Integrated Fault Seal Integrity and Hydrocarbon Migration Assessment in Inverted Rift Basins: Evidence from Tethyan Margin Rift Basins and Global Analogs

Abstract

ABSTRACT This is an integrated, process‐based evaluation of fault seal integrity and hydrocarbon migration fairways within the Gindi Basin and Mubarak Sub‐basin of Egypt's Western Desert, and located bordering the greater Abu Gharadig Basin. These sub‐basins represent structurally characteristic examples of Tethyan Margin Rift Basins, where prolonged extensional tectonics followed by contractional reactivation has produced complex trap architectures with variable seal integrity. The sub‐basins are highly faulted and have an extensional‐inversion history, unlike the border Gindi foredeep basin, which is defined by thick syn‐inversion Campanian–Eocene sedimentation. Integration of a combination of 3D seismic interpretation, well‐log derived lithofacies mapping, fault juxtaposition analysis, burial history modelling, and geochemical data is applied in the study to appraise the structural and stratigraphic controls on trap integrity and hydrocarbon charge. The results show that fault seal quality is highly variable and is controlled primarily by lithological juxtaposition, fault reactivation, and relative inversion timing in relation to hydrocarbon expulsion. Vertical migration prevails in the Gindi basin, where reactivated Jurassic faults form conduits from mature Khatatba and Abu Roash F source rocks into overlying reservoirs. The Mubarak sub‐basin is a segmented, laterally oriented migration system, where hydrocarbons migrate along carrier beds into fault‐bounded closures such as Yomna and Karama. High‐potential exploration targets are Yomna South and Misaada East prospects, where favourable juxtaposition and source proximity contribute to trap viability. The study defines tectonic inversion's dual role in enhancing and compromising trap integrity and the advantage of combining structural, stratigraphic, and geochemical data in reducing exploration risk. Suggestions for future work include acquiring high‐resolution 3D and 4D seismic in structurally complex areas, applying QEMSCAN and innovative petrophysical tools to tight reservoir evaluation, and prioritizing drilling in areas of assessed seal integrity and mature source proximity. Comparison with global analogs from the North Sea, Zagros, and Neuquén Basin confirms the applicability of this workflow to structurally inverted basins worldwide. The insights gained extend beyond the Western Desert and are directly transferable to analogous Tethyan Margin Rift Basins and other inverted rift systems globally.