Neogene Tectono-Stratigraphic Events in Gulf of Suez Rift Area, Egypt

Andrew L. Evans

Micropaleontologic and sedimentologic studies of Miocene outcrop and borehole sections from the flanks and axial trough of the Suez rift have documented five major tectono-stratigraphic events, or hiatuses, during the Neogene.

The first Neogene hiatus spans the late(?) Oligocene to earliest Miocene and separates Miocene from pre-Miocene strata throughout the Gulf of Suez. This erosional event resulted from both low global sea levels in the Oligocene and the initiation of Suez rifting.

A second hiatus, from 21 to 19(?) Ma, separates the poorly dated shallow marine Nukhul Formation from overlying middle Burdigalian and younger (NN3-NN5) upper bathyal shales of the Rudeis Formation. This hiatus resulted from both low early Burdigalian sea levels and increased rift-related tectonism.

A third major event occurs within the Rudeis around 16 Ma (N7, NN4). This "mid-Clysmic event" of Garfunkel and Bartov is characterized by accelerated uplift of the rift margins and subsidence of the axial trough. Local unconformities are seen over paleohighs, while coarse clastics are deposited in more basinal areas in submarine fans and turbidites.

A fourth hiatus at 14 to 13 Ma (N10-N11) separates the middle Miocene (N9) Kareem Formation from the overlying Belayim Formation evaporites. This hiatus may correlate with the initiation of rifting along the Dead Sea-Aqaba system.

The fifth Neogene event is a tectonic pulse in the early(?) Pliocene that further rotated many tilted fault blocks. This event is roughly synchronous with the initiation of Red Sea sea-floor spreading and accelerated sinistral motion along the Dead Sea transform at ~5 Ma.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91038©1987 AAPG Annual Convention, Los Angeles, California, June 7-10, 1987.