NAKHLA, A. MOKHLES¹, ABU EL-ATA², and A. S., AHMED^2
1District Manager
²Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: Impact of Extensional and Diapiric Structures and Tectonics on the Hydrocarbon Entrapment in the Central Gulf of Suez, Egypt

The interpretation of geological, geophysical and field data has been executed to decipher the extensional and diapiric structures and their role on the hydrocarbon trapping in the Central Gulf of Suez. However, the Gulf of Suez rift is dominated by normal faults trending NW-SE, dissected by transform faults of ENE-WSW trend and intervened by wrench faults of NNE-SSW trend.

These structural elements were created through three tectonic phases: a) Pre-rift phase formed the ENE-WSW faults responsible for the opening of the rift during the Early Tertiary, b) Syn-rift phase initiated the NW-SE faults of the Gulf of Suez for the deepening of the main Red Sea rift during the Late Tertiary, and c) Post-rift phase created the NNE-SSW faults of the Gulf of Aqaba for the stretching of the surrounding regions during the Quaternary. These phases can be viewed on the light of the Alpine compression stress, that acted N 10°W. This stress formed two complementary sets of first order shear faults of the Gulf of Suez and Aqaba. As a result, normal tensional stress has been initiated as a reaction forming other two sets of second order shear faults crossing the borders of the Gulf of Suez in the form of strike slip faults of sinistral and dextral movements.

Moreover, as a consequence of the latest extensional regime, diapiric structures in the form of salt domes have been synthesized in the Southern Gulf of Suez. These positive diapiric elements represent the principal and effective type of structural traps in this region.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas