This field trip explores the Egyptian Eastern Desert with a focus on its relevance to regional hydrocarbon systems and its role in understanding the broader tectonostratigraphic evolution of Northeast Africa. Participants will examine key outcrops that represent the Precambrian basement complex of the Arabian-Nubian Shield, including ophiolites, island arc assemblages, and granitic intrusions—critical to understanding the crustal architecture underlying adjacent sedimentary basins such as the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. The trip will emphasize the relationship between basement structures and the overlying Phanerozoic sedimentary sequences that serve as analogs for subsurface hydrocarbon plays. Through guided discussions, structural mapping, and regional synthesis, participants will gain a better understanding of how the onshore geology informs basin development, hydrocarbon generation, and structural trap formation in the surrounding petroleum provinces.

What You Will Learn:

1- Basement–sedimentary relationships
2- Structural mapping
3- Trap formation mechanisms

By the end of the field trip, participants will gain a deep understanding of the geological evolution of the Egyptian Eastern Desert and its relevance to hydrocarbon exploration in the surrounding regions. They will learn how Precambrian basement structures and lithologies influence sedimentary basin development, hydrocarbon migration pathways, and trap formation. It will enhance ability to recognize key structural features such as faults, shear zones, and rift geometries in the field, and to relate them to subsurface exploration targets. They will also examine outcrop analogs of source rocks, reservoirs, and seals, gaining insights into reservoir quality, depositional environments, and diagenetic processes. Through direct field observation, structural mapping, and expert-led discussions, participants will strengthen their skills in integrating surface geology with petroleum system analysis, improving their ability to evaluate exploration potential in structurally complex regions.

The Schedule:

Day 1: Arrival in Hurghada and Geological Overview.

Day 2: Precambrian Basement and Structural Framework.

Day 3: Rift Evolution and Phanerozoic Cover Sequences.

Day 4: Source and Reservoir Analogs.

Day 5: Integration, Wrap-Up, and Departure.

Register for Eastern Desert of Egypt – Hydrocarbon Potential