Basin Modeling and Petroleum System Analysis of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt

Abstract

The Beni Suef Basin is a relatively under-explored basin of the Western Desert, Egypt, which presently produces oil. In order to understand its petroleum system, an integrated seismic and geochemical constrained basin model was constructed focused upon the Cretaceous. Data furnished by the Qarun Petroleum Company provided Total Organic Carbon (TOC), hydrocarbon organofacies and thermal maturities from Rock-Eval pyrolysis, borehole petrophysical data, and 2D seismic data. To assess the maturation history of potential source rocks, 1D basin modeling determined the levels of thermal maturity and timing of hydrocarbon generation and was then geo-constrained with measured Vitrinite Reflectance (%Ro) and Tmax. In the investigated well, oil-prone source rocks with excellent generating potential are encountered in Abu Roash “F” limestone member, while those with fair to good capacity to generate mainly oil with some gas are encountered within the Abu Roash “A & E” members. Mixed oil/gas prone rocks are represented by localized shale-rich intervals within the Abu Roash “A & G” members and Betty Formation. Organically-rich shale intervals with very good capacity to generate mainly gas are encountered within the Abu Roash “E & G” members, Kharita, Alam El-Buieb and Betty formations. Numerical modeling of the well Fayoum-1X in the Beni Suef Basin indicates that the Abu Roash members’ source rock entered the early-mature stage, while shale intervals in the Kharita, Alam El-Buieb and Betty formations exist in the mid-mature stage. The entrapment style of the generated hydrocarbons and its roles on the charge and migration process in the Cretaceous reservoir rocks were determined from the seismic interpretation. Cretaceous reservoirs are associated with structure. Normal faulting is associated with the southern margin of the basin, with combination structural and stratigraphic features and with monoclinal features having lithologic variations. The trap formed by normal faults owing to an extensional regime formed horst and graben structure.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90194 © 2014 International Conference & Exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey, September 14-17, 2014