamorphic rock fragments mixed with quartz and quartzite grains being set
in kaolinitic argillaceous sandy matrix. This basal conglomeratic unit is

16
overlain by a series of alternating mudstone, sandstone and pebbly sandstone
showing lenticular, falser and cross bedding with ripple marks and dissication
cracks, and containing the trilobite's traces “Cruziana and Rusophycus". This
Cruziana bearing unit is overlain by a thick unit of pale red to reddish white
cross bedded sandstone, which is invariably penetrated by long tubes of
Skolithos. Lithostratigraphically, this Cambrian marine rock unit is named by
the formal name Araba Formation.
The upper fluviatile facies of the Cambrian succession is distinguished
by its snow-white color. It consists entirely of sandstone with subordinate
interbeds of conglomerate and kaolinitic mudstone. The sandstone shows a
wide variety of grain sizes, and is almost cross-bedded with frequent
synsedimentary deformation structures as recumbent and convolute
lamination. The sandstone and mudstone interbeds display vertically an
overall fining upward array. In some areas, this white sandstone unit is
exploited for glass sands. Lithostratigraphically, the upper white sandstone
unit of the Cambrian is termed by the formal name “Naqus Formation”
2. Ordovician rocks in Egypt
Distribution: Strata of Ordovician age have not been identified in north
Egypt, neither at the surface nor in wells. The only location in southern Egypt
where 0rdovician strata are identified was at Kurkur Talh in the northeastern
part of G. Uweinat at the Egyptian- Sudanese boundary.
Facies and Stratigraphic nomenclature: At Kurkur Talh, the Ordovician
deposits are tens of meters of fluvial and shallow marine sandstones
containing trilobite’s tracks indicating Ordovician age. They overlie
unconformably the Precambrian rocks and underlie the Silurian sediments.
They are assigned by the formal name Kurkur Talh Formation.
3. Silurian rocks in Egypt
Distribution: as in Ordovician time, most Egypt was during the Silurian time
as positive areas except its western margin forming the eastern margin of the
Silurian-Ordovician seas that bordered Egypt from WNW. The Silurian is
reported from the subsurface of the north Western Desert. Silurian rocks
outcrops at large areas in SW Egypt.
Facies and Stratigraphic nomenclature: in SW Egypt, in the area between
G. Uweinat and west of El Gilf El Kebir plateau, the Silurian sediments reach

17
 a thickness of approximately 400 m. They consist of fine to medium and
partly coarse grained white sandstone of fluvial and deltaic origin,
interbedded with nearshore, beach and shallow marine sand, silt and shale.
Several beds of this succession contain Skolithos burrows and the Trilobites
traces; Harlania harlania and Cruziana acacensis that suggest Silurian age.
This Silurian succession is named by the formal name Umm Ras Formation.

UPPER PALEOZOIC ROCKS IN EGYPT

1- Lower Carboniferous Rocks
Distribution: of all the Paleozoic rocks of Egypt, strata of Carboniferous age
were the first to be recognized and identified. The Lower Carboniferous rocks
exist in:
West-central Sinai (e.g. G. Um Bogma)
South-west Sinai (e.g. G. Abu Durba)
Wadi El Dakhl, west side of the Gulf of Suez
SW Egypt in west of El Gilf El Kebir Plateau
Facies and Stratigraphic nomenclature: the Lower Carboniferous deposits
show a wide variation in facies ranging from fully marine carbonates, shallow
marine clastics, deltaic and continental sandstone to lacustrine and
fluvioglacial deposits. So, the Lower Carboniferous deposits are treated under
different formal rock units from place to another.
Lower Carboniferous rocks of west central Sinai
The Lower Carboniferous rocks of west-central Sinai are well exposed
at G. Um Bogma. There, the succession is subdivided into two formal rock
units being from older to younger:
a) Um Bogma Formation: it represents the oldest exposed Lower Carboniferous deposits
in Egypt. It exists only in west central Sinai, and restricted in distribution to its type locality
Um Bogma area. The Um Bogma Formation overlies unconformably the Cambrian Naqus
Formation and rests below the Lower Carboniferous Abu Thora Formation. The formation
consists essentially of fossiliferous dolostone and dolomitic limestone containing Spirefers
and Productus. Its lower part in some local areas of Um Bogma area is formed of karstic
paleosols of dissected shale capping discontinuous lenses of manganese ore.
b) Abu Thora Formation: this rock unit was previously called Ataqa Formation. It
overlies the Um Bogma Formation and underlies the Perm-Triassic rocks of Qiseib

18
Formation. At its type locality, Um Bogma area, the Abu Thora Formation consists of 100-
200 m of interbedded pure quartos sandstone topped with siltstone and black shale with thin
locally coal seams. The sandstone is very clean white, very rich in silica and is exploited as
glass sand containing fossil plants of Lepidodendron and Sigillaria. The upper black shale
yields molds and casts of brachiopods and various marine trace fossils.

Lower Carboniferous rocks of Wadi El Dakhl (west of GOS)

At Wadi El Dakhl, only Abu Thora Formation represents the Lower
Carboniferous deposits. The Formation overlies unconformably the Cambrian
Naqus Formation, and rests unconformably under the Lower Cretaceous
Malha Formation. It consists essentially by thick bodies of giant cross-bedded
pure sandstone, overlain by black fossiliferous shale. The pure sandstone
bodies are extensively exploited for glass sand.
Lower Carboniferous rocks of southwest Sinai
At Gabal Abu Durba-Araba range, southwest Sinai, the Lower
Carboniferous rocks are well exposed. They are represented by the Abu
Thora Sandstone and Abu Durba Shale underlying unconformably the Permo-
Triassic Qiseib Formation. The Abu Durba Shale consists of a succession of
black fossiliferous shale, siltstone and sandstone containing different species
of Productids, Spirifers and Rhynchonellids.
Lower Carboniferous rocks of southwestern Egypt
In Wadi Malik area; north of Gabal Uweinat, the Lower
Carboniferous rocks consists of alternating silty shale, siltstone, fine to coarse
grained sandstone and gravelly sandstone of fluvial, beach and shallow
marine affinity. The lower part of the section contains rare imprints of
brachiopods, some trace fossils and plant imprints of Early Carboniferous
age. These Lower Carboniferous deposits are termed Wadi Malik Formation
2. Upper Carboniferous-Permian Rocks
During Late Carboniferous, in connection with the Hercynian tectonic
event, large parts of central and south Egypt were uplifted, and the
Carboniferous sea retreated due N According to the above mentioned
paleogeography of Late Carboniferous, the marine sedimentary record of that
period are restricted only in the northern part of Egypt in both surface and
subsurface.

19
 In surface the Permo-Carboniferous rocks outcrop only along the
western side of the Gulf of Suez forming isolated occurrences at the footslope
of Gabal El Galala El Bahariya and along Wadi Araba. Fluvioglacial Upper
Carboniferous deposits expose also at the area north of Wadi Malik in SW of
Egypt.
The Perm-Carboniferous rocks outcropping along the western side of
the Gulf of Suez is formed essentially of green to gray shale, siltstone and
fine to coarse grained sandstone and subordinate limestone interbeds that
yield Upper Carboniferous brachiopods and crinoids. The shale, siltstone and
sandstone interbeds display coarsening upward cycles indicating a deposition
along shallow shelves to lower / middle shoreface environments. This
fossiliferous marine succession was treated under three laterally equivalent
formal rock units; namely from N to S: Aheimer Formation, Abu Darag
Formation and Rod El Hamal Formation (Abdallah and Adindani, 1963).
In southwestern part of Egypt, the Upper Carboniferous deposits are
formed of non-fossiliferous sandstone and conglomerate of fluvioglacial
origin grading above to deltaic facies. These clastic sediments are described
under the formal name North Wadi Malik Formation.

ECONOMIC POTENTIALITY OF PALEOZOIC ROCKS

The Paleozoic rocks in Egypt are mined and explored for:
1- Manganese deposits, from the Lower Carboniferous Um Bogma Dolostone at
Gabal Um Bogma, west-central Sinai
2- Glass sand, from the Lower Carboniferous Abu Thora Formation and Cambrian
Naqus Formation at Wadi El Dakhl
3- Source rocks for oil, from the Lower Carboniferous Nubia B (equivalent to Abu
Thora and Durba formations) in the Gulf of Suez
4- Reservoir rocks (Carboniferous Nubia B and Cambrian Nubia A) for oil in the
Gulf of Suez

20
 III. STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK
III. 2. MESOZOIC ROCKS IN EGYPT
Introduction and classification
Mesozoic Era lasted about 159 -160 my; during which the super-
continent Pangea, which had formed during the Paleozoic was
dismembered. The process of drifting and fragmentation ultimately
produced the present physical geography of the Earth Planet. During
the Mesozoic two new vertebrate classes; the birds and mammals
appeared. It is ended with biological crisis marked by the extinction of
Dinosaurs and scores of other animals in both land and sea. It is
divided into three periods being from younger to older:
☻Cretaceous 144-66 my
☻Jurassic 213 my
☻Triassic 248 my
1. TRIASSIC SYSTEM IN EGYPT (245-208 MY)
1.1. Global Geography and tectonic setting during Triassic
With the end of the Paleozoic era and during Early Triassic, the
Earth was in the form of a single large continent called Pangaea in
which Africa including Egypt were at south of the Equator. That
supercontinent was formed via several collisions and joining between
six smaller continents that were drifted from the older supercontinent

21
 Proto-Pangaea. From those collisions was that occurred between
Gondwanaland and Laurasia during Late Paleozoic and Early Triassic
and formation of Hercynian mountain in Europe.
1.2. Triassic paleogeography in Egypt
Resulted from that collision between Gondwanaland and
Laurasia during Late Paleozoic and Early Triassic, an uplifting of
central and southern Egypt as positive areas accompanied with retreat
of the Lower Triassic Tethyes to the northeastern margin of Egypt.
Consequently, the occurrence of marine deposits in Egypt must be
restricted to NE corner of Egypt, while the rest of Egypt was positive
land subjected to erosion and fluvial sedimentation.
1.3. Occurrence and distribution of Triassic rocks in Egypt
A-Surface occurrence: in Egypt, the marine deposits of Middle
Triassic age outcrops only in the core of Gabal Aref El Naqa
anticline in northeast Sinai, while southwards in central Sinai
and Gulf of Suez, the exposures of the Triassic age are almost
of fluvial origin.
B- Subsurface occurrence: a rather complete Triassic section of both
marine and fluvial deposits is recorded in the subsurface well (Halal Well No. 1)
drilled at Gabal Halal in north Sinai.
1.4. Triassic facies and rock stratigraphic classification in Egypt
From the above-mentioned paleogeography of Triassic, it can
conclude that the Triassic deposits in Egypt comprises two main facies
assemblages; marine and fluvial / fluviomarine.
1.4.1. Marine Triassic Deposits
These deposits outcrop only at the core of Gabal Aref El Naqa
anticline, and were met with in the subsurface in Halal Well no. 1.
The exposed marine sedimentary succession in the core of
Gabal Aref El Naqa belongs to Middle Triassic only, while the
complete succession from Early to Late Triassic is preserved is
reported in the subsurface Halal Well no. 1
The outcropping Middle Triassic marine deposits in the core of
Aref El Naqa anticline were defined under the name Aref El Naqa

22
 Formation by Said (1971). In its type section, the formation rests below
Jurassic rocks, while its base is unexposed.
The succession of Aref El Naqa Formation is subdivided into
three informal members, being from base to top:
1- Member (A): it consists of plant bearing cross-bedded sandstone of
Nubian facies that grade upward to alternating sandstone, clay and limestone
carrying vertebrate remains and some bivalves.
2- Member (B) or Benekia bearing member: it is made up of limestone
and shale carrying the ammonite Beneckia levntina
3- Member (C) or Ceratite- bearing member: it consists of fossiliferous
limestone, marl and few beds of dolostone and evaporites. The limestone and marl
of this member carry the ammonites Gevanites and Ceratites
In subsurface, the Middle Triassic Aref El Naqa Formation is
reported from Halal Well no. 1. It is underlain by other two formations
namely Zafir and Raaf formations of Early Triassic age.
The lowermost Zafir Formation consists mainly of brown to dark
gray fissile shale grading above to fossiliferous sandstone, limestone
and dolostone. The overlying Raaf Formation is formed mostly of
fossiliferous shelf carbonate facies.
The Upper Triassic deposits which stratigraphically younger
than the Aref El Naqa Formation is represented by Mohilla Formation.
It is composed of dolostone, shale, algal stromatolites and evaporitic
sabkha facies indicating a regressive episode with the end of Triassic
period.
1.4.2. Fluvial / Fluviomarine Triassic Deposits
These Triassic facies outcrop in central and southern Sinai as
well as in both sides of the Gulf of Suez. Dark red and chocolate
brown colors distinguish these deposits. Its exposed successions are
formed of alternating pale red channel gravelly sandstone and
sandstone with flood plain brown / gray mudstone and mottled
paleosols. These Triassic red deposits are defined by the name Qiseib
Formation by Abdallah and Adindani (1963). At its type section; Wadi
Qiseib, western side of the Gulf of Suez (10 km NE of Ras Abu
Darag), the Triassic Qiseib Formation overlies the Permo-

23
 Carboniferous of either Rod El Hamal or Abu Darag or Aheimer
formations.
According to Lejal-Nicol (1987), the lower part of the Qiseib
Formation contains plant remains as Callipteris conferata,
Astherotheca aff. Leeukuilensis, Thinnfeldia aff. decurrens,
Triphyllopteris gothani, Ganganophyllum thonii var. minor, which
assign Early Permian age. On the other hand Abdallah and Adindani
(1963) recorded lamellibranchiads and gastropods in the upper part of
the formation indicating Early Triassic Age. Accordingly the Qiseib
Formation was dated to Permo- Triassic.
2. JURASSIC IN EGYPT (213-144 MY)
2.1. Global Geography and tectonic setting during Jurassic
During Jurassic Period the great continent Pangea started
drifting and fragmentation with Atlantic Ocean began opening from
south. Due to that opening from south, the African plate moved
eastward relative to Eurasia. Such differential sinistral movement
between Africa and Eurasia triggered and rejuvenated the movement
and opening along the old E-W and ENE-WSW deep seated fractures
inherited in the Basement shield of Egypt. Consequence to that
rejuvenated movement on the old ENE lineaments, , partial melting of
the lower crust and upper mantle occurred accompanied with gradual
domal uplift in southern Egypt forming Oweinat- Aswan High and
eruption of alkaline volcanics reflecting incipient rifting. In the mean
time, isolated ENE trending basins opened in northern Egypt (e.g. El
Maghara basin, Abu Gharadiq basin, and Obeiyed basin).
2.2 Jurassic paleogeography in Egypt
Consequence to the above-mentioned tectonic setting of Egypt
during Jurassic, Jurassic shallow seas invaded and occupied only
northern Egypt and filled the isolated basins. Its paleo-shorelines
never extend far south of El Maghara-Wadi Araba- Abu Garadiq
arbitrary line. On the other hand, southern and central Egypt was
positive area subjected to erosion and fluvial sedimentation in isolated
low-lying alluvial plains.
2.3 occurrence and distribution of Jurassic rocks in Egypt

24
 i. Surface occurrences
Jurassic rocks are exposed in northern Sinai at G. El Maghara,
G. Giddi, G. Minsherah and G. Aref El Naqa. In central Sinai, they
share in forming the southern scarp of G. El Tih Plateau.
In the northern sector of the Gulf of Suez, isolated faulted
blocks of Jurassic rocks outcrop in the western side of the Gulf (e.g.
Khashm El Galala, Wadi Um Lug, Ras El Abd and Maa Sweilam.
In southern Egypt, the Jurassic deposits constitute a thick part
of what is known Nubia Sandstone that outcrops in most southern
terrain of the Western Desert.
ii.Subsurface occurrences
Thick Jurassic deposits bearing both source and reservoir rocks
are met in most penetrating wells in many oil fields of north Western
Desert (e.g. Obaiyed Field).
2.4 Jurassic facies in Egypt
The recorded Jurassic deposits in Egypt possess three main
types of sedimentary facies, which include:
- Proper marine shale and carbonate
- Fluviomarine sand-shale and carbonate
- Proper fluviatile sand and gravelly sands
The marine and fluviomarine facies are restricted to northern
Egypt in both surface and subsurface occurrences, while the fluviatile
facies is prevailed in central and southern Egypt.
2.5 Lithostratigraphy of the Jurassic rocks in Egypt
2.5.1 Jurassic rock units in north Sinai
The thickest Jurassic section exposed in north Sinai is that
forms the core of G. El Maghara anticline. The latter is a large
breached NE-trending anticline (of the Syrian arc system) with a gentle
northern flank and steep often vertical to overturned and thrusted
southern flank.
In the core of that anticline, the exposed Jurassic section
attains about 1980 m, thick, and represents the type or reference
section of the Jurassic rocks in Egypt.

25
 The exposed Jurassic succession of El Maghara was studied
by many authors of whom Al far (1966) subdivided it into six formal
rock units (formations). These rock units represent alternation between
proper marine and fluviomarine facies. They are, from older to
younger:
1- Mashabba Formation (Early Jurassic)
Type section: Wadi Sadd El Mashabba, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 100m
Stratigraphic limit: base unexposed, and underlies the Rajabiah
Formation
Lithology and facies: alternation between fluviomarine cross-
bedded and rippled sandstone / mudstone, and shallow marine
marly limestone. The sandstone contains drifted wood fragments
while the marine marl yields corals, lamellibranchs and algae.
2- Rajabiah Formation (Early Jurassic)
Type section: Wadi Rajabiah, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 293 m
Stratigraphic limit: overlies the Mashabba Formation and
underlies the Shusha Formation
Lithology and facies: proper marine carbonates represented by
sandy oolitic fossiliferous limestone with calcareous shale
interbeds. It yields Trigonia, Astarte, Nucula, Lopha, corals and
algae
3. Shusha Formation (Early Jurassic)
Type section: around Shushet El Maghara, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 272 m
Stratigraphic limit: base unexposed, and underlies the Rajabiah
Formation
Lithology and facies: Fluviomarine cross-bedded brown
sandstone with minor coal bearing mudstone and several ironstone
concretions
4- Bir Maghara Formation (Bajocian)
Type section: Bir Maghara, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 444m

26
 Stratigraphic limit: it overlies Shusha Formation and underlies the
Safa Formation
Lithology and facies: marine shelf deposits of hard dense
coralline limestone and calcarenites, overlain by calcareous
mudstone with ironstone concretions. It contains fossils of
Ermocers, Thamboceras, Telermoceras, Trimargina as well as
brachiopods, pelecypods and gastropods.
5. Safa Formation (Bathonian)
Type section: Wadi El Safa, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 215 m
Stratigraphic limit: it overlies Maghara Formation and underlies
the Masajid Formation
Lithology and facies: deltaic cross-bedded sandstone and
mudstone containing in its lower part economic coal seams. It
contains fossils of Thambites, Haplophragmoides, Nodosaria
dolioligera, Glomospra compacta, Quinqueloculina compressa
6. Masajid Formation (Bathonian- Callovian to Oxfordian
Type section: south of Wadi El Masajid, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 575 m
Stratigraphic limit: it overlies Safa Formation and underlies the
Rizan Aneiza Formation of Early Cretaceous age.
Lithology and facies: marine shelf deposits of hard oolitic and
oncolitic limestone with isolated patches of coral reef and mounds,
and yields Ermoceras and Euaspidceras ammonites
2.5.2 Jurassic rock units in Gulf of Suez
The Jurassic rocks outcropping in the western side of the Gulf
of Suez belong to Bajocian – Bathonian age. They occur in four
isolated faulted blocks, namely from north to south; Khashm El Galala,
Ras El Abd, Wadi Um Lug and Maa Sweilam.
The thickest section of those four blocks is that of Khashm El
Galala. It attains a thickness of about 140 m starting with non-
fossiliferous variegated cross-bedded sandstone overlain by
interbedded fossiliferous limestone and shale with two horizons
flooded with the brachiopods Rhynconella (Known as Rhynconella

27
beds). The basal non-fossiliferous sandstone is believed to be of infra
Liassic age. Similar succession of Middle Jurassic age occurs in the
other three fault blocks but with reduced thickness (50-80m).
2.5.3 Jurassic rock units in south Western Desert
The basal part of the Nubian sandstone succession outcropping
in south Western Desert, particularly south of Kharga and Dakhla
depressions is dated to Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age. It is invariably
fluviatile cross-bedded pebbly sandstone with subordinate mudstone
and conglomerate interbeds containing abundant wood fragments, and
is named Six Hills Formation.
2.5.4 Jurassic rock units in north Western Desert
Jurassic deposits are widely distributed and well developed in
the subsurface of Western Desert. Its penetrated succession is divided
into four formal formations being from bottom to top:
1- Bahrein Formation (Triassic-Early Jurassic)
Type Well: Betty 1
Thickness: 550 m
Stratigraphic setting: it overlies unconformably different
Paleozoic rock units or locally the Precambrian Basement, and
underlies either Khatatba or the Lower Cretaceous Alam El
Buib Formation
Diagnostic facies: dark red to brown coarse to fine-grained
sandstone with thin gravelly and mudstones layers. In Well
Yakout 1, few anhydrite beds are present.
Depositional environment: fluvial to fluviomarine with local
lagoons and sabkha
Geographic distribution: it occupies the central part of the
north Western Desert except at the northeastern corner of the
Qattara Depression (Sharib El Sheiba High). East-and
northwards, the Bahrein Formation interfingures and changes to
the marine Lower Jurassic Wadi El Natrun Formation
2- Wadi El Natrun Formation (Middle Jurassic)
Type Well: Well Wadi El Natrun 1
Thickness: 850 m

28
 Stratigraphic setting: it overlies unconformably different
Paleozoic rock units or locally the Precambrian Basement, and
underlies Khatatba Formation
Diagnostic facies: marine carbonates mostly dolomitic
limestone interbedded with shale. Anhydrite is recorded locally
Depositional environment: shallow marine to Sabkha
Geographic distribution: it has limited distribution being
restricted to the eastern sector of the north Western Desert.
Due west the formation interfingures and changes to the fluvial
Jurassic Bahrein Formation
3- Khatatba Formation (Middle Jurassic)
Type Well: Well Khatatba 1
Thickness: 1375 m
Stratigraphic setting: it overlies the Wadi El Natrun Formation
in the eastern sector of the north Western Desert, while in the
west it rests on the Lower Jurassic Bahrein Formation. The
Khatatba Formation rests below the Middle/ Upper Jurassic
Masajid Formation.
Diagnostic facies: fine to medium grained brown sandstone
interbedded with brown shale and thin limestone near its top.
Thin coal seams are present at different levels.
Depositional environment: marine to fluviomarine
Geographic distribution: it is widely distributed allover north
Western Desert
4- Masajid Formation (Middle to Late Jurassic)
Type section: south of Wadi El Masajid, G. El Maghara
Thickness: 575m
Stratigraphic setting: it overlies Khatatba Formation and
underlies the Lower Cretaceous Alam El Buib Formation
Diagnostic facies: marine oolitic and oncolitic limestone/
corraline limestone
Depositional environment: shallow marine
Geographic distribution: it is widely distributed allover north
Western Desert

29
 ECONOMIC POTENTIALITY OF JURASSIC ROCKS IN EGYPT
1- In El Maghara area, the Jurassic Safa Formation hosts the economic coal
deposits of Egypt
2- The Jurassic marine deposits form a source rocks in many oil fields in
both the Gulf of Suez and north Western Desert
3- The Jurassic clastics of El Khatatba Formation is one of the main
reservoirs of gas in some hydrocarbon fields of north Western Desert
3. CRETACEOUS IN EGYPT (144-66 MY)
3.1. Global Geography and tectonic setting during Cretaceous
During Cretaceous Period the great continent Pangea
continued drifting and fragmentation with Atlantic Ocean began
opening from north. Due to that opening from north, the Eurasia plate
moved eastward relative to African. Such differential dextral movement
between Africa and Eurasia triggered and rejuvenated the movement
and opening along the old E-W and ENE-WSW deep seated fractures
inherited in the Basement shield of Egypt. Consequence to that
rejuvenated movement on the old ENE lineaments, isolated ENE
trending basins opened in northern Egypt (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin
and Shushan basin).

3.2 Cretaceous paleogeography in Egypt

Consequence to the above-mentioned tectonic setting of Egypt
during Cretaceous, Cretaceous shallow seas invaded and occupied
extensive areas of Egypt and filled the isolated basins. The most
remarkable feature of the Cretaceous paleogeography in Egypt is the
alternating transgressive-regressive states of the Cretaceous seas
during the time interval Aptian-Albian. However, in general the overall
Cretaceous facies succession of Egypt show a general facies change
from proper marine facies in northern Egypt to marginal facies in
central Egypt to fluvial facies at southern Egypt.
3.3 Cretaceous Classification
Maastrichtian (74-66 myr)
Campanian (84-74 myr)

30
 Late Cretaceous Santonian (88-84 myr)
Coniacian (89-88 myr)
Turonian (92- 89 myr)
Cenomanian (96-92 myr)

Albian (108-96 myr)

Early Cretaceous Aptian (113- 108 myr)
Barremian (117-113 myr)
Hauterivian (121-117 myr)
Valanginian (144-121)
3.4 Lower Cretaceous deposits in Egypt
The lower cretaceous deposits belonging to the time interval
Valanginian-Barremian couldn’t be defined and paleontologically
documented. They are treated under the term undifferentiated lower
Cretaceous rocks. On the other hand, the deposits belonging to Aptian
and Albian are well differentiated by its faunal content. So the following
paragraphs deal with the Aptian-Albian deposits of Egypt.
During Aptian age, a vast marine transgression invaded Egypt in
the form of a large embayment that covered northern Egypt and
almost all parts of Western Desert to approximately the Egyptian-
Sudanese border. However, the central and southern Sinai, Gulf of
Suez, all Eastern Desert as well as west Nile Valley areas were
exposed areas subjected to erosion and local alluvial deposition.
With the beginning of Albian, a major retreat of the Cretaceous Sea
had been occurred, and the Albian Sea occupied only north Sinai,
north Gulf of Suez, Delta plain and north Western Desert,
approximately at the southern border of El Qattara Depression. On the
other hand, most of southern and central Egypt was positive areas
subjected to erosion or fluvial deposition.
3.4.1 Aptian-Albian Stratigraphic Succession
A- Surface occurrences
The Aptian-Albian rocks of Egypt outcrop in:
a) Northern, central and southern Sinai

31
 b) Gabal Shabraweet, North and South Galalas and along Wadi
Qena
c) Southern sectors of the Western Desert
a) The Aptian-Albian rocks of Sinai
The exposed Aptian –Albian rock succession of Sinai shows a
remarkable facies change from interbedded marine and fluviomarine in
north to fluviatile facies in central and southern Sinai
In north Sinai, the Aptian-Albian marine/ fluviomarine deposits are
best exposed at Gabal Rizan Aneiza, Gabal Lagama, Gabal Manzour,
Gabal Halal, Gabal Yelleg and Gabal Maghara. In these localities, the
Aptian –Albian succession starts generally of non-fossiliferous
sandstone and mudstone, which grade upwards to fossiliferous sandy
limestone, oolitic limestone and dolostone with several horizons of
ooidal ironstone.
Lithostratigraphically, that succession is differentiated into two
formal rock units, being from top to base:
2- Rizan Aneiza Formation
 Author: Said (1971)
 Type section: G. Lagama, north of G. Maghara
 Lithology: basal cross-bedded pebbly to medium grained sandstone
intercalates with plant-bearing gray shale. Oolitic fossiliferous limestone, rudist-
bearing limestone, dolostone, marl and glauconitic calcareous sandstone overlie this
clastic unit. The fossiliferous beds yield: Orbitolina lenticulata, O.concava, O.
discoidea, O. trochus, Douvillecera mammilatun, Knemiceras sp, Pseudomesalia
ssp, Diastoma oranta, Neithea sp, Trigonia sp, Venericardia deserti,
 Stratigraphic contact: overlies either Jurassic Masajid Formation or Malha
Formation and underlies the Cenomanian Halal Formation
 Age: its dated to Aptian –Albian
1- Malha Formation:
 Author: Abdallah and Adindani (1963)
 Type section: Wadi Malha, southeastern corner of the northern Galala
Plateau

32
  Lithology: fluvial sandstone, kaolinitic, cross-bedded and intercalated with
gravelly lenses and mudstone interbeds with several poorly developed paleosols.
These fluvial clastics are getting shallow marine affinity towards the upper part and
to the north of the type area. In the western side of the Gulf of Suez, Abdallah et al
(1963) described the following fauna from the marine interbeds: Ostrea falco, O.
baussignaulti, O. palaeomon, O. reneviericos and Aspidiscus sp
 Thickness: highly variable from place to place it attains about 50 m at its
type locality and increases northwards at the scarp of El Tih scarp to 300 m
 Stratigraphic contact: overlies either Jurassic Formations or the
Permotriassic Qiseib Formation or the Paleozoic Rod El Hamal / Naqus Formation
and underlies the Cenomanian Halal or Galala or Raha Formations
 Age: its dated to Aptian –Albian or even Jurassic in its basal part
In central and southern Sinai, the marine Rizan Aneiza
Formation does not occur and the entire Aptian-Albian succession
is completely represented by the fluvial facies of the Malha
Formation, which attains a thickness ranging from 50- 300 m.
b) In both North Galala and South Galala plateaus and Wadi Qena , the entire
Aptian-Albian succession is made up of fluvial sandstone and mudstone with
subordinate gravel beds and upper coastal marine deposits representing the Malha
formation of Abdallah and Adendani (1963). In Wadi Qena, these fluvial deposits are
called Wadi Qena Formation b y Bandel et al (1992).
c) In south western Desert: the Aptian –Albian succession is formed of two units;
lower marginal marine unit called Abu Ballas Formation, and upper fluvial deposits
called Sabaya formation. Both units are well exposed and widely distributed along
the floor and footscarp of the Dakhla and Kharga depression
1- Abu Ballas Formation
Author: Barthel and Boettcher (1978)
Type section: Abu Ballas scarps in southwestern Egypt
Lithology and faunal content: the Abu Ballas formation is formed
essentially of shale, silty shale and siltstone, being frequently
ferruginous, gray, greenish gray, brown and red with thin
intercalation of sandstone. The succession contains marine fossils

33
 of lamellibranchia, gastropods, echinoids, brachiopods and
arthropods with abundant vertebrates and abundant plant remains
Thickness and stratigraphic limits:
The Abu Ballas formation attains about a thickness of about 44-m.
it overlies the Jurassic Six Hills Formation and underlies the
Sabaya Formation.
Age: based upon the collected fossils, the Abu Ballas Formation is
assigned to Aptian age
2- Sabaya Formation
Author: Barthel and Boettcher (1978)
Type section: Qulu El Sabaya, south of the Abu Tartur Plateau,
along the road between Dakhla and Kharga depression
Lithology and Faunal content:
The formation is made up of white, gray, yellowish brown and
red fine to coarse-grained, occasionally conglomeratic sandstone,
which is mainly cross- bedded. Several flood plain sandy
mudstones with poorly developed paleosol intervals. The formation
contains several intervals that carry very huge trunks of silicified
wood trunks.
Stratigraphic limit and thickness:
The formation attains a maximum thickness of about 30-m, and it
overlies the Abu Ballas Formation and underlies the Cenomanian
Maghrabi Formation.
Age: the Sabaya Formation is assigned to Albian –Cenomanian
age.

B) Subsurface Aptian-Albian deposits

Thick succession of Early Cretaceous age was penetrated in
the subsurface of north western Desert. The succession encompasses
several clastic and carbonate reservoirs in many fields of north
western Desert. The succession is treated under the formal name
Burg El Arab Formation, which is currently divided into four formal
members, being from older to younger:
1- Alam El Buib Member

34
 Lithology: sandstone; fine to coarse-grained, with thin shale
and carbonate interbeds of shallow marine affinity. At Matruh
basin, this member is changed to dark brown and dark gray
pyritic shale with asphalt and carbonaceous layers. It is called
Matruh Member
Thickness: 1800 m
Age: Barremian-Aptian
2- Alamein dolostone Formation
Lithology: Light brown hard crystalline dolostone exhibits karstic
vuggy porosity and intercalates with few shale intervals of shallow
marine environment
Thickness: 20-90 m
Age: Aptian-Albian
3- Dahab shale member
Lithology: gray to greenish gray shale of shallow marine origin
Thickness: 174 m
Age: Aptian-Albian
4- Kharita sandstone member
 Lithology: it is one of the main oil reservoirs in many oil fields of north
Western Desert. It is composed of fine to coarse-grained sandstone with
subordinate shale interbeds. It is of fluvial origin with some intervals displays marine
affinity especially in the northern fields.
 Thickness: 1100 m
 Age: Albian- Cenomanian

3.5 Upper Cretaceous Deposits in Egypt

3.5.1 Cenomanian Successions
☻Cenomanian paleogeography The Cenomanian stage is known to have
witnessed a vast marine transgression both on a regional and global scales (Haq et
al, ?). In Egypt, this transgressive stage lifts behind a widely distributed rock record
with variable facies and thickness from north to south (Kerdany and Cherif, 1990).
☻Distribution of Cenomanian deposits

35
 -Surface occurrences: the Cenomanian deposits outcrop in many sectors of Egypt
including:
1- North Sinai (e.g. G. Halal), central Sinai (e.g. G. Raha) and southern Sinai
(e.g. G. Nezzazat)
2- Western side of the Gulf of Suez (e.g. Northern Galala, Southern Galala
and Wadi Qena)
3- Bahariya depression
4- Gabal Maghrabi; Dakhla Depression, south Western Desert
- Subsurface occurrences: the Cenomanian deposits are widely
distributed in the subsurface of north Western Desert (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin).
☻Facies and rock straigraphic nomenclatures
1- In north Sinai, the exposed Cenomanian deposits are best developed and
preserved in G. Halal, where they are formed essentially of fossiliferous carbonate
facies with some shale intercalation, and are described under the formal name Halal
Formation.
Halal Formation
Author: Said, 1971
Type section: G. Halal, north Sinai
Distinctive Lithology: according to Abdallah et al (1996), the Halal Formation is
divisible into four units being from base to top:
1- Cross-bedded sandy limestone and calcareous sandstone unit with few
dolostone interbeds and lagoonal shale at top (132 m, thick).
2- Fossiliferous oolitic limestone unit (117 m)
3- Shale and limestone unit (127 m)
4- Upper dolostone with algal rudist banks (77 m)
The Halal Formation is fossiliferous yielding: Nerinea gemmifera,
Tylostoma, Pterodonta deffsi, Ceratostrea flabellata, Rhynchostron suborbiculatum,
Exogyra olisiponensis, and Hemiaster cubicus
Stratigraphic Setting; the Halal Formation rests over the Lower Cretaceous Rizan
Aneiza and underlies the Turonian marl
2- In central and southern Sinai
Southwards, from north Sinai, the Cenomanian carbonate facies of the Halal
Formation changes gradually to be clastic- dominated with increasing the amount of

36
 shale, marl and sandstone intercalation. In central and southern Sinai, this clastic
dominated Cenomanian succession is called Raha Formation
Raha Formation:
Author: Ghorab (1961)
Type locality: Raha scarp, Raha plateau, west-central Sinai
Distinctive Lithology: the Raha Formation starts with a thick section of highly
fossiliferous olive green shale and marl grading up to very fossiliferous white to pale
yellow limestone and marls forming the Abu had member. The top of the Raha
Formation is formed of cross-laminated fine-grained sandstone with silty mudstone
intercalation known as Mellaha sand member.
Stratigraphic setting: the Raha Formation overlies the Lower Cretaceous Malha
Formation and underlies the Turonian Abu Qada Formation.
3- In North Galala, South Galala and Wadi Qena:
In these localities, the Cenomanian succession attains a thickness ranging
between 250-70 m. it is nearly similar to that of the Raha Formation but being more
glauconitic and more clastic with much sandstone intercalation in Wadi Qena. In
these areas, Abdallah and Adindani (1963) described the clastic dominated
Cenomanian succession under the formal name Galala Formation.
4- In El Bahariya Depression, Western Desert
The Cenomanian deposits represent the oldest exposed rocks in the Bahariya
depression where they occupy its floor and share in building the surrounding scarps.
Said (1962) after Stromer (1914) ranked these deposits as Bahariya Formation and
assigned Gabal El Dist as its stratotype. Akkad and Issawi (1963) separated the
uppermost dolostone and shale that belong to Late Cenomanian from the Bahariya
Formation and defined them by the name Heiz Formation.
4.1- Bahariya Formation
Allover the Bahariya depression, the base of the Bahariya Formation is
unexposed. In the exploratory well “Bahariya-1” and in most oil fields of north
Western Desert, the Bahariya Formation rests above the Lower Cretaceous
Kharita Formation being mostly of fluvial kaolinitic sandstone and mudstone.
The upper boundary of this formation in the Bahariya region is a regional
unconformity showing, from north to south, a remarkable reduction in the
magnitude of time gab. In the northeastern sector of the depression including
the overlooking northeastern plateau, the formation is overstepped by Lutetian

37
carbonates (or equivalent ironstones) with a pronounced angular unconformity
(pl.1a), while in the middle and southern sectors it underlies unconformably the
Upper Cenomanian Heiz Formation.
In most oil fields of north Western Desert, the Bahariya Formation is
currently divided into two informal members, namely: the “lower Bahariya” and
“the upper Bahariya” members. The two members extend and are easily
traced (with a little change) in the Bahariya depression. The lower Bahariya
member builds up most of the isolated hills, buttes and ridges that litter the
central belt of the depression floor. Most of these hills are capped by dark
brown to black silicified ferricrete duricrusts that mask the outcrops with a dark
tone and form what is known as “Black Desert”. It consists almost entirely of
very thick stacked bodies (5-15 m, thick for each) of sandstone with
subordinate pebbly to granuley conglomerate. These sandstone bodies display
generally a finning upward pattern in both grain size and bed thickness. Some
bodies terminate with patchy colored and mottled paleosol intervals (0.5- 2 m,
thick) composed of massive, poorly sorted and dissected sandy mudstone
containing rootlets and scattered rhyzocretions. The sandstone is mostly
yellowish white, weakly consolidated to friable and unfossiliferous except for
few scattered ferruginized and silicified fragments of wood trunks. The
sandstone possesses a wide spectrum of grain size ranging from fine- to very
coarse sand with scattered pebbles and granules. However, medium to coarse
sand size is the most pervasive.
The upper Bahariya member starts with deltaic sandstone and dark gray
mudstone rich in coalified drifted stems. These deltaic clastics are followed by
multicolored mudstone, sandy mudstone, fossiliferous marl and glauconitic
sandstone of coastal to shallow marine origin. Dark brown ferruginous,
glauconitic and fossiliferous sandstone and sandy mudstone that are
commonly massive and concretionary are frequent throughout the succession.
The member yields megafossil assemblage dominated with Exogyra columba,
Ostrea africana, O. flabellata, O. isidis, O. rouvillei, O. mermeti, O. conica,
Natica sp., Nicolia oweni, Neolobites fourtaui, Gigantichthys numidus,
Ceratodus africanus, C. minimus. Some intervals rich in plant remains, and
others contain vertebrates of turtles, plesiosaurs and crocodiles are reported.
4.2- Heiz Formation

38
 Author: El Akkad and Issawi (1963)
Type section: El Heiz area, Bahariya depression
Distinctive Lithology: basal and upper units of reddish brown to egg yellow
dolomitic sandstone and siliceous dolostone, enclosing a middle member of
sandy clay and calcareous grits with ironstone concretions and flint.
Stratigraphic setting: it overlies the Bahariya Formation and underlies
unconformably the Campanian Hefhuf Formation
Fossils and age: the formation contains badly preserved Hemiaster
fournelli, Ostrea penensis, O flabellata, Neolobites and others suggesting Late
Cenomanian age.
5- In South Western Desert
A clastic dominated Cenomanian section outcrop along the footslope of the
Abu Tartur scarp, particularly at G. Maghrabi. It is described and defined under the
name Maghrabi Formation
Maghrabi Formation
Author: Barthel and Herrmann-Degen (1981)
Stratigraphic setting: the formation overlies unconformably the Lower Cretaceous
Sabaya Formation and underlies unconformably the Turonian Taref Fotmation
Distinctive Lithology: the formation consists essentially of massive gray mudstone
interbedded with massive to cross-bedded bioturbated sandstone with subordinate
conglomeratic beds. These deposits represent depositional facies of tidal flat,
swamp and estuarine environments. The formation contains brachiopod and
pelecypod molds as well as rare dinosaur bones, fish teeth and abundant microflora.
3.5.2 Turonian Successions
☻Turonian paleogeography: during Turonian, a major retreat of seas had
occurred in Egypt with subsequent exposure of southern and central Egypt. The
marine conditions are restricted only to the northern part of Egypt, while the rest
areas are subjected to erosion and fluvial sedimentation.
☻Distribution of Turonian deposits
-Surface occurrences: the Turonian deposits outcrop in many sectors of Egypt
including:
1- North Sinai, central Sinai (e.g. G. Raha) and southern Sinai (e.g. G.
Nezzazat)

39
2- Western side of the Gulf of Suez (e.g. Northern Galala, Southern Galala
and Wadi Qena)
3- Abu Roash anticline, Giza
4- Gabal Taref; Kharga Depression, south Western Desert
5- East Aswan area and south Eastern Desert
- Subsurface occurrences: the Turonian deposits are widely distributed in
the subsurface of north Western Desert (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin).
☻Facies and rock straigraphic nomenclatures
The Turonian deposits show a drastic facies change from north to south,
where it is carbonate dominated in north Egypt and clastic dominated in southern
Egypt.
1- In Sinai and Two Galalas: in these areas, the Turonian succession is formed
essentially of highly fossiliferous and ammonite bearing carbonates in the lower part
and chertified limestone in the upper part. This carbonate-dominated section is
treated under the formal name Wata Formation.
Wata Formation
Author: Ghorab (1963)
Type section: Wadi Wata, Raha Scarp, west central Sinai
Distinctive Lithology: the Wata Formation consists of three units; lower
ammonite bearing limestone unit, middle clastic-dominated unit and upper chert
bearing limestone unit. The lower and upper limestone units are thick to very
thick-bedded, white to yellowish white, massive to nodular and fossiliferous. The
middle clastic unit is formed of variegated mudstone with rippled and small-scale
cross-laminated fine-grained sandstone with subordinate oolitic limestone and
ironstone.
Stratigraphic sitting; the Wata Formation overlies the Cenomanian Raha or
Galala Formation and underlies the Coniacian-Santonian Matulla Formation.
2- North Wadi Qena
In north Wadi Qena, the carbonate beds of the Wata formation, split and thin and
intertongue with cross-bedded sandstone. The latter increases in abundance
and thickness as going further southwards. There this Turonian Mixed carbonate
clastic succession is treated under the name Umm Omeiyid Formation. This
formation rests over the Cenomanian Galala Formation and underlies the
Coniacian Santonian Hawashiya Formation. Further south at south Wadi Qena,

40
 the Turonian deposits are formed entirely of fluviatile deposits termed Taref
Sandstone
3- In east Aswan area
In east Aswan area, the Turonian succession rests directly on the Precambrian
basement rocks, and is formed almost entirely of fluvial cross-bedded sandstone
with subordinate gravelly sandstone layers. These clastics are described under
the formal name Abu Agag Formation.
4- in Abu Roash Anticline area
The Abu Roash area represents an inverted basin that was received thick pile of
carbonates during Turonian. The preserved thick Turonian carbonate section
outcropping in Abu Roash area is described under the formal name Abu Roash
Formation. This formation is divided into five informal members assigned as
“series”, which are from older to younger:
1- Sandstone series: consisting essentially of glauconitic shale with isolated
sand lenses, followed upwards by cross-bedded sandstone showing fishbone cross-
bedding that is topped by interbedded calcareous shale, sandy limestone and
subordinate sandstone. This upper interval is rich in small sized molluscan shells
and echinoids.
2- Rudist series: consisting of alternating rudist bearing limestone bodies (2-
4m) and calcareous shale and marl bodies (3-5 m).
3- Limestone series: consisting of well-bedded massive to bioturbated
limestone beds with isolated nodules of chert
4- Acteonella-Nerinea series: consisting of basal shale with thin carbonate
interbeds, followed above by several banks of the gastropod Acteonella salamonis
and Nerinea. This bank unit is topped by mound like beds of large sized rudist
Durania arnaudi
5- Flint series: consisting of thick to very thick bedded snow white chalk
containing several levels of chert bands and nodules as well as abundant siliceous
sponges and echinoids.
5- in South Western Desert
The Turonian deposits outcropping along the scarps of both Dakhla and
Kharga depressions are represented entirely of stacked bodies of cross-bedded
sandstone of medium to coarse grained with subordinate gravelly layers of braided
steam origin. These fluvial clastics are termed Taref Sandstone. It overlies the

41
 Cenomanian Maghrabi Formation and underlies unconformably the Campanian
Quseir Formation.
3.5.3 Coniacian- Santonian Successions
☻Coniacian-Santonian paleogeography: with the beginning of Coniacian time a
renewed transgression had occurred with consequent submergence of northern and
eastern part of Egypt. The marine invasion extends southwards to Aswan and south
Eastern Desert. In the meantime the central and southern Western Desert was
exposed as a positive area subjected to erosion. During Santonian, a renewed
northward marine regression had occurred resulted to a restriction of marine setting
to the northern part of Egypt with several isolated ENE trending submarine highs
and island like folded blocks related to Syrian Arc deformation belt. In Egypt, it is
difficult to separate the Coniacian depositional record from that of Santonian ones,
so they are lumped together as one depositional sequence.
☻Distribution of Coniacian-Santonian deposits
-Surface occurrences: the Coniacian-Santonian sedimentary succession outcrop
in many sectors of Egypt including:
1- North, central (e.g. Wadi Matulla) and southern Sinai (e.g. G. Nezzazat)
2- Western side of the Gulf of Suez (e.g. Northern Galala, Southern Galala
and Wadi Qena)
3- Abu Roash anticline, Giza
4- East Aswan area and south Eastern Desert
- Subsurface occurrences: the Coniacian-Santonian deposits are widely
distributed in the subsurface of north Western Desert (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin).
☻Facies and rock straigraphic nomenclatures
1- In Sinai and Two Galalas: in these areas, the Coniacian –Santonian succession
is formed essentially of yellowish green to brown glauconitic shale, glauconitic
sandstone and subordinate fossiliferous glauconitic limestone and several oyster
banks, with phosphatic limestone top. This glauconitic clastic succession was
defined under the formal name Matulla Formation
Matulla Formation
Author: Ghorab (1963)
Type section: Wadi Matulla, Abu Zenima Area, west central Sinai

42
 Distinctive Lithology: the Matulla Formation consists of fluvial cross-bedded
sandstone in the lower part. It is followed upward by shallow marine sequence of
argillaceous limestone, marl and varicolored glauconitic shale, oyster banks and
fossiliferous phosphatic chalky limestone at top.
Stratigraphic sitting; the Matulla Formation overlies the Turonian Wata
Formation and underlies the Campanian Maastrichtian Sudr Formation.
3- North Wadi Qena
In north Wadi Qena, a similar sedimentary succession of the Matulla Formation
exists with two to three horizons of ooidal ironstones. These Coniacian-
Santonian deposits are described under the formal name Hawashiya Formation
4- In east Aswan area
In east Aswan area, the Coniacian-Santonian succession is represented by two
distinctive rock units representing a deposition in deltaic to shallow marine
environments and terminated with fluvial deposits. The two rock units are, from
older to younger:
4.1-Timsah Formation
Author; El Naggar (1970)
Type section: G. Timsah, NE Aswan
Distinctive Lithology; nearshore marine to deltaic sequences of silt and fine-
grained sandstone with thick shale intercalation. Two or three oolitic iron ore
beds are widely distributed in many sectors of east Aswan.
Stratigraphic sitting: the formation overlies the Turonian Abu Agag Formation
and underlies the Santonian Umm Barmil Formation
Fossils and Age: the formation contains ichnofossils like Thalassinoides,
Skolithos, Tilaephyllum, Teichichnius and Diplocraterion as well as Inoceramus
balli and Inoceramus cycloides suggesting Coniacian age
4.2 – Umm Barmil Formation
Author; El Naggar (1970)
Type section: G. Umm Barmil, NE Aswan
Distinctive Lithology; coarse to medium grained sandstone, large scale
tabular and trough cross-bedded, originated from a low sinuosity fluvial
environment.
Stratigraphic sitting: the formation overlies the Coniacian Santonian Timsah
Formation and underlies the Campanian Quseir Formation.

43
5- In Abu Roash Anticline area

in Abu Roash area the Coniacian Santonian Deposits are represented by yellowish
brown marl and glauconitic shale with fossiliferous and bioturbated limestone and
oyster banks rich in Plicatula ferri. So it is described under the term Plicatula series
3.5.4 Companion –Maastrichtian successions
☻Campanian-Maastrichtian paleogeography: During Campanian-Maastrichtian
time interval a renewed wide marine transgression had occurred with consequent
submergence of northern, eastern and western parts of Egypt.
☻Distribution of Campanian-Maastrichtian deposits
-Surface occurrences: the Campanian -Maastrichtian sedimentary succession
outcrop in many sectors of Egypt including:
1- North, central (e.g. Wadi Sudr) and southern Sinai (e.g. G. Nezzazat)
2- Western side of the Gulf of Suez (e.g. Northern Galala, Southern Galala
and Wadi Qena)
3- Abu Roash anticline, Giza
4- Bahariya-Farafra depression
5- Dakhla-Kharga, Nile Valley and Quseir-Safaja district
Subsurface occurrences: the Campanian-Maastrichtian deposits are widely
distributed in the subsurface of north Western Desert (e.g. Abu Gharadiq basin).
☻Facies and rock straigraphic nomenclatures
1- In Sinai and Two Galalas, Wadi Qena: in these areas, the Campanian-
Maastrichtian succession is formed essentially of snow-white chalk and chalky
limestone called Sudr Chalk
Sudr Chalk
Author: Ghorab (1963)
Type section: Wadi Sudr, , west central Sinai
Distinctive Lithology: the sudr Formation consists of two members; the lower
one is formed of massive highly fractured chalk flooded with Pycnodonta
vesiculare. The upper member is characterized by well-bedded chalk with
melon-shaped chertified limestone concretions and subordinate shale beds.

44
 Stratigraphic sitting; the Sudr Formation overlies the Coniacian -Santonian
Matulla Formation and underlies the Maastrichtian-Paleocene Esna Formation.

2- in Abu Roash Area; the Campanian-Maastrichtian chalky facies is also

developed and named Khoman Chalk
3- In Bahariya- Farafra district: in this district, the Campanian-Maastrichtian
succession is made up essentially of chalky facies with clastics and phosphatic
dolostone in its lower part. It is divided into two distinctive rock units being from base
to top:
1- El Hefhuf Formation
Author: El Akkad and Issawi (1963)
Type section: Gabal El Hefhuf, Bahariya oasis
Distinctive Lithology: it starts with cross bedded ferruginous, siliceous and
glauconitic gravelly sandstone grading up to interbedded fine grained
sandstone and mudstone of paralic facies, and terminates up with
fossiliferous phosphatic dolostone and limestone with chert nodules and
concretions
Stratigraphic sitting: it overlies unconformably the Cenomanian Heiz
Formation and underlies conformably the Maastrichtian khoman Formation
Fossils and Age; the formation yields Arca sp., Plicatula sp. Isocardia
chargensis that assign Campanian age
2- Khoman Formation
Author: El Akkad and Issawi (1963)
Type section; Ain Khoman, Bahariya Depression
Distinctive Lithology: as Sudr Chalk
Age; Maastrichtian- Danian
3- in Dakhla-Kharga, Nile valley and Quseir-Safaga Districts (Red Sea area)
In these localities, the Campanian-Maastrichtian chalky facies dominating in
north and central Egypt changed drastically to highly fossiliferous shallow to deep
marine shale facies with subordinate carbonate interbeds and several oyster banks.
This shale dominated succession, which forms transgressive sequence is divisible
into three distinctive rock units being from older to younger:
1- Quseir variegated shale (Mut Formation)
Author: Youssef (1957)

45
Type section: G. Atshan, Quseir area, west Red Sea coast
Distinctive Lithology: The formation starts with varicolored claystone, siltstone
and sandstone yielding plant remains fresh water gastropods, fresh water
reptiles and dinosaur bones indicating a deposition in terrestrial to brackish
environments (tidal flat / estuaries). This grades upward to shallow shelf
facies of poorly fossiliferous varicolored mudstone and sandstone being in
some intervals glauconitic and containing some marine gastropods and
pelecypods.
Stratigraphic sitting: it overlies unconformably the Turonian Taref
Sandstone and underlies the Campanian-Maastrichtian Duwi Formation.
Age: the Quseir Formation is assigned to Early to Middle Campanian.
2- Duwi Formation (Phosphate formation)
Author: Youssef (1957)
Type section; Gabal Duwi, Quseir area
Distinctive Lithology: shallow marine succession of alternating gray to
green claystone, siltstone and glauconitic sandstone with several oyster
banks and fossiliferous limestone as well as a number of phosphorite and
phosphatic limestone interbeds. Some of these phosphatic beds have
economic potentiality and are mined in Abu Tartur area and in Quseir-Safaga
district.
Stratigraphic sitting: the formation overlies the Campanian Quseir
Formation and underlies the Maastrichtian Dakhla Shale.
Fossils and age: the Duwi formation is fossiliferous with Inoceramus
regularis, Neaera- Cardita subcomplanata, Bostrychoceras polyplocum
indicating Campanian to Early Maastrichtian age
3- Dakhla Shale
Author: Said (1961)
Type section; scarp north of Mut, Dakhla oasis.
Distinctive Lithology; the Dakhla shale is divided into three distinctive
members being from older to younger:
3.1 Mawhoob shale member. It consists of inner to middle shelf papery
shale and marl of Early to Middle Maastrichtian age

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3.2 Baris oyster member: it consists of shale and limestone interbeds
crowded with Exogyra overwegi and Libycoceras ismaeli and dated to middle
to Late Maastrichtian
3.3 Kharga shale member: it consists of dark green to gray shale with
dwarfed fauna in its lower part grading in the upper part to fossiliferous marl
and shale yielding fossils of Paleocene age. A thin horizon (0.5-2 m) of
reworked phosphatic particles and reworked Maastrichtian fauna is recorded
separating the Maastrichtian lower part of that member from its Paleocene
upper part.
Stratigraphic sitting: the Dakhla shale overlies the Campanian-
Maastrichtian Duwi Formation and underlies unconformably the Paleocene
Tarawan Chalk.
Fossils and Age: the Dakhla formation if fossiliferous with Pycnodonta
vesiculare, Exogyra overwegi, Pecten faraferensis, Isocardia chargensis,
Crassatella zitterli, Cardita spp., Lybicoceras ismaeli. The formation is dated
to Maastrichtian age in its lower part and Paleocene age in its upper part with
the Cretaceous/ Tertiary unconformity boundary cuts through it.

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