Integrative characterisation of shale gas reservoirs as an unconventional energy resource in Egypt

Albrkawy, Ahmed 2026. Integrative characterisation of shale gas reservoirs as an unconventional energy resource in Egypt. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates the tectono-stratigraphic evolution and petroleum system development of two rift-related basins situated on opposite margins of the Mesozoic Tethys Ocean: The Shushan Basin (Western Desert, Egypt) and the Broad Fourteens Basin (Southern North Sea). Despite their geographic distance, both basins share a Jurassic rifting evolution, post-rift thermal subsidence, and Late Cretaceous inversion. Comparison provides new insights into how extensional and compressional phases shape stratigraphic architecture, source rock potential, and shale-sealing behaviour across Tethyan extensional basins. The research integrates 2D and 3D seismic data, well logs, petrophysics, geochemical analyses, and 1D basin modeling. Advanced workflows, including reflection-coefficient spectral analysis and normalized statistical-frequency evaluation, were used to identify organic-rich, caprock shales and characterise their acoustic, petrophysical, and sealing properties. In addition, the dataset enables comparison between thick-skinned, basement-involved rift systems (Shushan Basin) with thin-skinned, saltinfluenced rifts (Broad Fourteens Basin). In the Shushan Basin, the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation was found to be the main source interval, with total organic content (TOC) up to 3.9 wt.% and Types IIIII kerogen. Burial models indicate maturation to late-oil and wet-gas windows by the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene. Importantly, tectonic inversion along Syrian Arc faults enhanced trap formation and influenced shale seal continuity. In the Broad Fourteens Basin, high-resolution seismic and petrophysical data show that the Posidonia Formation contains TOC up to 9 wt.% and HI >500, but remains thermally immature and presently acts as a caprock. Reflection-coefficient analysis reveals restricted acoustic bandwidth and low normalised statistical frequencies, providing a geophysical fingerprint for homogeneous mapping, low-permeability shale barriers suited for CO2 containment. Together, the results establish a unified model linking rift architecture, shale preservation, and subsurface energy potential. The findings highlight opportunities for subsurface storage, tight-gas development, and geothermal utilisation, offering transferable workflows for evaluating petroleum and geoenergy systems in mature and frontier basins worldwide.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Earth and Environmental Sciences
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 June 2026
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2026 12:12
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187732

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