9

Chapter II
Geological Setting
This chapter is devoted to reviewing the structural, tectonic and
stratigraphic framework of the northern Western Desert and Razzak oilfield, to
understand their control on the oil accumulation in the study area.
2.1Introduction:
In the past, the north Western Desert was intermittently submerged by
epicontinental seas. Several tectonic events affected the north Western Desert.
The early Paleozoic and the late Paleozoic events were mild and are represented
by regional uplifts of moderate magnitude producing disconformities within the
Paleozoic and between the Paleozoic and the Jurassic.
The presence of wide spread continental Jurassic deposits indicates that
the late Paleozoic event could not have produced major structural or
topographic irregularities. During the Jurassic, which was accompanied by
major plate movements including the separation of the Apulian microplate,
many of the emerging land masses of north Egypt became submerged by the
newly formed Neotethys. The end of the Jurassic witnessed a major orogenic
movement which resulted in the emergence of the land.
The most important tectonic event occurred during the late Cretaceous and
early Tertiary and was probably related to the movement of the North African
plate toward Europe. It resulted in the elevation and folding of major portions of
the north Western Desert along an east-northeast west-southwest trend (Syrian
Arc system) and in the development of faults of considerable displacements.
(Said, 1990).
10
2.2Regional Tectonic:
The general tectonic evolution of Egypt was governed by the tectonic
movement of the African and Laurasian plates (Twadros, 2001).
According to Said (1962) he classified the Western Desert into three major
tectonic units (Figure 2.1).
Figure 2.1 Regional tectonic devisions of Egypt. (EGPC, 1992)
11
The tectonic features of these unite, from south to north, are reviewed, as
follows:
The stable shelf occupies the southern area of Western Desert, south of
latitude 28
o
00" N. It is characterized by high basement relief. Thin sedimentary
cover of mainly Mesozoic fluvial-continental clastics section overlies these
basement rocks.
The unstable shelf is located directly north of the stable shelf . It is
characterized by the northward thickening of the sedimentary section underlain
by low basement relief. The sedimentary section in this area reaches thousands
of meters in thickness and is of Paleozoic to recent in age. It is characterized by
high organic richness, faulting and folding geometry which is favorable for
hydrocarbon accumulations. All oil and gas fields have been located in this
shelf.
The hinge zone is very narrow in width and is parallel to the
Mediterranean Sea coast to the south. It is the area lying between
Miogeosyncline and the unstable shelf . It is responsible for the rapid
thickening of Oligocene to Pliocene sediments that forming the Nile delta to the
north.
12
2.2.1 Geotectonic Cycle:
Figure 2.2 The geotectonic cycles of Egypt. (Meshref, 1990).
13
According to Meshref (1990) six major geotectonic cycles or phases can be
recognized in the Western Desert (Figure 2.2). These are:
1- The Caledonian cycle (Cambrian Devonian).
2- Variscan Hercynian (Late Paleozoic).
3- Cimmerian / Tethyian (Triassic Early Cretaceous).
4- Sub Hercynian Early Syrian Arc (Turonian Santonain).
5- Syrian Arc main phase (Paleogene).
6- Red Sea phase (Oligocene Miocene).
During the Paleozoic, mild tectonism prevailed, characterized by broad tabular
uplifts and block faulting. This resulted in the development of extensive shelf
platforms and some shallow epicontinental basins. The hydrocarbon potential of
the Paleozoic sequences is mainly associated with broad, but subtle structural
traps.
In the Triassic to Early Jurassic times, the break-up of Pangaea and progressive
opening of the Neo-Tethys were associated with the development of extensional
intra-cratonic rift basins. The structural orientations were mainly NE, EW and
WNW. The southern rim and the rift shoulders of the uplifted broken African
continental shelf were rimmed by fluvial sandstones. The rift basins were filled
in the early stage by estuarine deposits, which were sand-rich in many places
due to the active syndepositional tectonics. Shallow marine shales and
carbonates subsequently draped the sandy estuarine fills providing perfect seals
as well as source rocks. To the northwest, newly compiled information about
the structural and depositional history of major hydrocarbon provinces, indicate
a rift-related depositional regime.
14
By the Middle to Late Jurassic, the tectonic relief had disappeared and extensive
platform carbonates were deposited.
Between the Late Jurassic and the Tertiary, successive phases of rotation and
collision between the African Plate and Eurasia controlled structuration and
basin development.
Shelf conditions resumed throughout the Middle to Late Cretaceous with mixed
clastics/carbonate platform deposition. Intra-Cretaceous mild compressional
tectonic phases are recognized as local unconformities. These culminated in a
major regional angular unconformity at the Cretaceous - Tertiary boundary,
indicating a Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) structuration climax
associated with both compressional and wrench tectonics.
Several continental plate collision phases are recorded between the Pangean
Mega segments of Laurasia and Gondwana through phanerozoic . These phases
are interrupted by extensional rift phase associated oceanic crust formation and
flooding of continental plate margins.
A further important factor was the sinistral or dextral rotation of the north
African plate relative to Laurasia, (Figure 2.3) which had a strong modifying
effect on the local basin tectonic styles encountered in northeast Africa and in
particular the Western Desert (Smith, 1972; Said, 1990; EGPC, 1992).
15
Figure 2.3 Motion between Africa and laurasia (modified by Said, 1990).
Said (1990), illustrated the fault trends located in north Africa during Jurassic
and Cretaceous. In the Jurassic period, the fault trends are NE-SW but during
the Cretaceous they are NW-SE.
Extensional tectonic activity was terminated in the Late Cretaceous by the
Syrian arc inversion phase (MacGregor and Moody, 1998).
16
2.3Regional Structure:
The Western Desert can be divided into a number of large scale
structural provinces in response to lateral movements between Europe and
Africa (Figure 2.4).
So far, all the hydrocarbon discoveries in the Western Desert have been
drilled as structural prospects, either in the form of three or four-way closure
structures or as fault blocks structures. The development of the finds indicates
that the structural element was the main factor determining the trapping of the
oil in almost all of the discoveries. However, in some fields the stratigraphic
element in hydrocarbon trapping is evident in the pinching out of some sand
pays in the Cenomanian-Turonian sequence, as well as in the facies changes
from clastics to carbonates.
Figure 2.4 The regional structure framework of the Western Desert,
Egypt (EGPC, 1992).
17
Most of the Western Desert structure in which oil and/or gas accumulations
were discovered indicates that late Cretaceous-early Tertiary movements were
instrumental in their formation. The accumulation of hydrocarbons in these
structures took place after early Tertiary times. This conclusion is confirmed by
the study undertaken on the burial history of a number of horizons in the Mersa
Matruh area which show that oil generation (and consequently accumulation)
must have taken place some time after the end of the Cretaceous (Taylor, 1984).
The dominant structural style of the Western Desert comprises two
systems: a deeper series of low-relief horst and graben belts, separated by
master faults of large throw, and broad Late Tertiary folds at shallower depth
(Sestini, 1995).
The regional structural elements of the Western Desert have been dealt
with by many authors since the early decades of the past century:
Krenkel (1925), introduced the name Syrian Arc for a series of folds
trending NE-SW and running into the hinterlands of eastern Mediterranean
across Syria and terminating at the Taurus ranges of southern Turkey, these
series continue Westwards into Sinai and further in the Western Desert.
Hume (1929), recognized north-south folds in the Western Desert with
great amplitude and gentle dips. He visualized Upper Egypt as a block cut
across by two anticlines separated by a syncline: the anticlines are worked by
Kharga Oasis to the west and Wadi Qena to the east, the syncline is occupied by
the Nile valley north of Luxor.
Sandford (1934), recorded two distinct anticlinal crests separated by a
syncline between Samalut and Minia along the Eastern bank of the Nile.
Shata (1953), described some of these surface folds between Maghara in
Sinai and Cairo.
Shukri (1954), enumerated some folds Syrian Arc parallel to the faults
that were active during deposition of late Cretaceous. He pointed out that the
domal structures are characterized by a break in sedimentation between the late
18
Cretaceous and early Tertiary while the troughs in between are characterized by
continuous deposition.
Knetsch (1957 and 1958), related the N-E folds to the germanotype.
Youssef (1958) reported that, on the western bank of the Nile south of
Esna in upper Egypt, the upper Cretaceous rocks form a series of anticlines and
synclines.
Knetsch (1958) discussed in detail the folding mechanics of the Abu
Roash uplift, one of the classic structures of the mobile belt of Egypt.
According to Said (1990), the north Western Desert structures are
dominated by faults many of which can be identified from seismic and well
data. The majorities are steep normal faults; some of which suffered strike slip
movements during part of their history. The strike slip movements were
probably related to the lateral movements which the African plate underwent
during the Jurassic and late Cretaceous. Faults of north-south trend are known
only in the area to the southwest of Matruh. There are also a large number of
hanging faults affecting the shallower parts of the section and usually of limited
throw:
1- Faults with displacements of magnitude range from 1500 m to 3000 m
are limited to Kattaniya horst and Abu Gharadig graben.
2- Faults with displacement of magnitude range from 750 m to 1500 m are
present in the northern parts of the region but are widely spaced.
3- Faults with displacements of magnitude less than 750 m throw are more
frequent. Their trend is east-west in the Abu Gharadig basin, northeast-
southwest in the Kattaniya high and northwest-southeast over the rest of
the north Western Desert.
19
Faults of north-south trend are known only in the area to the southwest of
Matruh.
Most folds owe their origin to compressional movements which affected the
area during the late Cretaceous-early Tertiary tectonic event. These folds have a
northeast-southwest trend.
There are other folds which owe their origin to normal or horizontally
displaced faults.
According to Said (1962) these folds could be divided into three major groups:
a- The north-south folds, these exhibit themselves mostly in the subsurface
and have their marked effect on the Paleozoic sediments.
b- The northeast folds, these were especially active during the Cretaceous
and Eocene ages.
In the subsurface the northern half of the Western Desert is crossed by
large number of these folds arranged in lines having the same trend as
the Syrian Arc system which is related to the late Cretaceous-early
Tertiary movement (Laramide). This folding system affected the
northern part of Egypt up to latitude 23
0
north.
c- Northwest folds, these affected the Oligocene and younger sediments
and are exposed on the surface and as well as being found in the
subsurface with gentle dips.
20
2.4 Regional Stratigraphy of the Western Desert:
2.4.1 Depositional Basins:
The sediments recorded by deep drilling in the northern Western Desert
have shown that this large area is differentiated beneath its flat cover of younger
sediments into a number of major paleogeographic basins.
These sedimentary basins were the scope of numerous investigations by
regional geologists as Amin (1961), Said (1962), Norton (1967), Issawi (1972),
El Gezeery et al. (1972), Metwalli and Abd El Hady (1973, 1974, 1975), Abu El
Naga (1984), Elzarka (1983), Schrank (1983), Taylor (1984), Said (1990)
Abdine et al. (1993), Sestini (1995), Guiraud (1998), Mahmoud and Schrank
(2003), El Beialy (2005).
They delineated, discussed the geologic history and followed the
distribution pattern of the sedimentary basins in Egypt. These basins originated
as a result of structural effects and divided into six basins (Figure 2.5):
Figure 2.5 The sedimentary basins located in the North Western Desert, Egypt.
(Meshref, 1982).
21
1- Faghour Plateau:
At the eastern part of Egypt between Egypt and Libya, the province of
plateau is about 9000 feet (2743.2 meters) of Paleozoic strata overlaying
basement rocks.
2- Siwa Basin:
Is a northeast continuation of Kufra basin in Libya, formed by gentle
crustal downward and faulting and thickness over 9000 feet (2743.2
meters) of Paleozoic strata.
3- Abu Gharadig Basin:
The deepest basin area in the north of theWestern Desert and divided
into northern and southern sub-basins. The southern sub-basins
sedimentary section exceeds 15000 feet (4572 meters). The northern sub-
basin has in excess of 35000 feet (10668 meters). The Abu Gharadig basin
is an oriented asymmetrical graben or half graben. The margin of the basin
is marked by a major border fault zone which up thrown basement to
about 10000 feet (3048 meters) forming Sharib-Sheiba ridge. The Abu
Gharadig basin is a tensional normal fault and then developed as strong
right lateral component. It resulted from a stress pattern related to the
opening of north Atlantic from Turonion time 90Ma to Paleogene 60Ma.
- Sharib-Sheiba High:
The Abu Gharadig basin was developed as a rift and coastal basin
formed as a pull-part to the south and north (Paleozoic, Jurassic and part
of cretaceous). These high separated Abu Gharadig basin from north
basin, with E-W trend.
4- Ghazalat Basin:
This is a seismically defined coast parallel rift or graben. The basin
exceeds 7000 feet (2133.6 meters) of Jurassic strata, and a total thickness
of Mesozoic and Tertiary rocks believed to exceed 19000 feet (5791.2
meters), located in northwest of Abu Gharadig basin.
22
5- The Northern Basins:
These basins were formed by the breakup of the northern coast of
Pangea as the present day continental fragment of Greece and Turkey
broke away from the northern edge of the coastal basin. The
predominance of flower structure along the coast is interpreted as
evidence of strike slip fault resulting from compression caused by shear,
and divided into four sub-basins (EGPC, 1992) which are:
a- Matruh Sub-Basin.
It is pronounced through the trend from the coastline near Mersa
Matruh. It was developed from pre-middle Jurassic until early cretaceous.
b- Shushan Sub-Basin:
It is westerly located northeast-southwest trending basin. The
sedimentary cover within the Shushan basin is about 25000 feet (7620
meters).
c- Dahab-Mireir Sub-Basin:
This basin is central of coastal basin, bounded by Sharib-Sheiba high to
the south and dabaa ridge to the northwest. Two ENE ridges are cutting
this basin namely Qattara-Alamein Ridge and Washka Ridge.
d- Natrun Sub-Basin:
This sub-basin is the eastern end of the coastal basin. It was subsided
during Jurassic time where more 9000 feet (2743.2 meters) of shallow
marine-deltaic sediments were deposited. It is overlained to north and
northeast by deltaic and to south by the Kattaniya horst.
6- Gindi basin.
The Gindi basin is bounded to the north by the Kattaniya horst, and has
a series of NW-SE faulting throwing down to the SWand contains several
strongly faulted anticline structure, generally bounded by reverse faults.
23
2.4.2 Stratigraphy:
A brief review of the stratigraphic succession penetrating the north
Western Desert of Egypt.
Figure 2.6 Stratigraphic section penetrating in north Western Desert. (Abu E1
Naga, 1983).
24
Paleozoic:
The Paleozoic sediments of the north Western Desert are of monotonous
composition and are made up of interbeded sandstone and shale with a few
carbonate beds. This monotony makes the identification of workable rock units
difficult.
The Paleozoic age was divided into Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian,
Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian ages, Hantar (1990):
1- Cambrian:
Cambrian strata are made up of sand stones of various colors,
glauconitic and shale of reddish, brick and gray colors.
The presence of marine fossils in the Cambrian strata gave a point to a
marine environment of deposition. Cambrian strata rest unconformably
over the basement rocks which provide a clear boundary.
The upper boundary, is less certain and is usually marked by an arbitrary
stratum of Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous or younger age.
2- Ordovician:
No fossil-bearing strata of Ordovician age were indentified in the region.
3- Silurian:
Silurian strata are made up of shale, siltstone and thin limestone beds
intruded by a gabbroic sill.
4- Devonian:
Devonian strata are made up of a lower sandstone unit with minor
shale interbeds and an upper shale unit with minor siltstone and
sandstone interbeds. The sandstone is fine to coarse-grain and its color
ranges from white to brown or pink. The shale is mainly grey or
greenish grey. The thickness of the Devonian strata is in the range of
900 to 1000 m. The lower and upper boundaries are poorly defined and
are usually arbitrarily marked. The presence of marine foraminifers,
ostracods, condonts, acritarchs, brachiopods, bryozoans and
25
echinoderms in the upper shale unit, suggests a marine environment of
deposition. The sands of the lower unit may have been deposited under
fluvial conditions.
5- Carboniferous:
The lower boundary of the Carboniferous strata is marked by
the disconformable contact with the underlying Devonian strata. The
upper boundary is marked by the unconformable contact with the
overlying marine or continental late lower or early middle Jurassic
strata. The presence of rich micro and macro-fossil assemblages
points clearly to the marine nature of the sediments (Said and
Andrawis, 1961; Abd El Sattar, 1983).
6- Permian:
The Permian strata are made up of dolomitic limestones with a few
thin shale and sandstone interbeds. The Permian occurrences seem to
have been deposited in littoral to sublittoral environments.
Mesozoic:
The Mesozoic age is divided into Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous,
Hantar (1990). There is no Triassic or early Jurassic marine sediments known in
the region in spite of the fact that early Jurassic continental sediments are
recorded in most parts of the region.
1- Jurassic:
The deposits of the Jurassic are classified into the following units
from top to bottom:
a- Sidi Barrani Formation.
Is a thick carbonate section of middle Jurassic to early Cretaceous age.
The carbonates are mainly dolomitic. A few interbeds of sandstone,
shale and anhydrite occur at the base of the formation.
26
b- Masajid Formation.
The name Masajid formation was proposed by Al Far (1966).
Typically a massive limestone sequence of middle to late Jurassic age.
The formation is clearly marked in most of the region. It overlies
conformably the clastic Khatatba formation.
c- Khataba Formation.
The name Khataba formation was proposed by Norton (1967). The
clastic section of the Khatatba formation has a few limestone interbeds
and is made up of sandstone and shale. The shale is grey to brownish
grey and the sandstone is fine to medium grained and is brown in color.
The formation rests conformably over the Wadi Natrun formation in the
northeastern and eastern parts of the area. It underlies the Masajid
formation conformably in most areas except in the south where it
underlies the lower Cretaceous Burg El Arab formation unconformably.
The contact with the Masajid is sharp and is marked by the change of
facies from dominantly clastic section of the Khatatba to the more
calcareous section of the Masajid.
d- Wadi Natrun Formation.
The name Wadi Natrun formation was also proposed by Norton
(1967). It includes marine carbonate-shale sequence of middle Jurassic
age. The carbonates of the section are mostly dolomitic. Wadi Natrun is
always overlain by the Khatatba formation. Wadi Natrun formation has
a limited distribution and is known only in the eastern part of the area
and along its northern borders.
e- Bahrein Formation.
The formation is made up of red color clastics. The name replaces
the Eghi group which was proposed by Norton (1967) for the continental
section above the Carboniferous. The name is gaining acceptance and
was used in the RRI report (1982). The Bahrein formation is of early to
27
middle Jurassic age and possibly older. The Bahrein formation lies
unconformably below the marine Khatatba formation. In places along
the southern and western stretches of the area, the Bahrein rests
unconformably below lower Cretaceous Betty formation or the Alam El
Bueb member.
2- Cretaceous:
According to Hantar (1990), Cretaceous is divided into:
1- Lower Unit: made up of clastics and belonging to lower Cretaceous.
The lower unit includes an important carbonate bed of great areal extent,
the Alamein dolomite which provides the reservoir rock for three
important oil fields in the region. The lower Cretaceous is represented
by the Burg El Arab formation that made up of a thick sequence of fine
to coarse-grained clastics.
Burg El Arab formation is divided into two units:
a- Alam El Bueb.
b- Kharita.
Burg El Arab formation is divisible into four members form top to bottom:
a) Kharita. This is a unit of fine to coarse-grained sandstone with shale and
carbonate interbeds. The Kharita member is assigned an Albian to
Cenomanian age. The unit was deposited in a high energy shallow
marine shelf. In the extreme north, the unit seems to have been deposited
in deeper water, while in the south it was under the influence of
continental conditions.
b) Dahab. It is a grey to greenish grey shale unit with thin interbeds of
siltstone and sandstone. Faults with a throw exceeding the thickness of
the Dahab shale will adversely affect the underlying Alamein reservoir.
The age of the Dahab shale is Aptian to early Albian.
28
c) Alamein dolomite member: It is made up of light brown hard
microcrystalline dolomite with vuggy porosity. A few thin shale
interbeds are present. The unit seems to have been deposited in a
shallow marine, low to moderate energy environment. Some operators
combine the Dahab with the Alamein dolomite in one unit, the Alamein
formation. Earlier classifications (Metwalli and Abdel Hady, 1975)
combined the Dahab and the overlying Kharita under the name Abu
Subeiha.
d) Alam El Bueb or its lateral equivalent the Matruh: It is a sandstone unit
with frequent shale interbeds in its lower part and occasional limestone
beds in its upper part. The Alam El Bueb member includes units that
were given different names by different operators such as:
Matruh group, Aptian clastics, Alamein shale, Dawabis, Shaltut,
Umbaraka, Mamura and operational units A, B, C, D1, D2, E, F1 and
F2. The member ranges in age from Barremain to Aptian. The
environment of deposition was shallow marine with more continental
influence towards the south.
2- Upper Unit:
Made up of carbonates and belonging to the upper Cretaceous.
In Egypt the upper Cretaceous marks the beginning of a major marine
transgression which resulted in the deposition of a dominantly carbonate
section (Said, 1962). In the north Western Desert, the mainly calcareous
deposits of the upper Cretaceous developed in the Abu Gharadig basin
where they form a number of oil reservoirs. These sediments are divided
into three rock units (from top to bottom):
a- Khoman formation: It is made up of snow white chalky limestone
with abundant chert bands. The Khoman formation overlies
unconformably different units of the Abu Roash or the Bahariya and
29
underlies unfonformably the Apollonia or Dabaa formation. It was
deposited in open marine outer shelf conditions. The deposition of
the Khoman was associated with a rise of the sea level which
extended the sea to the south of the north Western Desert.
b- Abu Roash: This is mainly a limestone sequence with interbeds of
shale and sandstone. The unit is divided into seven members
designated from top to bottom: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Members B,
D and F are relatively clean carbonates while members A, C and E
are largely fine clastics. The lower unit G is made up of interpedded
carbonates and clastics. The Abu Roash overlies conformably the
Bahariya formation. The Abu Roash underlies the Khoman
formation where the contact is determined by the change of lithology
from crystalline limestone of the Abu Roash to the chalky limestone
of the Khoman.
c- Bahariya: The Bahariya formation is of late Cenomanian age, was
deposited first under fluviatile conditions. Operators previously gave
several names to Bahariya formation: Razzak sand, Meleiha sand or
Medeiwar member of the Abu Subeiha formation. The Bahariya is
exposed along the floor and both sides of the Bahariya depression.
The exposed section measures at least 557.7 ft (170 meters) and is
divisible into three members from top to bottom:
El Heiz: It is made up of dolomites, sandy dolomites and
calcareous Rich in fossils.
Gebel Dist: Is made up of fine-grained, well bedded,
ferruginous Clastics carrying a large number of fossils.
Gebel Ghorabi: It is made up of cross-bedded, coarse-
grained, and seemingly non fossiliferous sandstones.
30
Cenozoic
Paleocene deposits are mainly mudstone which, in early to middle
Eocene, were reduced or mainly removed in north Egypt.
During the late Eocene-Oligocene, thick open marine calcareous shales were
deposited (Dabaa formation) in north Western Desert.
Marine Pliocene deposits are in the form of shallow marine pink
limestones or sandy limestones and evaporites.
Paleocene to middle Miocene rock units from top to bottom, Hantar (1990):
a) Marmarica formation: Is made up of a limestone, dolomite and
shale sequence of middle Miocene age.
b) Mamura formation: Is a limestone and calcareous shale sequence
which is the marine equivalent of the Moghra. It rests above the
Dabaa formation and is conformably overlain by the middle
Miocene Marmarica formation.
c) Moghra formation: Is made up of a clastic fluvio-marine delta-
front sequence of early Miocene age.
d) Dabaa formation: Is made up of marine shales of upper Eocene-
Oligocene age. This formation had previously given several
names: Qasr El Saga, Maadi, Birqet Qarun and Gehannan. The
formation rests with minor disconformity on the apollonian
formation. It is conformably overlain by the Moghra or the
Mamura formation.
e) Apollonia formation. This is a Paleocene to middle Eocene
limestone unit with subordinate shale members. It overlies
unconformably the Khoman chalk. The Paleocene section is
usually made up of limestone with thin layers of shale beds. The
formation is conformably overlain by the Dabaa formation. The
formation has previously been described as the Gindi formation
or as the Esna, Thebes and Mokattam formations.
31
2.5 Local Stratigraphy of the Razzak Oil Field:
The Razzak oil field stratigraphic column (Figure 2.7).
Figure 2.7 Stratigraphic section penetrating in Razzak field. (EGPC, 1992).
The stratigraphic succession penetrated in the Razzak field (Figure 2.7) ranges
in age from Miocene to Early Jurassic and has a total thickness of more than
13,000 ft (3963 meter).
32
The Jurassic section has been divided by Robertson Research International
(RRI, 1982) into three units:
1) A lowermost unit is the Bahrein Formation, which consists of a massive,
predominantly continental sandstone section.
2) A middle section consists of interbedded siltstones, sandstones, shales,
and some carbonates of the Khatatba Formation. The depositional
environment is shallow marine and the Khatatba Formation represents a
marine transgression into the area. It is conformable with both the
Bahrein Formation below and the overlying Masajid Formation.
3) An upper carbonate unit, the Masajid Formation, is about 80 ft (24 m)
thick and consists of dense dolomites, limestones, and dolomitic
limestones with shale intercalations. The unit has an open marine
depositional environment and represents the maximum extent of Late
Jurassic marine transgression in the area. A regional unconformity
separates the Jurassic from the overlying Lower Cretaceous section.
The Cretaceous section consists, in a broad sense, of four alternating
sedimentary cycles (RRI, 1982).
The first and third cycles, from the bottom, consist of predominantly massive
sandstones with thick interbeds and intercalations of shales in some places. The
second and fourth cycles consist primarily of open to shallow (and possibly in
part restricted) marine carbonates, which represent relatively quiet shelf
conditions.
1) The first cycle has been divided into the following units in ascending
order:
a) The Neocomian Betty Formation, which is about 460 ft (140 m)
thick and consists of interbedded varicolored shales, sandstones,
and sandy shales. It was deposited under marine conditions.
b) Overlying the Betty unconformably is the Alam El Bueib
Formation (Barremian), 1050 ft (320 m) thick and composed of
33
marginal marine to deltaic sandstones with some carbonate and
greenish-gray shale intercalations.
c) The upper part of the Alam El Bueib Formation is the Aptian
sand member (lower Aptian), which is some 1650 ft (350 m)
thick and consists of a sequence of thick sandstones with some
shale interbeds, especially toward the base. The depositional
environment is considered to be mainly shallow marine to
occasionally sublittoral.
2) The second cycle consists of the Alamein Formation that has been
divided into two members:
a) The Alamein dolomite of the Alamein Carbonate Member
consists mainly of carbonates with subordinate shales. The unit
ranges from 235 to 245 ft (72 to 75 m) thick. The depositional
environment is shallow to possibly, in part, restricted Marine.
b) The Dahab Member, some 260 ft (79 m) thick, consists of
shallow marine to sublittoral interbeds of shales, sandstones,
siltstones, and dolomitic limestone. This member generally
forms the seal for the underlying carbonate reservoir.
3) The third (clastic) cycle has been divided in ascending order into the
following:
a) Conformably overlying the Alamein formation, the Albian
Kharita formation, some 898.95 ft (274 m) thick, is composed of
marginal marine to deltaic sandstone with shale and rare
carbonate interbeds.
b) Unconformably overlying the Kharita Formation is the upper
Albian to lower Cenomanian Bahariya Formation (including the
Razzak Member), which is 700 ft (213 m) thick in the area.
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c) The formation is made up of interbedded sandstones, shales, and
sandy shales, with occasional limestone stringers. The
environment of deposition changes from shallow marine at the
base to deep marine toward the top.
4) The fourth (carbonate) cycle consists of the Upper Cenomanian to
Coniacian Abu Roash Formation, which is up to some 2100 ft (640 m)
thick in the Razzak area and conformably overlies the Bahariya
Formation. The Abu Roash is, in turn, unconformably overlain by the
Campanian to Maastrichtian age, open marine, fine-grained chalky
limestones of the Khoman formation.
The Abu Roash has been subdivided into the members "A and B", "C"
"D and E", "F" and "G." These represent cyclic shallow marine to open
marine depositional environments.
The Abu Roash "A and B" at the top of the formation is composed of
limestones with shale and fine-grained lime silt and mud interbeds and
was deposited under fluctuating high energy, shallow marine to
relatively deep marine, transgressive conditions.
The Abu Roash "C" member is composed of calcarenites with silty shale
interbeds. The Abu Roash "D and E" consists of dense, glauconitic,
chalky limestones with dolomitic crystalline limestone and shale
intercalations. The Abu Roash "F" member consists of a thick pyritic,
cream-colored calcarenite with abundant open marine fauna and forms a
widespread marker in the Western Desert. The lower Abu Roash "G"
member consists mainly of interbedded limestones and shales with a thin
dolomite unit at the base that is oil bearing in the West Razzak and
Razzak Main fields.
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2.6 Structure of Razzak Oil Field:
Razzak field separated into three main fields (West Razzak, Main
Razzak, and East Razzak) so its named Razzak field Complex (Figure 2.8).
Figure 2.8 Razzak field complex main fields. (Abdine et. al. 1993).
Razzak field area lies on a northeast plunging anticlinal nose among one of
three conspicuous mapped anticlinal features within Razzak area.
These three anticlinal noses are aligned with the Alamein-Yidma trend on the
Cenomanian and Aptian seismic horizons, having the same trend of the Syrian
Arc system which continued during the Eocene time. (Said, 1962, and Norton,
1967).
1- The first anticlinal nose lies at the extreme southwestern part of the
Razzak area, with two producing wells (RZK-4 and RZK-12). Drilled on
its crest (West Razzak).
2- The second anticlinal nose trends northeast and lies on the extreme
northeast part of the study area (East Razzak).
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3- The third anticlinal nose is the most important structural feature for
hydrocarbon trapping and oil production in the Razzak area. Ten wells
were drilled on both its crest and flanks. This trap acquires the form of a
northeastern plunging anticlinal nose lying on the central part of the
Razzak area. This nose is dissected into several blocks by two sets of
intersecting normal faults. These two sets of faults are trending
northwest-southeast and northeast-southwest following what are known
as Erythrean and Aualitic trends. Most of the northeast-southwest faults
are parallel to the plunging axis of the anticlinal nose.
Consequently, Razzak structure could be considered as a trap formed by both
folding and faulting. The active faulted blocks were continuously subsided
during sedimentation indicating that faulting played the great role in oil trapping
and establishing the present structural configuration of the field.
2.7 Razzak Oil Field Reservoirs:
According to EGPC, (1992) there are three main reservoirs in the
Razzak oil field as follows:
1) Abu Roash G.
The producing horizon is sand of 16 ft (4.88 m) thickness, 32%
porosity, 23% water saturation, and 145 millidarcy (md) permeability.
The initial and current reservoir pressures are 2400 Pounds per Square
Inch (PSI) and 800 PSI, respectively. Bubble point pressure is estimated
to be 1800 PSI. Water oil contact was observed at -5370 ft (1636.78 m).
Production increase, and water cut and the Gas/Oil Ratio (GOR)
increase, indicated that the driving mechanism is a combination of
depletion and partial water drive. Original oil in place and ultimate
reserves are 104 Million Stock Tank Barrels (MMSTB) and 18.72
MMSTB respectively, the remaining reserves are 10.36 MMSTB.
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2) Bahariya reservoir.
The producing horizon is sandstone of 45 ft (13.72 m) net pay
thickness, 25% porosity, 15% water saturation, and 400 md
permeability. Oil water contact was observed at -5680 ft (-1731.26 m).
Initial and current reservoir pressures are 2500 PSI and 2300 PSI
respectively. Bubble point pressure was measured to be 300 PSI.
Drop in the reservoir pressure is small (200 PSI) after cumulative oil
production of MMSTB for over 20 years of production, water cut is very
high (90%), also GOR is low.
This performance indicates that the driving mechanism is active water
drive. Original oil in place and ultimate reserves are 45.5 MMSTB and
16.38 MMSTB, respectively, the remaining reserves are 1.38 MMSTB.
3) Aptian dolomite.
The producing horizon is dolomite of 120 ft (36.58 m) thickness,
7% porosity, 15% water saturation, and unknown permeability value.
The oil water contact was observed a -7279 ft (-2218.64 m). The initial
and current reservoir pressures are 3250 PSI and 3180 PSI. Bubble point
pressure was estimated to be 350 PSI. Reservoir pressure drop is small
(70 PSI) after cumulative of 20.66 MMSTB over 20 years, and the water
cut is very high (92%), also GOR is low.
This performance indicates that the driving mechanism is active water
drive. Original oil in place and ultimate reserves are 90 MMSTB and
30.6 MMSTB, respectively, the remaining reserves are 9.94 MMSTB.
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2.8 Exploration and Development Concepts:
The Razzak field was discovered primarily as a result of improved
reflection seismic data resolution of pre-Tertiary events that became available in
the late 1960s and early 1970s. The ability to map in greater detail and accuracy
the Cretaceous and earlier events with up-to-date seismic techniques has led to a
number of significant discoveries in recent years.
Understanding the relationships between basin development history and
structural growth of specific prospective areas with respect to timing of
hydrocarbon generation and migration from the basinal areas is necessary for
efficient exploration and development. This, with other tools used in basin
analysis, such as satellite imagery, magnetics, gravity, and geochemistry,
narrowed the search for prospective structures. The well density distribution is
presently too sparse to provide the number of subsurface control points needed
for the detailed analysis required to locate future prospects.
Well data, provide the basic general stratigraphy, depositional history, and
framework for the seismic interpretations. Wells also give essential information
regarding the geographic and vertical stratigraphic distribution of seals,
reservoirs, and source rocks in the section and the locations of the general areas
of regional highs and basinal lows. Detailed facies maps and seismically
controlled isopach maps, combined with sedimentation rate and maturation
history profiles, help isolate the likely mature source areas in the Western
Desert and provide estimates of the timing of expulsion and direction of
hydrocarbon migration.