Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Potential of the Gulf Of Suez Basin in the Framework of the New Tectonostratigraphic Model

摘要

The Gulf of Suez Basin (GOS), a World Class Hydrocarbon Province, is a typical Continental Rift, but many perplexities arise from the different proposed evolutionary models. Previous models describe extension along (N)NW-(S)SE faults with antithetic half grabens but show numerous difficulties to capture all observed elements into one single frame, as reconstruction is hampered by low seismic resolution below the heterogeneous Upper Miocene salt. Our analyses (from outcrop, seismic, well logs, gravimetry, magnetometry, dipmeter, and seismic and magnetic reprocessing), over the last years, allows the definition of a new tectonic model better describing these features: The GOS evolution is placed in a sinistral transtensional regime, reinterpreting the Duwi (WNW-ESE), Clysmic (NW-SE), Aqaba (NNE-SSW), and Cross (NE-SW) trends and the two (twist) accomodation zones, showing two distinct episodes resulting in overprinting of differently trending and tilting fault blocks. Furthermore, it tackles perplexities related to the link between subsidence amounts/rates (backstripping), and extension, strain distribution, and episodes/pulses/unconformities. It describes the increase in extension towards the south in the rift-sphenochasm and resolves the enigmatic relationship between high angle faults (that dominate the area), low angle dipping older faults and rotated pre-rift successions.