3D basin and petroleum systems modeling in Shushan Basin, Western Desert, Egypt

A detailed evaluation of the hydrocarbon prospects of a basin over time and space may be obtained via a systematic evaluation of the petroleum system. Modeling and experimental source-rock data show that the Shushan Basin represents the only region where the Mesozoic source generation mega-sequence occurred. These regions are now buried at their highest temperature. Potential reservoirs in portions of the North and central Western Desert of Egypt were dependent upon the lateral migration path critically for their charge. According to basin modeling, the Jurassic Khatatba of the deeper section of the basin reached the oil window in the Turonian, whereas the Lower Cretaceous AEB was accomplished in the Late Cretaceous. To assess the prospective source rocks and the production of hydrocarbons in the Shushan Basin, a variety of geochemical methods, including Rock-Eval pyrolysis and gas chromatography, as well as burial history modeling, were performed. This study's primary objectives are to ascertain the potential and maturity of the source rocks, the time of the formation of hydrocarbons, and to define and compare the bitumen taken from the Alam El-Bueib (AEB) and Khatatba rocks with the oil recovered from the Bahariya reservoir. Results indicate that simply a thin interval in AEB-3 A and AEB-3 C units may generate moderate quantities of gas with less amount of oil. Older Khatatba rocks do not seem to contain a considerable quantity of high-quality Kerogen, in contrast to other regions of the northern Western Desert. The oil from the Bahariya reservoir was produced from a mature source of mixed organic materials. It is thought that Bahariya oils came from AEB rocks, with minimal, if any, input from the Khatatba Formation. The area's normal faults serve as paths from deeply buried source rocks to shallower reservoirs. The Shushan Basin's petroleum system has been described in terms of its spatial and temporal extent through basin modeling, which also includes a study of the petroleum system. This evidence can assist direct the subsequent exploration stage. These results imply that deeper parts may hold reservoirs filled with large unexplored gas potential, even if oil development is now suitably concentrated along Late Cretaceous and Tertiary migration pathways.

Automated summary

A systematic evaluation of the petroleum system allows for a detailed assessment of the hydrocarbon prospects of a basin. The Shushan Basin is identified as the only region where Mesozoic source generation occurred. Geochemical methods and modeling were used to evaluate the prospective source rocks and hydrocarbon production in the basin. Results indicate that certain thin intervals in specific units can generate moderate quantities of gas and less oil. The oil from the Bahariya reservoir primarily comes from the AEB rocks, with minimal contribution from the Khatatba Formation. Normal faults in the area serve as migration pathways from deeply buried source rocks to shallower reservoirs.