Gulf of Suez Rift

The Gulf of Suez Rift is a continental rift zone active between the Late Oligocene (ca. 28 Ma) and the end of the Miocene (ca. 5 Ma) [Khalil,S.M. and McClay,K.R.2001.Tectonic evolution of the NW Red Sea-Gulf of Suez rift system. In:WILSON, R.C.L., WHITMARSH, R.B., TAYLOR, B. & FROITZHEIM, N. 2001. Non-Volcanic Rifting of Continental Margins: A Comparison of Evidence from Land and Sea. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 187, 453--473 ] . It represented a continuation of the Red Sea Rift until break-up occurred in the middle Miocene, with most of the displacement on the newly developed Red Sea spreading centre being accommodated by the Dead Sea Transform. During its brief post-rift history, the deepest part of the remnant rift topography has been filled by the sea, creating the Gulf of Suez.

The exact geometry and extent of the northern end of the rift system becomes unclear as it passes beneath the Nile delta.

History

During the Late Cretaceous to Eocene, the area now occupied by the rift was a shallow sea depositing carbonates without any active tectonics. Rifting began along the whole of the Red Sea -Gulf of Suez rift system during the Late Oligocene. In the Gulf of Suez rift, the rifting culminated during the Burdigalian stage (late Early Miocene) (ca. 18 Ma). In the Middle Miocene break-up occurred along the whole length of the Red Sea rift with seafloor spreading beginning in the Late Miocene. This break-up was associated with a gradual reduction in the rate of rifting along the Gulf of Suez with most activity stopping by the beginning of the Pliocene. Since then the area of the Gulf of Suez rift has begun to experience post-rift thermal subsidence accompanied by flooding of the topographically lowest parts of the rift.

Geometry

The Gulf of Suez rift is strongly segmented along its length with half-grabens of alternating polarity. The changes in fault polarity and position from segment to segment are taken up by broad accommodation zones.

Economic importance

More than 120 hydrocarbon fields and discoveries have been reported from the Gulf of Suez rift with a variety of plays.

References

ee also

Rift basin

External links

[http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1999/ofr-99-0050/OF99-50A/index.html#TOP| USGS Open-File Report OF99-50-A The Red Sea Basin Province: Sudr-Nubia(!) and Maqna(!) Petroleum System]