A review of pre- and syn-rift reservoir potential in the Gulf of Suez Basin: Comparative insights from Rabeh East, Tawila, and Edfu-Saqara fields

The Gulf of Suez Basin (GOSB) is one of Egypt's most prolific petroleum provinces, hosting heterogeneous reservoirs of pre-rift, syn-rift, and post-rift mega-sequences. This review presents a comparative assessment of pre- and syn-rift reservoir potential in three representative fields: Rabeh East, Tawila, and Edfu-Saqara. The primary objectives are to (1) evaluate the reservoir quality of the major units (Nubia, Matulla, Kareem, and Belayim), (2) investigate the stratigraphic and structural controls on hydrocarbon trapping, and (3) synthesize observations for exploration guidance in the GOSB. Published seismic interpretation, structural mapping, and petrophysical data are integrated in the study. The findings show that pre-rift sandstones, for example, Nubia (net pay >450 ft, porosity 13–18 %, hydrocarbon saturation >90 %), are laterally continuous and always of higher reservoir quality. The Matulla Formation provides additional but more heterogeneous pre-rift potential. Syn-rift reservoirs (Kareem and Belayim) are of moderate porosity (12–18 %) but remain economically producible where fault-bounded trap controls and low bulk volume water (<0.10). Carbonates such as the Thebes and Rudies are primarily regional seals but locally may have secondary reservoirs where fractured. The comparative synthesis points out the overwhelming influence of extensional tectonics on the creation of hydrocarbon traps as well as on reservoir compartmentalization. These discoveries emphasize the importance of pre-rift sandstones in structurally raised positions over syn-rift targets, with implications for exploration strategy and reservoir development, emphasizing the need for thorough seismic-stratigraphic analysis and 3D imaging.