Geochemical evaluation and hydrocarbon generation potential of the Upper Cretaceous–Pliocene succession, offshore Nile Delta, Egypt

Abstract

The offshore Nile Delta is a prominent petroleum province; nevertheless, previous research focused mainly on evaluation of Miocene–Pliocene possible source rocks because of lack of data. The current study is the first to evaluate organic geochemical features of the Upper Cretaceous–Pliocene sequence in the western offshore Nile Delta, applying TOC, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and GC-MS procedures for 137 ditch cuttings collected from three wells. The main objectives are to infer organic richness, type of kerogen, maturation, and depositional paleoenvironment of organic matter for these possible source intervals.The analysed rock samples generally display fair to good organic enrichment. Most of these samples are enriched in Type-III and Type-II/III kerogen, suggesting a high influx of terrigenous organic matter. However, Abu Madi, Appollonia, and Khoman formations contain Type-II oil-prone kerogen, reflecting more marine organic matter, whereas Kafr El Sheikh and El Wastani cuttings display the lowest TOC contents and are more enriched in non-generating inert organic matter.Biomarker ratios indicate that Kafr El Sheikh, Abu Madi, Qawasim, and Qantara formations are rich in Type-II/III kerogen (mixed organic matter) preserved under suboxic nearshore or lacustrine depositional environments. In contrast, Sidi Salem, Tineh, Appollonia, and Khoman formations contain abundant Type-II marine-algal organic matter deposited under anoxic marine depositional settings. Vitrinite reflectance data and biomarker ratios indicate immature to peak mature rock samples. The stable carbon isotopic composition of condensate oil samples suggests nonmarine waxy oils. Ratios of n-alkanes and isoprenoids for a condensate sample from the study area reveal no similarity with the Upper Cretaceous–Pliocene rock extracts.