Crustal Structure and Early Opening of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin - Key Observations from Offshore Northern Egypt

A significant body of literature has been published on the post-Paleozoic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin (EMB) however, many contrasting opinions are presented, and much is poorly understood about this particularly complex piece of the Tethyan system. Even the highest order aspects of the evolution of the continental margin of NE Africa are subject to debate and reinterpretation. Using recently-acquired industry data from the offshore Northern Egypt, we document results that address the fundamental questions concerning (1) the crustal structure underlying the EMB, and (2) the tectonic evolution associated with the early basin history. A synthesis of these results has been used to test existing plate tectonic models for the early Mesozoic evolution of the region and a preferred opening geometry is presented.