PRE-TORTONIAN SEDIMENTARY SEQUENCE

AND IT'S HYDROCARBON POTENTIALITIES,

NILE DELTA, EGYP
M.Talaat Eita, BELAYIM PETROLEUM COMPANY (BETROBEL )

This paper was presented at the Offshore Mediterranean Conference and Exhibition in Ravenna, Italy, March 28-30, 2007. It
was selected for presentation by the OMC 2007 Programme Committee following review of information contained in the abstract
submitted by the authors. The Paper as presented at OMC 2007 has not been reviewed by the Programme Committee.

ABSTRACT

Exploration in the Nile Delta for the Pre-Tortonian section was very limited in the past. So,the current
evolution of hydrocarbon discoveries encouraged geologists to intensively through light on the deeper
reservoirs allover the sedimentary sequence in the Nile Delta
The study aimed to construct a regional structural and Stratigraphic setting for the deeper horizons to
verify the role of the fault pattern on hydrocarbon migration and entrapment, the reservoir
characteristics and their hydrocarbon classifications.
Such few and scattered discoveries like well Mango-1 (Offshore Cretaceous), Tineh-1 (Offshore-
Oligocene), Qantara-1 (Onshore, Qantara Fm.), Faurouz-1 (Onshore-Qantara Fm.) Raven-1&2
(Offshore-Qantara Fm.), Saphire deep-1 (Offshore-Oligo-Miocene), Tamad-1 & 2 and Turbay-1
(Onshore-Sidi Salem Fm.) provided essential information on the Tertiary stratigraphy indicating the
occurrence of thick basins of potential mature source rock.
A great integration between geological and geophysical data revealed many deeper discoveries. These
discoveries are attributed mainly to the nature and timing of the deep – seated structures, hydrocarbon
expulsion, migration and entrapment. Also, the
Exploration in the Nile Delta for the Pre-Tortonian section was very limited in the past. So, the current
evolution of hydrocarbon discoveries encouraged geologists to light oil discoveries in Oligocene and
older sediments are related to organic sediments with hydrogen-rich kerogen type (as source rock),
compress ional and extensional deformations. While, thermogenic gas and condensate in the younger
Miocene sediments are related to extensional fault system Due to the slow sealing efficiency (faults
or rock beds), leakage of gas-cap was responsible for leaving light oil in the deeper horizons.

INTRODUCTION

The area of study covers the offshore and onshore areas of the Nile Delta, which lies between
longitude 30º-33º and latitude 31º -33º (see Fig.1).

More than 250 wells have been drilled in the area of study during the last few years .

The first success came up in 1967 by IEOC, with the discovery of Abu Madi gas field (Messinian,
Abu Madi Fm), Philips 1969 Abu Qir gas field (Abu Madi Fm & Sidi Salim Fm). followed by gas
and condensate discoveries during the 1980’s in El Qara, East Delta, Wakar, Port Fouad,
Temsah, and W.Abu Qir in the offshore and onshore areas (Abu Madi, Wakar and Sidi Salim
Fms).
 Extensive Pliocene gas discoveries were achieved in offshore Mediterranean during the 1990’s by
IEOC/Petrobel in Temsah , Wakar, Port Fouad fields, Amoco /Gupco in Happy and Akhen fields and
British Gas /Rashpetco in Rashed and W.Delta deep marine field , then another phase of drilling
deeper targets during 2000,s had been started and resulted in many discoveries
by IEOC/PETROBEL (E.Miocene&Oligocene),BP (E. Miocene) and MANSOURA (M.Miocene )

So far, no attractive commercial oil was discovered in the whole district. However, few scattered oil
discoveries were achieved in Oligocene sands( well Tineh-1 in the offshore), Early Miocene sands(
Qantara-1 on-shore), Middle Miocene sands (El Tamad wells on-shore and W.Abu Qir, Temsah
offshore fields). Accordingly it is important to point out that the deeper reservoirs have received from
all explorationists a considerable attention as oil potential reservoirs as proved by the later discoveries
which indicates the possibility of other oil accumulations and presence of mixed oil and gas prones in
the study area. Also ,the nowadays policy of intense exploration is directed to the deep reservoirs (
down to depth -6600m) in order to find oil and condensate all over the deltaic sediments which extend
some 250 Km wide from east west.

Deep-seated structural plays are clearly defined by seismic reflectors and Early Miocene / Oligocene
depth maps. Also, stratigraphic plays are illustrated by well examples and models based on
unconformities and top/lateral seals. So, these play concepts can identify untested deeper reservoirs.

From the geochemical point of view the recent analytical work had identified some rich source intervals
in the Oligocene –Mid-Miocene (Tineh, Qantara and Sidi Salem Fms).

SIMIAN
N
RAVEN-1&2 ZARAF\
HADIL PLEISTOCENE

PFMD-1 Fig.1

31
00
S.BATRA
AGA\ S.
MANSOURA
GELGEL
El Tamad Wells
TURBAY-1

30 00 31 00

The recent available deeper seismic reflectors as well as the depth maps of Oligocene- M.Miocene
might help a lot in defining the deep-seated structural and stratigraphic play concepts for the current
and future exploration activities.
 REGIONAL STRATIGRAPHIC SETTING.
The whole tectonic elements have a great effect on the facies and thickness variation of the
stratigraphic sequences.
Oligocene shallow marine marls , sandstone and claystone have been penetrated in the Nile Delta .
Late Oligocene unconformity is related to a widespread erosion in the southern part of the Nile Delta .
During Middle Oligocene –Early Miocene marine conditions were established in the Nile Delta . The
hinge zone marks the boundary between a steady platform to the south and a subsidence basin
northward, where shales and interbedded sandstone had deposited. The marine deposition conditions
took place until the Early Middle Miocene when the whole area started to uplift. Erosion of the Nile
Delta uplifted shelf generated low stand turbidities during the early Serravalia.n
Tortonian unconformity is defined by the extensive erosion where the emersion of marginal area
occurred. The Tortonian showed a short relative sea level rise while associated with Delta shelf
progradation in the central –eastern onshore area (See Fig2&3).

LITHO-M.Y. HYDRO-
AGE Fm. CARBON
Hinge OCCURRENCE
N S S
zone PLEISTOCENE
BILQAS
1.65
P M. BAL.
L GH.
L
I EL W.
2 .0
O. M K. NID - 1 , TM - 4
2 .7 WASTANI-1
E EL SH.
~~~~~ 5 .2
~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
M A. R A / M ,QARA
MADI O E . DELTA ,
~~~~~~~ ~~~ A .QIR
QAW. S
LAT
I NAF - 1 ,
.
WASTANI-1.
E

O ~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10.2 KERSH - 1
S W.
C PFM - 5
M

SALEM 16.2 TEM - 2

ID

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
E m
M
QA

O QANTARA - 1
NT

N m
EA R

G A.QIR RAVEN-1
H ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~
LY

E
R
A
TINEH
25.2
OLIG. DABAA TINEH - 1 PFMD-1
36.0
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EOCENE
Fig.3 STRATIGRAPHY OF NORTH NILE DELTA AREA PALEOCENE
54.0
66.5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UPPER
CRET.
LOWER
131.0
JURASSIC MANGO-1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STRATIGRAPHY OF NORTH NILE DELTA AREA

STRATIGRAPHY Fig. 2 STRATIGRAPHY OF NORTH NILE DELTA AREA

Since we considered the Pliocene sequences as the main target for dry gas exploration and the Upper
Miocene sequences for gas and condensate, it is notable to refer at the same time to the early , middle
Miocene and Oligocene sequences far oil and gas . The pre-Miocene series were found near the E-W
Hinge Zone and range from Upper Jurassic to Oligocene.

Here below is a summary of the sequences encountering the target deep reservoirs arranged in an
ascending order.
THICK
A - isopach map

B - Sand isolith map

THICK
Fig.4 Correlation panels

Fig5- Oligocene Illustrations

Oligocene in North Nile Delta is represented by very thick sequences of basin shales, silts interbedded
with slope fan sands Interbedes. The thickness ranges from 120 - 1000m onshore and 700 - 1480m in
the offshore (W. Low). Oligocene sand thickness ranges from zero to 200m onshore with the main
source from north Sinai direction and didn’t penetrated more in the offshore and showed 80m sand
thickness (Figs 4 & 5) .
* The late Oligocene sediments (Tineh fm) are of high stand sediments and characterized by shelf
prograding shale capped with near shore sandstone
So far, the terigenous turbiditic flows and the prograding shelf sediments are locally grade into deep
marine deposits. The area of Tineh wells (E.Mediterrenian) represents a paleohigh at that time as
indicated by thin section.
* The Early Miocene age ( Qantara Fm) is represented by the high stand system while, the absence of
low stand sediments is due to rapid sea level rise which had been not compensated by sand
supply.

THICK900
400 THICK 20
0
800 30 500
300 0 THIC
100 K
0

100
60

200
THIC
200 30
0 K
400 900
200 1000 THICK
700 THICK
THICK

A- ISOPACH MAP
Fig. 6 E.MIOCENE QANTARA FM ) B- SAND ISOLITH MAP

The formation is defined as highly calcareous shale with silts, sand, sandstone interbeds and
occasional pebble layers deposited in a wave dominated neritic enviroment.
The E. Miocene isopach map shows a main depocenter where the maximum thickness in Qantara
wells and well Tarif-1 as they are near to the shelf edge of the prograding slope. Another depocenter
to the west where the maximum thickness in wells Qallein-1 and Burullus-1 (See Fig.6A) .
The sand isolith map shows that the area to the east around Qantara wells and the main part of the
offshore received more sand than the west of the Nile Delta. The sand source seems to be mainly
from North sinai direction (See Fig. 6B ).
B

800 900 600

1000 500
TH

400 400
0
IC

500 TH
1 80 IC
K

90 100 800 400 K

0 500
700 300
500200
500 0
THICK 50 B
300 400
300 200
200 THICK
300 300
200 400
300 THICK
A- ISOPACH MAP SAND ISOLITH MAP
B-
Fig.7 M.MIOCENE ( S.SALIM FM )
* The Middle Miocene (Sidi Salim) basins were filled by a large volume of sand rich turbidites due to the
movement of listric bounding faults which lead to development of thicknesses. Also, rotational block faulting
has greatly affected the thickness of sediments due to erosion of higher parts of the blocks. The isopach
map (Fig.7A ) shows three depocenters where the significant one is located around well Ras El bar-1
(1500m). The western sub-basin received sediments (1000m) more than the eastern one (300-600 m). The
sand isolith map (Fig.7B ) indicate that the western sub-basin was more active and got more Sidi Salim
sand accumulation (400m) than the eastern sub-basin (250m).

Sidi salim Fm included the lowstand onlapping submarine fane sediments of Serravalian age and the high
stand prograding shelf sediments of Tortonian age.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
W . SUB-BASIN
32
0 RAVEN-1
0 NILE CONE TEM
SA H
E . SUB-BASIN N
TR E
D

ND TEMSAH
EN

ROSETTA
TR

CENTRAL SUB-BASIN
TA

WAKAR
T

NAF
SE

BALTIM
RO

PORT
QIR EL QARA
AB U FOUAD
Burullus E
ABU MADI LIN
M
31 E. DELTA SIU
LU SLOPE
00 NORTH N.DELTA Manzala PE
SHELF
BASIN
QANTARA
HINGE LINE 0 1Km
31 00 32 00

Fig.8 NILE DELTA SUB - SURFACE STRUCTURE PATTERN

PRE-OLIGOCENE STRUCTURAL SETTING.

Paleozoic and Triassic sediments have not been reached by the wells drilled in the Nile Delta. While,
the Jurassic and Cretaceous sections are reached by few drilled wells in few subsurface
occurrences in the Nile Delta Basin.

The Nile Delta Basin seems to be floored by continental crust which becomes thinner towards the
deep offshore area.
There are Six major tectonic feature parallel and related to the fault patterns in Sinai and W, Desert
and affect the Tertiary sedimentary distribution of Nile Delta from Oligocene to Recent. These
features are ( See Fig.8) :
* E-W Tertiary Hinge flexure zone.

* NE-SW Rosetta fault.

* NW-SE Temsah fault

* NE-SW Pelusim Mega shear structural trend.

* Red Sea/GOS fault trend.

* N-S Abu Madi –Baltim Paleo high.

 S
N

PALEOGEOGRAPHIC
Fig.9 EVOLUTION OF NILE DELTA
AREAS (OFFLAP &ONLAP OF
OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE
SEQUENCE )

The study area consists of two geologically different basins. These are the North Nile Delta –North
Sinai basin ( 5000-6000 m thick Oligo-Miocene clastics) and the South Delta basin (500-1000 m
thick) where carbonatic sedimentary sequence are present (Fig.9)
KHILAL
ABU NAF A
QIR E . DELTA EL TEMSAH - TINE H
W . ABU QIR ABU--MADI
ABU --
MADI
EL QARA PORT FOUADWAKAR - KERSH
W . BALTIM E E
Fig.10 GEOLOGICAL MODEL OF WESTERN CENTRAL EASTERN
SUBBASIN SUBBASIN SUBBASIN
NORTH NILE DELTA BLOCK .

WESTERN HIGH TREND

EASTERN HIGH TREND
S. SALEM
QANTARA
TINEH

Both Rosetta and Temsah faults subdivided the North Nile Delta Basin into three sub-basins as follow
(Fig-10).
The Eastern Sub-Basin
The Central sub-basin
The Western sub-basin

The ENE-WSW fault system (Hinge Zone) with downthrown to the north took place during the Early Oligocene time. It separates
the continental slope from the shallow shelf all over the Nile Delta extension. The movements along the hinge zone played the
main role on Oligocene , Pliocene and Pleistocene sedimentation as well as the facies distribution. The hinge zone played a great
role in determining shallow marine sediments on the southern block and more basinal deposits to the north.
 In Cretaceous, a sea transgression phase took place, which cover large areas of Egypt.

During the late Turonian –Coniacian and up to the early Tertiary the Syrian Arc tectonics revealing
several ENE and NE oriented asymmetric and doubly plunging anticlines in North Sinai. The latest
Cretaceous tectonic pulse (Laramide) affected the Nile Delta basin as documented in Tineh wells area.

It is worth to mention that high angle structures are noticed within the pre-rift sequence while low angle
rotational and listric growth faults are detected in the above clastic sequences.

TECTONIC REGIMES OF OLIGOCENE –MIDDLE MIOCENE.

The Neogene sequences are drilled and encountered allover the Nile Delta basin while the Paleocene and
Eocene sequences underneath are thin and found in scattered localities. The late Oligocene opening of the
Gulf of Suez and Red Sea had affected the Oligo-Miocene deposition of the Nile delta.

The Abu Madi –Baltim paleo-high strikes SE-NW and represents the Syn-Suez rift structure developed in
Oligo-Early Miocene and lately by erosion inverted to the Missinian Abu Madi valley then the Plio-
Quaternary depocenter.

The late Oligocene –Early Miocene tectonic rifting reactivated the pre-existing deep-seated faults in the
North Nile Delta basin and affected the facies changes. Accordingly, the east –west Oligocene basin has its
depocenter in Baltim area. TINE
NE TINE
TENEH-1X H - 3SW
H-2
PFM G R
S X XD-1
W I N R E
S

PFM
E Qantara F m.
Oli
D-1 og
TOP TINEH oce
FM
Eoc ne
Thine ene
h-1 Tested
T 2682 BOPD
Schematic X-Section of
1T
Tineh Structure
2
OLIGOCENE

C.I.500M GR RES
Structure contour map on top
Oligocene 3150
Fig.11 Oligocene illustrations TENEH-1X
 * The Oligocene structure map based on well data , four regional and local seismic lines shows that the mapped fault sets in the
study area have E-W, NW-SE , NE-SW and NS trend. Also, these fault sets came up with horsts, grabens and step fault blocks .
The Tineh high in south-eastern part is the only one that proved Oligocene oil in well Tineh-1 while the recent wells proved gas
and condensate as in well PFMD-1 (See Fig. 11 A,B,C& D ).

QANTARA-1
RAVEN-
1&2
Target : Qantara RAVEN-1(ST-1)
Fm. & TINEH Fm.

DST :QANTARA
Raven-1 Fm
GAS 37 D Q an t a
ra F m
A MMSCFD -- T .
4951 Oligo
C.I.500M COND. 1600 BDM
cene
B - QANTARA-1 F m.
Structure contour map C - RAVEN-1(ST-1)
Fig.12 E. Miocene illustrations

* The mapped E. Miocene fault sets (on top Qantara Fm ) have the same Oligocene fault trends. Many
wells hits top Qantara Fm which in combination with the regional seismic data influenced the mapping
of early Miocene. The mapped fault blocks are the same of Oligocene.

Nowadays, with some deeper seismic shooting, deeper antictinal structures are interpreted. The Early
Miocene (Qantara Fm) oil discovery was proved in the south-east area in wells Qantara –1 ,while
proved gas and condensate in well El Fayroz –1 (onshore) and in Raven 1&2 (offshore) in the western
side. (See Fig 12 A,B, & C )

TURBAY-1 W.A.QIR-1X EL TAMAD - 1

K. E l S h i k h F m.
6400 HING
A. M A D I ZONE
F m.

6450 Tested
1575 BOPD
API 41
S. SALIM
6500 GR RES ANTARA
F Qm.
TURBAY-1 F m.
El Tamad Wells TINEH F m.
C.I.500M 9200

A Structure contour map B TURBAY-1discovery

- 9300 D - EL TAMAD – 1discovery
Fig.13 M. Miocene illustrations C W.A.QIR-1X discovery
-
* During the Middle Miocene period , the extensional tectonic phase at that time revealed a high rate of
subsidence and sedimentation of sidi salim fm in the North Nile Delta basin. At the end of Serravallian
down faulting along the hinge zone, a series of listric normal faults took place led to tilted and rotated fault
blocks at top sidi salim Fm and formed faulted dip reversal and ramp structures (See Fig.13).
The mapped Middle Miocene NW oblique and NNE trending faults in the North Nile Delta Basin are shown
clearly as well as the WNW, E-W and ENE trending faults.

Most of laterally drilled wells in the 1990 have penetrated Sidi Salim Fm and therefore they controlled
very well the structural contouring of top Sidi Salim Fm. Many of the drilled wells in the western and
eastern sub-basins produces gas and condensate from Sidi Salim formation. It is worth tomention here
that it is the first time to find oil in S.Salem Fm within the step fault blocks just near the Hing zone in El
Tamad-wells and proved gas and condensate in well Turbay-1.. A HABBAR-1
STRUCTURAL CROSS SECTION

TINEH-1
Fig.14 Location map

DAMIETTA-1
QANTARA - 1 PFM-1

Four geoseismic cross sections were constructed to exhibit the main structural features and elements,
three along the North Nile Delta sub-basins and the fourthE-W along the offshore Nile Delta basin
(Fig.14). A A
HABBAR-1 DAMIETTA-1 PFM-1 TINEH-1
PLIOC 0 m.
ENE
C’
1000
}
MESSINIAN
WAKAR
QANT ARA Fm
. W A K A R 2000
SER-TORTONIAN WAKAR WAKAR
WAKAR QANTARA F m.
E.MIOCENE O Fm
QANT ARA
L I .G O C E N E
O EL IOGC OE CN EE N E
3000
OLIGOCENE MISS
QANTAR A Fm
.
MISS
EOCENE 4000
QANTARA OL OLIGOCENE
PALEOCENE IGO
F m. CE 5000
NE
6000

Fig.15 NORTH NILE DELTA AREA , GEOSEISMIC CROSS SECTION

The AA’ structural cross section runs E-W and shows four clear highs as Toffah-Mango high where mango oil
well (Cretaceous) in offshore N-Sinai, Tineh high where Tinh-1 oil well (Oligocene), Dameitta high where
Dameitta-1 dry well and Rosetta high where Rosetta –2 dry well with report gas shows in Pliocene ( Fig.15).
 B B
-1 X
T - 1X u
X
r-1 ODYIA
SE NG A o
nh MAHM
ELE d am -3 Q1
N.D - s . A.Q NA. NW
The BB’ structural cross section , which runs from 0
NW to SE and then NS shows a series of step tilted
and rotated fault blocks which tested gas and
condensate ( late Miocene) in NAF, Abu Qir (N & W) 1500
fields in the offshore W.Sub-basin (Fig. 16) .
3000

Fig.16 GEOSEISMIC CROSS SECTION

-2
AD C
AM
C S -T N
EYL-1 -4
ND 7ED -8 N - 10 --1 B.NE
-1
SI - AM B.E
ED
000

The CC’ structural profile, which runs N-S and shows 1500
again a series of step tilted fault blocks from the carbonate
platform in the S.Delta block to the North direction. It
passes through the NNW-SSE trend of Abu Madi-El Qar’a 3000
gas fields then Baltim gas field to the north (onshore and
offshore of the central sub-basin Fig.17).

Fig.17 GEOSEISMIC CROSS SECTION

D D N
S A-1 -1 -1
AR A-1 ID-1 TA -1 HR
T
AN TAR RT SA I ET S AH L BA
M M
Q
S. QANS.PO DA TE G. E
0 m.

The DD’ structural profile which runs NW, SE then NS in the 1000
EL WASTANI
F m.
eastern sub-basin shows also a series of step fault blocks
toward the north till the clear Temsah flower structure. It starts
with the rotated fault block of Qantara –1 oil well with a SW dip 2000 A. M A D I F m.
direction and still has the crest of the closure to the north. It
shows also the positive Temsah Pre-Miocene structure which 3000
produced gas, condensate (and oil Temsah –2) and another QANTARA F m.
anticlinal structure in the area below well Gabel El Bahr-1
(Fig.18). 4000 OLIGOCENE

EOCEN
5000 E

Fig.18 NORTH NILE DELTA AREA , GEOSEISMIC CROSS SECTION

 sw S.Delta block N.Delta block N . SINAI NE
QANTRA - 1 TINEH - 1 MANGO-1

1000m
MIt Ghamr

2000 Pliocene
Messmian Kafr El Sheikh

The structural cross section ( E-E ) shows the scattered oil wells 3000 Tortonian / Sertavalian Cretaceaus
from the younger sediments to the west and the older one to the Qantara
F m. Jurassic
east ( see fig. 19 ). 4000
Cretaceaus
Oliogocene -3590
5000
Jurassic
E o c e -n4150
e
Cretaceaus Mango High
-4602
Tineh high
MAIN
BLOCKS

Fig.19 GEOSEISMIC CROSS SECTION

It is worth to mention that the flower structure was a product of strike-slip movements and its top
increase in depth going from SE to NW direction.

THE OLIGO - M. MIOCENE GEOCHEMISTERY

Generally, the whole Tertiary sequences are considered as interesting source rocks (poor-good ) for gas
and condensate generated in the Nile Delta.In the north Nile Delta sub-province (off-shore) oil and
condensate accumulations ,as well as, gas have been proven in many discoveries ( Tineh-1,Qantara-
1,W.A.Qir and Tamad 1&2 ) whish indicates the presence ofmixed oil and gas prones.
From the thickness point of view,the Tertairy mega-sequence becomesan interesting source rock for
hydrocarbon generation where it reaches an appropriate maturity level.
The SE-NW geosismeic line shows a gas prone to the south of Hing zone and oil prone in the main basin
to the north.
 Three maturity and two expulsion maps shows better maturity and expulsion level for Oligocene (Tineh
Fm.) to the north arround Baltim Gas Field and to the west near A.Qir gas field ( Fig.20 ). The
E.Miocene (Qantara Fm.) shows maturity and expulsion level lower than that of Tineh Fm.but expulsion
clear only justNWof Baltem field. The M.Mioceneshows a maturityless than Tineh Fm and Qantara Fm.
And therfore no indication for explusion.

h ep z
r

sa De u
ba

m ro
ay
ab

Te M
PF F
A
H

.7 0.5
.6
.7 .9 .6 0.5 0.6
.5 0.6
.6 .4
.8 .7 0.5 0.4
0.5
&S.Salem

.6 .7 .7 .3
Salem

.2 0.4
.4.5 .6 .1 0.3
.3 0.3 0.4
.2 .7. .0
.1
Tineh

.5
Qantara

.6
.0
4.3
Sidi

.2
500 m

.1
Tineh

.0
Tineh

C - QANTARA Fm HYDROCARPON E XP U LSION

B OLIGOCENE HYDROCARPON MAP
Tineh

- EXPULSION MAP
Tineh

.6 .5
.3 .5 .5 .5 .4
.3 .4
.4 .7
.3 .4 .4
.
.6 .5 .3
3 .3 .5
.4 .5 .2
.3 .3
.2 .2 .4
.2 .4
.1 .1
.1 . .1
.3 .2 .5
.0 3
.0 .4 .2
.1 .1
A .0
.0 .0
.0
QANTARA FM . MATURITY
MAP ( T . R . ) AT PRESENT TIME
SIDI SALIME -FM . MATURITY MAP
.7
Gas-Prone D- ( T . R . ) AT PRESENT TIME F- .7 .9 .8
.6 .6
Mainly Gas with .7
.9
some Oil .7
.8 .6 .5
Mainly Oil with some .7 .4
.7 .7
Gas .6 .3
.5 .2
.4 .7 .6
.3
.2 .7 .4 .1
.1 .6
.0 .5
.4
.3
.2
.1 .0
.0
Fig.20 Geochemical illustrations
OLIGOCENE MATURITY MAP ( T
. R . ) AT PRESENT TIME
PROSPECTIVITY LEADS.

Fig.21 Potential trap styles

The Prospectively of the North Nile Delta can be geologically detected depending on:

-Structural / Stratigraphic combination traps mainly for the onshore area where they are
associated with the fluvio-deltaic sediments.

- Structural traps associated with the deep marine clastics especially for the offshore area.

Therefore, the room for deep reservoir exploration is located mainly in the unexplored offshore areas.

The following Six leads are examples of the future deep exploration (See. Fig. 21).

1- Ras El Bar anticline structure on the pre-Miocene level in Ras El Bar area.
2- West El Temsah area where there is an elongated anticline structure on the Pre-Serravalian level in
the eastern sub-basin , in Temsah area.
3- Stratigraphic / Structural traps due to the pre-Abu Madi unconformity which later on truncated at a high
angle by deep-water shales , in Baltim area.
4- Structural trap made by large faulted anticline on the Pre-Miocene level in Rosetta area.
5- Anticlinal structure on the Pre-Miocene level in the Rosetta offshore area.
6- Anticlinal elongated structure on Cretaceous and older horizons, also might be detectable on the
Miocene level in the offshore western sub basin.
7- The two areas A & B represents older high structures and might have valuable hydrocarbon potential.
CONCLUSIONS

-Up till now ,oil had been discovered mainly in structural traps and found in different stratigraphic levels
(Oligocene,E.& M.Miocene). This indicate that suitable source rocks exist and short deep migration
feeded only the nearby reservoir sands.

The M.Miocene ( Sidi Salim Fm. ) oil discoveries near the Hinge Zone can through light on the-
turbiditic sands which is more than the deposited in E..Miocene and Oligocene.

-According to the recent hydrocarbon potential analysis of Oligocene, deeper reservoir units ( @-
6000m ) to the deep water may still have oil where it have been generated, migrated and trapped near
by under the stratigraphic and structural control. Therefore ,exploration of these deep targets can be
achieved by intensive and updated seismic studies .

REFERENCES :

- North Nile Delta structural setting and trapping mechanism , Egypt, EGPC conference, 1994 Sarhan
M. & Heman K

- Nile Delta Hydrocarbon potentially, Cairo 1998, Kamel H, Talaat M. and Sarhan M.

- The Pliocene play in the Mediterranean offshore a structural setting and growth faults controlled
hydrocarbon accumulation in the Nile Delta conference 96, sarhan M., Barsoum K., Bertello F. and
Talaat M.
Regional stratigraphic interpretation pattern of Neogene's sediments, Nile Delta Egypt. El
Heiny I., Enani N. Drill deep to get high the hope to find Nile Delta oil, EGPC , 1997,
Abd Halim M. Moussa S. & Matbouly S.