Revised (miospores-based) stratigraphy of the Lower Cretaceous succession of the Minqar-IX well, Shushan Basin, north Western Desert, Egypt: Biozonation and correlation approach

Shushan Basin is recently considered one of the important petroliferous basins in the north Western Desert of Egypt, where it contains multiple clastic reservoirs. National and international exploration companies are carrying out extensive correlations within the basin to detect the almost similar clastic reservoirs Alam El Bueib and Kharita formations. Stratigraphy of the Lower Cretaceous of Minqar-IX well in Shushan was previously established based on dinoflagellate cysts recovered from a few and widely spaced samples, where elastic units could not be differentiated. However, the current collection of a large number of closely spaced samples enabled the identification of five informal Lower Cretaceous spore-pollen palynozones (PZ) with high resolution. These zones are used to recognize unidentified elastic rock units and to provide an intrabasinal biostratigraphic correlation of the formations. Three palynozones (PZ 1-PZ 3) identify Alam El-Bueib Formation (?Berriasian-early Aptian). PZ 4 identifies Alamein Formation (late Aptian). PZ 5 corresponds to Kharita Formation (middle Albian). Results reflect the miospores as a powerful stratigraphic tool for dating the largely non-marine sequences, where diverse dinoflagellate cysts are almost lacking and/or facies-controlled. The use of biostratigraphic correlation of strata successions with monotone lithologies was helpful in identifying problematic formations, tracing their lateral facies change, and in detecting an unrecognized hiatus in the studied well.