Abstract: Sequence Stratigraphy of the Paleocene and Early Eocene in the Northern Part of El Guss Abu Said Plateau, Western Desert, Egypt

GALAL, G

The Paleogene in the northern part of El Guss Abu Said Plateau corresponds to five depositional sequences which are: [Dakhla sequence 1 (DS1), Dakhla sequence 2 (DS2), Dakhla sequence 3 (DS3), Tarawan-Esna sequence (TES), and Esna-Farafra sequence (EFS)]. These five cycles are coincided with the global eustatic third order cycles [Tejas A1 (1.1-1.4) and Tejas A2 (2.1-2.5)]. A good correspondence of the sequence boundaries exists with the Global Sea Level Chart (HAQ et al., 1987), exceptions are the 2.1/2.2 and 2.2/2.3 sequence boundaries where cannot be delineated in the study area. The 1.1 cycle not recognized in the study area, where the DS1 disconformably overlies the Cretaceous deposits. Consequently, the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) contact at all the studied sections is disconformable, and the Danian lowstand or transgressive deposits disconformably overlies Maastrichtian highstand-regressive deposits. All the five sequence boundaries in the study area are interpreted as type 1 unconformities (SB1), that is, tectonic uplift transformed type 2 into type 1. The Paleocene-Lower Eocene sea level changes in the northern part of El-Guss Abu Said Plateau have been controlled by the global sea level changes.

Furthermore, the extracted five Paleogene sequences in the studied area are related to two supercycles: 1) The Dakhla supersequence (DSs) [the DS1 and DS2 regarded as a supercycle transgressive systems tract (TSTs) and the DS3 as a supercycle highstand systems tract (HSTs)], and 2) The Tarawan supersequence (TSs), (TES and EFS regarded as TSTs).

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90942©1997 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria