Contribution of Geophysical and Temperature Logs Data to Geothermal Exploration on the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Abstract

Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of the African continent and bounded to the east by Red Sea and what has been interpreted as a median spreading center in the Red Sea and Gulf of Suez which may reflect that these areas are the most promising for geothermal exploration. Temperature logs of about 105 marine oil wells were used for estimating the distribution of subsurface temperatures and the heat flows in Gulf of Suez region in order to demonstrate the geothermal resources in that area. Generally, highest temperature gradients were recorded southward and on rift margins and around the hot spring areas on the eastern margin of the Gulf of Suez. Simultaneously, High heat flows are recorded at the hot spring regions especially around Hammam Faraun hot spring. Analyses of Bouguer anomaly and aeromagnetic maps of the Gulf of Suez were used for delineating the subsurface structures and tectonic framework of the area. Integration between these maps and thermal logs elucidated the deep seated structure at the hottest areas. Thus, the thermal maturity lines on any cross section across the Gulf of Suez would be slightly concave and reflective of basement structure.