Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well
This study investigates the origin and thermal maturity of natural gases in Upper Cretaceous reservoirs within the Azhar-E1X well, Beni Suef Basin, Egypt, using stable carbon isotopic analyses of headspace gas samples. Gas shows within the Cretaceous succession, specifically the Bahariya Formation a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1552662/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850150070543974400 |
|---|---|
| author | Sherif Farouk Saada Ahmed Saada Mohamed Arafat Khaled Al-Kahtany Thomas Gentzis Amr S. Zaky Amr S. Zaky Luigi Jovane |
| author_facet | Sherif Farouk Saada Ahmed Saada Mohamed Arafat Khaled Al-Kahtany Thomas Gentzis Amr S. Zaky Amr S. Zaky Luigi Jovane |
| author_sort | Sherif Farouk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the origin and thermal maturity of natural gases in Upper Cretaceous reservoirs within the Azhar-E1X well, Beni Suef Basin, Egypt, using stable carbon isotopic analyses of headspace gas samples. Gas shows within the Cretaceous succession, specifically the Bahariya Formation and the Abu Roash “F” Member (A/R “F” Member), were characterized. A total of 15 headspace gas samples and five mud gas samples were analyzed for molecular composition and stable carbon isotopic values (δ13C1, δ13C2, δ13C3). Methane concentrations ranged from 69 to 1,446 ppm in headspace samples and 961–5,670 ppm in mud gases. Isotopic analysis suggests that gases from the A/R “E, F, and G″ members are primarily derived from the primary cracking of kerogen. In contrast, gases from the underlying Bahariya Formation indicate a mixed origin, resulting from both primary cracking of coal-rich kerogen and secondary cracking of oil. The natural gases analyzed are predominantly thermogenic. A normal carbon isotope trend (δ13C1 < δ13C2 < δ13C3) was observed in the headspace gas samples, where methane isotopic compositions are lower than those of ethane. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ce59580702e4232a90dc6b4c532d34b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ce59580702e4232a90dc6b4c532d34b2025-08-20T02:26:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-04-011310.3389/feart.2025.15526621552662Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X wellSherif Farouk0Saada Ahmed Saada1Mohamed Arafat2Khaled Al-Kahtany3Thomas Gentzis4Amr S. Zaky5Amr S. Zaky6Luigi Jovane7Exploration Department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, Cairo, EgyptDepartment of Geology, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, EgyptGeology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, EgyptGeology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCore Laboratories, Reservoir Geology Group, Houston, TX, United StatesGeology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, EgyptInstituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilInstituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilThis study investigates the origin and thermal maturity of natural gases in Upper Cretaceous reservoirs within the Azhar-E1X well, Beni Suef Basin, Egypt, using stable carbon isotopic analyses of headspace gas samples. Gas shows within the Cretaceous succession, specifically the Bahariya Formation and the Abu Roash “F” Member (A/R “F” Member), were characterized. A total of 15 headspace gas samples and five mud gas samples were analyzed for molecular composition and stable carbon isotopic values (δ13C1, δ13C2, δ13C3). Methane concentrations ranged from 69 to 1,446 ppm in headspace samples and 961–5,670 ppm in mud gases. Isotopic analysis suggests that gases from the A/R “E, F, and G″ members are primarily derived from the primary cracking of kerogen. In contrast, gases from the underlying Bahariya Formation indicate a mixed origin, resulting from both primary cracking of coal-rich kerogen and secondary cracking of oil. The natural gases analyzed are predominantly thermogenic. A normal carbon isotope trend (δ13C1 < δ13C2 < δ13C3) was observed in the headspace gas samples, where methane isotopic compositions are lower than those of ethane.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1552662/fullBeni Suef basinAbu Roash FormationBahariya Formationstable carbon isotopesthermogenic gashydrocarbon maturation |
| spellingShingle | Sherif Farouk Saada Ahmed Saada Mohamed Arafat Khaled Al-Kahtany Thomas Gentzis Amr S. Zaky Amr S. Zaky Luigi Jovane Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well Frontiers in Earth Science Beni Suef basin Abu Roash Formation Bahariya Formation stable carbon isotopes thermogenic gas hydrocarbon maturation |
| title | Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well |
| title_full | Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well |
| title_fullStr | Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well |
| title_short | Thermal maturity and gas generation in Upper Cretaceous formations of the Beni Suef Basin, Egypt: insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the Azhar-E1X well |
| title_sort | thermal maturity and gas generation in upper cretaceous formations of the beni suef basin egypt insights from stable carbon isotopes and geochemical analysis of the azhar e1x well |
| topic | Beni Suef basin Abu Roash Formation Bahariya Formation stable carbon isotopes thermogenic gas hydrocarbon maturation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1552662/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sheriffarouk thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT saadaahmedsaada thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT mohamedarafat thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT khaledalkahtany thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT thomasgentzis thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT amrszaky thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT amrszaky thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell AT luigijovane thermalmaturityandgasgenerationinuppercretaceousformationsofthebenisuefbasinegyptinsightsfromstablecarbonisotopesandgeochemicalanalysisoftheazhare1xwell |