--> Abstract: Geochemical Characterization of Source Rocks and Crude Oils in the Southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt, by Esam Ahmed Abd El-Gawad, Abdulrahman Sultan Alsharhan, and Osama Ahmed Mahrous; #90072 (2007)

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Geochemical Characterization of Source Rocks and Crude Oils in the Southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Esam Ahmed Abd El-Gawad1, Abdulrahman Sultan Alsharhan1, and Osama Ahmed Mahrous2
1UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
2Geisum Oil Company, Cairo, Egypt

A geochemical evaluation of the Miocene to Early Cretaceous source intervals has been carried out to determine the source rock quality and maturity levels of the sediments present, together with a characterization of oils from the Geisum Field, Gulf of Suez to determine their composition and physical properties. Further detailed work such as carbon isotope analysis and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry has been carried out on the oils and on selected source rock extracts and oil stains, the results of which have been used to enable oil - oil and oil - source rock correlations to be made. The principal oil source rock units identified are the Sudr Chalk and Brown Limestone Formations present in the Geisum-9 and Geisum-11 wells and thin intervals within the uppermost part of the Matulla Formation in the Geisum-9 and Geisum-12 wells. Sediments with oil source potential have also been identified within the Miocene Nukhul, Rudeis, Kareem and Belayim Formations, the Esna Formation and the Nubian Formation. The analyzed, intervals are generally at the margin of thermal maturity and minor amounts of oil will have been generated at the drilled locations. The oils are of low API gravity and rich in sulfur and asphaltenes. Variations in gravity between the Geisum-9 oils and the Geisum-12 DST and Geisum West-2 are thought to be due to the levels of maturity at which these oils were generated, the Geisum-9 oils being generated at a slightly lower level of thermal maturity. API gravity variations between the oils tested from different intervals in the Geisum-9 well may be due to either gravity segregation or to the presence of a biodegraded component in the heaviest oils.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90072 © 2007 AAPG and AAPG European Region Conference, Athens, Greece