Petroleum System Analyses of Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous Rocks, Matruh Basin, North Western Desert, Egypt

Summary The Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous rocks are an attractive petroleum exploration target in the Matruh Basin. The Jade field is located in the north Western Desert of Egypt. The main purpose of this work is to throw the lights on the complete petroleum system in Matruh Basin which has been evaluated and collectively named the Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous petroleum system. The Jurassic source rocks are characterized by high total organic carbon content values and containing type (III). This indicates that Jurassic source rocks are located in late to over-mature stage and lied in the oil and gas generation stage. The Lower Cretaceous Alam EL-Bueib sandstone reservoirs (Alam EL-Bueib – D, 3E and 3G) were recognized to have a good reservoir quality. Hydrocarbon trap is typically of the structural type, consisting mainly of faulted anticlinal features. Basin modeling has revealed that the Jurassic source rocks reached maturity level during Early to Late Cretaceous in our wells. On the other hand, the Jurassic source rocks might have begun to generate gas during Late Cretaceous and still in generation until now. Migration occurred vertically from the Jurassic source rocks along the fault plane into the Lower Cretaceous Alam EL-Bueib reservoirs.