Geophysical evidences of fluid seepages and mud volcanoes on the Egyptian continental margin (Eastern Mediterranean)

The Egyptian continental margin is almost entirely covered by the sediments of the Nile deep turbiditic system which displays, on the seabed, many fluid releasing features: mud cones, «mudpies», and pockmarks. The cones are restricted to the western province. Mud pies are delineating a belt along the upper continental slope. Pockmarks are chiefly associated with destabilized middle slope sedimentary masses. Five main parameters seem to interact on fluid releases locations: (1) the presence, at depth, of localized source rocks and reservoirs; (2) the distribution of Messinian evaporites; (3) the distribution of sedimentary overloading; (4) the presence of syn-sedimentary faults and finally, (5) chiefly for pockmarks and mounds, the occurrence of large-scale sedimentary instabilities.