Mohamed Boukhary

Subsurface stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the Neogene rocks, Nile Delta, Egypt

Three wells (Naf-2, Naf-3 and Naf-101), were described and sampled in order to increase understanding of the stratigraphy and micropaleontology of the North Abu Qir Field, Nile Delta, Egypt. Lithostratigraphic studies aided recognition of the following Miocene-Pliocene rock formations (from base to top); Qantara Formation, Sidi Salim Formation, Qawasim Formation, Rosetta Formation, Abu Madi Formation, Kafr El Sheikh Formation, Baltim Formation, Mit Ghamr Formation, and Bilqas Formation. Biostratigraphic studies were based on the distribution of foraminifera through the Miocene-Pliocene succession. The environmental conditions of the Neogene rocks of the studied wells are interpreted using the results of palaeoecological parameters (e.g. the total number of foraminifera (T.N.F) and planktonic/benthonic ratio (P/B).

Plankton stratigraphy of the Early and Middle Miocene Kareem and Rudeis Formations in the central part of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

The planktonic foraminifera and nannofossils of three wells in the Gulf of Suez penetrating the Early to Middle Miocene Upper Rudeis and Kareem Formations are attributed (from top to base) to the Middle Miocene Globorotalia peripheroronda Partial Range Zone (M6), the earliest Middle Miocene Praeorbulina sicana–Orbulina suturalis Interval Zone (M5), subdivided into the Praeorbulina glomerosa s. strict.–O. suturalis Interval Subzone (M5b) and the P. sicana–P. glomerosa s. str. Interval Subzone (M5a) and the Early Miocene Globigerinoides bisphericus Partial Range Subzone (M4b). The appearance of O. suturalis at the base of Subzone M5b represents the final stage of evolution of the Globigerinoides trilobus–Praeorbulina–Orbulina Lineage. In addition, the calcareous nannoplankton assemblages indicate the Sphenolithus heteromorphus Zone (NN5) and the Helicosphaera ampliaperta Zone (NN4). These biozones are well correlatable with those established by El-Heiny and Martini (1981, Geol Mediterr. Tome, VIII(2): 101–108) from the southwestern flank of the Gulf of Suez.

Bio- and Sequence Stratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous – Palaeogene rocks, East Bahariya Concession, Western Desert, Egypt

This work deals with the plankton stratigraphy of the subsurface Upper Cretaceous-Palaeogene succession of theEast Bahariya Concession based on planktonic foraminifera and calcareous nannofossils. The examination of the cuttings from five wells: AQSA-1X, KARMA-E-1X, KARMA-3X, KARMA-NW-1X and KARMA-NW-5X is biostratigraphically evaluated. It is possible to identify the planktonic foraminifera as well as the calcareous nannofossil biozones. The analyses of calcareous nannofossils revealed the presence of several hiatuses. Information obtained from well data such as seismic facies analysis for the studied area has enabled classification of the Upper Cretaceous Palaeogene succession into five major 2nd order depositional sequences, separated by four major depositional sequence boundaries (SB1, SB2, SB3 and SB4). The Upper Cretaceous-Palaeogene succession in the East Bahariya is dividedinto 17 systems tracts. These systems tracts are: 7 System tracts of probable Cenomanian age, (the sequence stratigraphic framework as well as the cycles and system tracts of the Cenomanian Bahariya Formation match well with thoseof CATUNEANUet al., 2006); 4 System tracts of Turonianage, 2 System tracts of Campanian-Maastrichtian ageand 4 System tracts of Eocene age.

Campanian–Early Eocene Stratigraphy of the Southern Galala Plateau, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Several species of larger foraminifera have been recorded in the Campanian–Early Eocene succession of the Southern Galala Plateau. These species include Orbitoides media (ARCHIAC), Omphalocyclus macropora (LAMARK) in the Campanian–Maastrichtian rocks (Gebel Thelmet Formation and Sudr Chalk) and Fallotella (Fallotella) kochanskae persica HOTTINGER & DROBNE, Fabularia zitteli HOTTINGER, Alveolina pasticillata (SCHWAGER), Glomalveolina dachelensis (SCHWAGER), Miscellanea rhomboidea KUSS & LEPPIG and Nummulites cf. subramondi DE LA HARPE in the Palaeocene–Early Eocene sediments (Southern Galala Formation). There are also a few intervals yielding planktonic species that significantly contributed to the determination of the age assignment for the larger foraminifera. These species include: Globigerina triloculinoides PLUMMER, Morozovella uncinata (BOLLI), Morozovella trinidadensis (BOLLI), Morozovella cf. conicotruncata (SUBBOTINA), Morozovella angulata (WHITE), Planorotalites pseudomenardii (BOLLI) and Acarinina primitiva (FINLAY). These planktonic species placed the Glomalveolina dachelensis (SCHWAGER) zone as being older than the Morozovella angulata (WHITE) zone (Early–Middle Palaeocene). The occurrence of the algae Ethelia alba (PFENDER) and Neomeris plagnensis DELOFFRE further supports the referred age.

Eocene larger foraminifera from Helwan, Greater Cairo, Egypt

Abstract The larger foraminifera of the Eocene succession exposed in Helwan area to the south of Cairo have been recorded and studied. The distribution of the different larger species yielded from the studied sections shows that it is possible to subdivide the stratigraphic sequence into four local biostratigraphic units from top to base as follows: Nummulites sp.gr. incrassatus De La Harpe , Nummulites sp. cf. beaumonti, Nummulites aff. pulchellus, Nummulites bullatus, and Nummulites bartovigatus, Dictyoconus egyptiensis Assemblage Zones. The identification of Nummulites gizehensis ( Forskal ), described from Helwan area is uncertain; it is identified as Nummulites bartovigatus Boukhary and Hussein n.sp. and also found in Abu Shama section which lies 30 km to the east of Helwan and it belongs to N. laevigatus group. It is worth mentioning that the biofacies yielded from Helwan resembles that recorded from the Eastern Desert facies during the Bartonian rather than that known from Gebel Mokattam.

Early Eocene Nummulitids from Gebel Umm Russeies, El Galala El Bahariya, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Seven larger foraminiferal species: Nummulites aff. nemkovi SCHAUB, 1966, Nummulites partschi DE LA HARPE, 1880, Nummulites bassiounii BOUKHARY & BLONDEAU, 1991, Nummulites cf. campesinus SCHAUB, 1966, Assilina aff. major HEIM, 1908, Decrouezina aegyptiaca Boukhary, 1994 and Operculina sp. are described from the Early Eocene Gebel Umm Russeies, Northern Galala, Eastern Desert, Egypt. These taxa are biostratigraphically evaluated and according to the standard shallow benthic zones, the identified biozones span SBZ 10 to SBZ 12 in the shallow benthic zones (SBZ) of SERRA-KIEL et al. (1998) which are assigned to the Late Ypresian.

Lineage of Arxina schwageri (Silvestri, 1928) new genus (Nummulitacea) from Middle Eocene of Egypt and Sultanate of Oman

Four species, Arxina parva (Douville, 1930), Arxina cf. schwageri (Silvestri, 1928) A. schwageri (Silvestri, 1928) and Arxina sp. cf. alpina (Douville, 1916) assigned to the newly erected genus Arxina, are recorded from the Middle Eocene of Egypt and Sultanate of Oman. The phylogenetic trend of these species exhibits a progressive increase in the size, a flattening of the test and a general trend of the coalescence of granules which become smaller in size.

Late Cenomanian ostracode faunas from the area south of Ain Sukhna, western side of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt

Study of ostracode faunas from a Cenomanian exposure represented by the Galala Formation in the area south of the town Ain Sukhna on the western side of the Gulf of Suez has yielded 11 species belonging to 10 genera. The recorded species have been taxonomically described, discussed where required, and illustrated. The ostracode assemblage is characteristic for the late Cenomanian. It is composed of taxa of a typical marine shelf setting. The majority of the recorded species have a vastly extending geographic distribution in the areas along the southern shores of the Tethys, indicating the absence of significant geographic barriers along this stretch during the late Cenomanian.

Bio-seismic and sequence stratigraphy of the Neogene of the Northwest Damietta Concession, Nile Delta, Egypt

The stratigraphic framework of the Neogene sequence drilled by two offshore wells located in the north-eastern shore of the Nile Delta (the wells Sekhmet-1 and Sekhmet-2) has been established. The lithostratigraphic units with their sequences, from older to younger, are as follows: the Sidi Salim Formation (including Sr1 SB, Sr2 SB, Sr2 MFS, Sr3 SB and Sr3 MFS), a sequence representing the uppermost part of the Sidi Salim and most of the lower part of the Qawasim Formations (including Tor 1.1 SB, Tor 1.2 SB, Tor 1.3 SB, Tor 1.4 SB and ?Tor 2 SB), a sequence representing the uppermost part of Qawasim and the lower part of the Abu Madi Formations (including ?Me1 SB, Me2 SB and Me2 MFS), the Kafr El Sheikh Formation (including alternatively Za 1 and 2 SB and MFS and Ge 1 SB and MFS), the El Wastani Formation (including Ge 2 SB and MFS) and a Quaternary sequence represented by the topmost part of El Wastani and Mit Ghamr/Bilqas Formation (including alternatively ?Cala 1 and 2 SB and MFS and ?Io 2 SB). The lower part of the Qawasim in well Sekhmet-2 includes two LST: Tor 2 LST and Me 1 LST.

What is Nummulites depressus Kenawy 1978? Evolution of Nummulites fabianii group in the Middle Eocene of Egypt

New species Nummulites vetustufabianiin. sp. is described from the El Hamra Formation, Gara El Hamra section Bahariya Oasis Western Desert. The biometrical measurements include maximum and minimum diameter of the successive radii and heights of whorls, length/height ratio, number of chambers and the marginal cord thickness of each whorl for the megalospheric generation as well as the diameter of proloculus were elaborated to differentiate between some allied granulated species such as Nummulites depressus, Nummulites decrouezae, Nummulites cuvillieri and N. vetustufabianiin. sp.Nummulites fabianii group has lateral distribution for the entire Tethys basin, hence such biometrical studies are needed to emphasise the polyphyletic nature of the group.