Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modeling of gas generation from the Alam El-Bueib formation in the Shoushan Basin, northern Western Desert of Egypt

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Shoushan Basin is an important hydrocarbon province in the northern Western Desert, Egypt, but the burial/thermal histories for most of the source rocks in the basin have not been assigned yet. In this study, subsurface samples from selected wells were collected to characterize the source rocks of Alam El-Bueib Formation and to study thermal history in the Shoushan Basin. The Lower Cretaceous Alam El-Bueib Formation is widespread in the Shoushan Basin, which is composed mainly of shales and sandstones with minor carbonate rocks deposited in a marine environment. The gas generative potential of the Lower Cretaceous Alam El-Bueib Formation in the Shoushan Basin was evaluated by Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Most samples contain sufficient type III organic matter to be considered gas prone. Vitrinite reflectance was measured at eight stratigraphic levels (Jurassic–Cretaceous). Vitrinite reflectance profiles show a general increase of vitrinite reflectance with depth. Vitrinite reflectance values of Alam El-Bueib Formation range between 0.70 and 0.87 VRr %, indicating a thermal maturity level sufficient for hydrocarbon generation. Thermal maturity and burial histories models predict that the Alam El-Bueib source rock entered the mid-mature stage for hydrocarbon generation in the Tertiary. These models indicate that the onset of gas generation from the Alam El-Bueib source rock began in the Paleocene (60 Ma), and the maximum volume of gas generation occurred during the Pliocene (3–2 Ma).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdou AA, Shehata MG, Kassab MAM (2009) Petrography and probable reservoir potentiality of subsurface Jurassic rocks at Abu Gharadiq Basin and Shoushan Subbasin, north Western Desert, Egypt. Aust J Basic Appl Sci 3:1206–1222

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen PA, Allen JR (1990) Basin analysis principles and applications. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Alsharhan AS, Abd El-Gawad EA (2008) Geochemical characterization of potential Jurassic/Cretaceous source rocks in the Shushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt. J Pet Geol 31:191–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagge MA, Keeley ML (1994) The oil potential of the Mid-Jurassic coals. In: Scott AC, Fleet AJ (eds) Northern Egypt, coal and coal-bearing strata as oil-prone source rocks? Geological Society of London, Special Publication 77:183–200

  • Barakat MG, Darwish M, Abdelhamid ML (1987) Hydrocarbon source rock evaluation of the upper Cretaceous (Abu Roash Formation) east Abu Gharadig area, north Western Desert, Egypt. Ain Shams Univ Earth Sci J 1:120–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Baur F, di Primio R, Lampe C, Littke R (2011) Mass balance calculations for different models of hydrocarbon migration in the Jeanne D’Arc Basin, offshore Newfoundland. J Pet Geol 34(2):181–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burnham AK (1989) A simple kinetic model of petroleum formation and cracking. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report UCID-21665

  • Burrus J, Kuhfuss A, Doligez B, Ungerer P (1991) Are numerical models useful in reconstructing the migration of hydrocarbons? In: England WA, Fleet AJ (eds) A discussion based on the Northern Viking Graben petroleum migration. Geological Society London, Special Publication 59:89–109

  • Bustin RM (1987) Organic maturity of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary coal measures, Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Int J Coal Geol 6:71–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlos R, Rafaela M, Karl R, Albert P (2001) Facies-related diagenesis and multiphase siderite cementation and dissolution in the reservoir sandstones of the Khatatba Formation, Egypt’s Western Desert. J Sediment Res 71:459–472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolson JC, Shann MV, Matbouly SI, Hammouda H, Rashed RM (2001) Egypt in the twenty first century: petroleum potential in offshore trends. GeoArabia 6:211–230

    Google Scholar 

  • El Ayouty MK (1990) Petroleum geology. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 567–599

    Google Scholar 

  • El Shazly EM (1977) The geology of the Egyptian region. In: Kanes AEM, Stehli FG (eds) The ocean basins and margins. Plenum, New York, pp 379–444

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • El-Nadi M, Harb F, Basta J (2003) Crude oil geochemistry and its relation to the potential source beds of some Meleiha oil fields in the north Western Desert, Egypt. Petroleum Sci Technol J 21:1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Espitalié J, Laporte JL, Madec M, Marquis F, Leplat P, Pauletand J, Boutefeu A (1977) Methode rapide de caracterisation des roches meres, de leur potential petrolier et de leur degre d’evolution. Revue de l’Institut Francais du Petrole 32:23–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Hakimi HH, Abdullah WH, Shalaby MR (2010) Organic geochemistry, burial history and hydrocarbon generation modelling of the Upper Jurassic Madbi Formation, Masila Basin, Yemen. J Pet Geol 33:299–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hantar G (1990) North Western Desert. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 293–319

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermanrud C (1993) Basin modelling techniques-an overview. In: Dore AG, Augustson JH, Hermanrud C, Stewart DJ, Sylta O (eds) Basin modelling: advances and applications. Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Special Publication, pp 1–34

  • Hunt JM (1996) Petroleum geochemistry and geology, 2nd edn. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeley ML, Wallis RJ (1991) The Jurassic System in the Northern Egypt: II, depositional and tectonic regimes. J Pet Geol 14:49–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keeley ML, Dungworth G, Floyd CS, Forbes GA, Kin C, Mcgarva RM, Shaw D (1990) The Jurassic System in northern Egypt. Regional stratigraphy and implication for hydrocarbon prospectivity. J Pet Geol 13:397–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerdany MT, Cherif OH (1990) Mesozoic. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 407–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Lachenbruch A (1970) Crustal temperature and heat productivity: implications of the linear heat flow relation. J Geophys Res 75:3291–3300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lerche I (1990) Basin analysis: quantitative methods, vol 1. San Diego, Academic Press, p 589

    Google Scholar 

  • Littke R, Buker C, Luckge A, Sachsenhofer RF, Welte DH (1994) A new evaluation of palaeo-heat flows and eroded thicknesses for the Carboniferous Ruhr Basin, western Germany. Int J Coal Geol 26:155–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopatin NV (1971) Temperature and geologic time as factors in coalification. Izv Akad Nauk SSSR Ser Geol 3:95–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesherf WM, Abdel Bki SH, AbdelHady HM, Soliman SA (1980) Magnetic trend analysis in the Northern part of Arabian-Nubian Shied and its tectonic implications. Annu Geol Surv Egypt 10:939–953

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters KE, Cassa MR (1994) Applied source rock geochemistry. In: Magoon LB, Dow WG (eds) The petroleum system—from source to trap. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 60:93–120

  • Shalaby MR, Hakimi MH, Abdullah WH (2011) Geochemical characteristics and hydrocarbon generation modeling of the Jurassic source rocks in the Shoushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt. Mar Pet Geol 28:1611–1624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharaf LM (2003) Source rock evaluation and geochemistry of condensates and natural gases, offshore Nile delta, Egypt. J Pet Geol 26:189–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney JJ, Burnham AK (1990) Evaluation of a simple model of vitrinite reflectance based on chemical kinetics. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 74:1559–1570

    Google Scholar 

  • Taher M, Said M, El-Azhary T (1988) Organic geochemical study in Melehia area, Western Desert, Egypt. In: Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, 9th exploration and production seminar, Cairo, pp 1–28

  • Tissot BP, Welte DH (1984) Petroleum formation and occurrence, 2nd edn. Springer, Berlin, p 699

    Google Scholar 

  • Waples DW (1988) Time and temperature in petroleum formation: application of Lopatin’s method to petroleum exploration. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 64:916–926

    Google Scholar 

  • Waples DW (1994) Maturity modelling: thermal indicators, hydrocarbon generation, and oil cracking. In: Magoon LB, Dow WG (eds) The petroleum system from source to trap. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 60:285–306

  • Welte DH, Yukler A (1981) Petroleum origin and accumulation in basin evolution—a quantitative model. Am Assoc Pet Geol Bull 65:1387–1396

    Google Scholar 

  • Yalcin MN, Littke R, Sachsenhofer RF (1997) Thermal history of sedimentary basins. In: Welte DH, Horsfield B, Baker D (eds) Petroleum and basin evaluation. Springer, Berlin, pp 73–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Zein El-Din MY, Abd El-Gawad EA, El-Shayb HM, Haddad IA (2001) Geological studies and hydrocarbon potentialities of the Mesozoic rocks in Ras Kanayis onshore area, north Western Desert, Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt XXIV:115–134

  • Zhao K, Lerche I (1993) Thermal maturation and burial history of the multi well experiment site, Piceance Basin, Colorado: application of thermal indicator tomography. In: Dore AG, Augustson JH, Hermanrud C, Stewart DJ, Sylta O (eds) Basin modeling: advances and applications, vol 3. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 135–145

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Khalda Oil Company, Egypt, for providing the data and samples for this study. The authors are grateful to the Department of Geology, University of Malaya for providing facilities to complete this research. Schlumberger (Slb) is acknowledged for providing the PetroMod Basin Modeling software. Special thanks are offered to Mr. Peter Abolins for his helpful comments on the basin modeling. Reviews by Peter Abolins and anonymous referees improved the paper and are profoundly acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Petroleum Geoscience Department, Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

    Mohamed Ragab Shalaby

  2. Department of Geology, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Mohammed Hail Hakimi & Wan Hasiah Abdullah

  3. Geology Department, Faculty of Applied Science, Taiz University, 6803, Taiz, Yemen

    Mohammed Hail Hakimi

Authors
  1. Mohamed Ragab Shalaby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammed Hail Hakimi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wan Hasiah Abdullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammed Hail Hakimi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shalaby, M.R., Hakimi, M.H. & Abdullah, W.H. Modeling of gas generation from the Alam El-Bueib formation in the Shoushan Basin, northern Western Desert of Egypt. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 102, 319–332 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-012-0793-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-012-0793-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation