Petroleum system evaluation and structural evolution of the northern Egyptian Red Sea: Insights from onshore and offshore analysis

The Northern Egyptian Red Sea (NERS) remains one of the least explored basins in Egypt, primarily due to limited borehole data, sparse case studies, and suboptimal seismic imaging. This study integrates a petroleum system evaluation with regional structural cross-sections, geological block diagrams, and onshore fieldwork from Gebel Duwi, coupled with offshore subsurface analysis. A comparative approach with the Southern Gulf of Suez (SGOS) enhances the understanding of structural and depositional evolution in the region. The findings emphasize the presence of pre- and syn-rift organic-rich source rock units, analogous to those in the SGOS, and highlight the significant role of the Levant-Aqaba transform fault in shaping basin evolution and sediment distribution.