Organic Characteristic of Some Black Shales of Egypt. [600674]

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Title: Organic Characteristic of Some Black Shales of Egypt.

Article Ty pe: Research Paper

Keywords: Safaga – Quseir area, Duwi Formation, Black Shale, Rock -Eval
pyrolysis, Total Organic Carbon, Production Index, Tmax, Gas
Chromatography, Carbon Preference Index, Pristane, Phytane

Corresponding Author: Dr. Mohamed M. Af ife, Ph.D.

Corresponding Author's Institution: Benha Faculty of Science

First Author: Mohamed M. Afife, Ph.D.

Order of Authors: Mohamed M. Afife, Ph.D.; Mohamed El Fakharany; Mohamed
Ghanem; mostafa Temraz, Ass. Prof.; Amr Abdel Aal

Abstract: Abstract
Twelve samples of the Black shale deposits of the Late Cretaceous Duwi
Formation at phosphate mines at Safaga – Quseir area, Red Sea, Egypt was
assessed by rock eval pyrolysis. The kerogen contained in the studied
black shale classified mainly as type I, type II, mixed type I/II and
some are type III. Most of the samples in Um Huetate , El Nakheil , El
Beida and Mohamed Rabah mines are very good source rock (TOC ˃ 2 wt%)
except two samples are poor (TOC˂0.5 wt%) in Mohamed Rabah mines. The
maturation of kerogen in the studied sample is immature according to PI
and Tmax. Representative bitumen samples were fractionated by medium
pressure liquid chromatography into saturated hydrocarbon, aromatic
hydrocarbon and polar compounds. The saturated hydroca rbons were
determined by gas chromatography (GC). The ratios of pristane/phytane,
isoprenoids/n -alkane and CPI, suggest that the most samples were
deposited in marine environments while some were deposited in terrestrial
environment. Also, these samples ar e characterized by immature level.

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65 Organic Characteristic of Some Black Shales of Egypt.
Mohamed M. Afife 1) *, El-Fakharany M.A 1), Mohamed F. Ghanem2), Mostafa G . Temraz 2), A.M . Abdel
Aal2)
1) Geology Department , Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Qaliobyia, Egypt.
2) Explorati on Department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute , Nasr City , Cairo, Egypt.
*Corresponding author: [anonimizat]

Abstract
Twelve samples of the Black shale deposits of the Late Cretaceous Duwi Formation at phosphate
mines of Safaga – Quseir area, Red Sea, Egypt assessed by rock eval pyrolysis. The kerogen
contained in the studied black shale classified mainly as type I, type II, mixed type I/II and some are
type III. Most of the samples in Um Huetat e , El Nakhei l , El Beida and Mohamed Ra bah mines are
very good source rock (TOC ˃ 2 wt%) except two sample s are poor ( TOC˂0.5 wt%) in Mohamed
Rabah mines. The maturat ion of kerogen in the studied sample is immature according to PI and
Tmax. Representative bitumen samples fractionated by medium pressure liquid chromatography into
saturated hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon and polar compounds . The saturated hydrocarbons
determined by gas chromatography (GC). The ratios of prist ane/phytane , isoprenoids/n -alkane and
CPI, suggest that the most samples deposited in mari ne environments while some deposited in
terrestrial environment . In addition, these samples characterized by immature level .
Key words
Safaga – Quseir area, Duwi Formation, Black Shale, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Total Organic Carbon,
Production Index, Tmax, Gas Chromatograph y, Carbon Preference Index, Pristane, Phytane
Introduction
Quseir – Safaga area is part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt along the Red Sea Coast, and it gained its
importance since six decades when the phosphate deposits of the Gabel Duwi Ra nge discovered an d
exploited. The region of study extends in a northwest direction along the western coast of the Red
Sea from Quseir to Safaga, between Latitude 25° 50' and 26° 67' N and Longitude 33° 45' and 34°
25' E , covering an area of about 500 Km2 Fig (1). The Du wi Formation extent over several hundreds
of kilometers , from the Western Desert up to the River Nile Valley, and in the Eastern Desert up to the
Red Sea Coast. Black shale is restricted with phosphate bed in the Upper Cretaceous and recorded at
the upper parts of Qusier Formation, Duwi Formation and the lower part of Dakhla Shale . Black shale
deposited in Quseir – Safaga land stretch and shoreline of the Tethys during Upper Cretaceous. The
present study, aims to analysis the black shale deposits of Duwi Formation of some phosphate mines
in Safaga – Quseir to evaluate their organic matter content, type and maturity of organic matter. This
will in turn provide information on their potential to generate liquid and ga seous hydrocarbon s.
Manuscript
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65 Geologic setting
The Re d Sea is a relatively young and active continental rift system that initiated in the Late
Oligocene –Early Miocene (Bosworth et al., 2005 ; Coleman, 1993 ). It formed in response to the
northeast separation of the Arabian plate away from the African plate, with part of the plate
movement taken up by opening of the Gulf of Suez rift during the Late Oligocene -Early Miocene (Joffe
and Garfunkel, 1987 ). Part of the extension was taken by the sinistral strike -slip motion along the
Aqaba -Dead Sea transform during Mid -Miocene –Quaternary time (Abdel Khalek et al., 1993 ; Morgan,
1990). In the Safaga -Quseir area, rotated extensional fault blocks expose p re- and syn -rift strata
together with large areas of the Precambrian basement, which form the Red Sea Hills on the rift
margins. The stratigraphic units of the Egyptian Red Sea at the area between Safaga and Quseir
consist of the following rock units from base to top as Fig (2):
1- Precambrian cryst alline basement (meta -volcanics, meta-sediments and granitoid intrusive
(Said, 1990 ).
2- Mesoz oic-Cenozoic pre -rift sediments.
3- Late Oligocene -Miocene to Recent syn -rift sediments.
The basement contains strong fabrics (faults, fractures, shear zones and dykes) oriented WNW, N NW,
NS and ENE. The basement unconformably overlain by a 500 -700 m thick se ction of pre -rift strata that
ranges in age from the Late Cretaceous to the Middle Eocene. The lower part of the pre -rift section is
the 130 m massive -thick bedded, siliciclastic Nubia Formation (Khalil and M cClay, 2009 ). This is
overlain by a 220 -370 m thick sequence of interbedded shales, sandstones and limestones of the
Quseir, Duwi, Dakhla and Esna Formations (Abd el Razik, 1967 ; Issawi, 1969 ). The up permost pre -rift
strata consist of 130 -200 m eter of competent, thick bedded limestones and cherty limestones of the
Lower to Middle Eocene Thebes Formation.
The Late Oligocene to Recent syn -rift strata unconformably overlie the Thebes Formation and vary in
thickness from less than 100 m onshore to as much as 5 km in offshore basins (Heath et al., 1998 ).
The lowermost syn -rift strata are dominantly coarse -grained clastics (Nakheil and Ranga Formations ).
These clastics are overlained by reefal limestones, clastics and evaporates (Um Mahra, Sayateen and
Abu Dabbab Formations). Late Miocene carbonates and reefs ; and the Pliocene to Recent syn -rift
clastics overlie the evapor ites in the coastal outcrops (Montenat et al., 1998 ).
Experimental
Black shale samples collected from Duwi Formation inside four mines ( Mohamed Rabah, Um Huetate,
El Nakheil and El Beida phosphate mines ) at Safaga – Qusei r area, Red Sea Coast, Egypt to avoid
contamination and other exogenic transformation. The weathering impressions on the samples were
brushed off , deried at 60oc and powdered to le ss than 2µm using sieving analysis. The samples were
analyzed by Rock-Eval pyrolysis which was described by (Espitalie et al., 197 7), as a rapid method for
characterization of kerogen types and determination of its maturity. A bout 60 mg of clean, derived

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65 and pulverized rock samples was pyrolyzed using Rock -Eval 6. The samples initially were heated at
300oC and following by programm ed pyrolysis at 25 min to 550oC in atmosphere of helium. This
procedure quantitavely determines the free hydrocarbon (S1) , which released at 300oC and
hydrocarbon released from pyrolysis of the kerogen (S2) at temperature between 300oC and 550oC.
The non -hydrocarbons release d during the pyrplysis recorded as S3. The temperature at the
maximum S2 peak (Tmax ), the total organic content (TOC wt%) , hydrogen index (HI)and oxygen
index (OI) are also recorded Table (1) . These analyses conducted at the Egyptian Pe troleum Research
Institute (EPRI ), Cairo, Egypt.
Bitumen Analysis:
Four shale samples were anal yzed by soxhlet apparatus for bitumen extraction. The extracted
bitumen is fractionated and separate to their c onstituents as asphaltene, saturates , aromatic an d
resins. this is done through a colum liquid chromatography using n-heptane , n -hexane , benzene
and methanol respectively (according to IP 143).The saturated fraction is isolated from bitumen are
analyzed with Varian model 3400 gas chromatography (GC) instrument fitted with a quardex 50
meter fused silica capillary column. The GC programmed from 40oC to 340oC at 10oC/ minute with 2
minutes hold time at 40oC and 20 minutes hold time at 340oC.
Results and Discussions
Organic Richness:
The organic carbon ri chnes s of the black shale samples expressed by the weight percent of TOC,
which give fast picture in the evaluation of sediments as a source for hydrocarbons production and
generation .
(Peters, 1986 ) presented a scale for assessment of s ource rocks used in a wide scale and is applied in
this work; a content of < 0.5 wt. % TOC as a poor source, 0.5 – 1.0 wt.% as a fair source, 1.0 – 2.0
wt.% as a good source and more than 2.0 wt.% TOC as very good source rock . Based on the organic
carbon c ontent sediment classified to the muddy rock containing TOC less than 1 wt%. , The black
shale has TOC up to 20 wt%, and oil shale contain TOC ranged from < 20 wt% to 50 wt% (Trabucho –
Alexandre et al., 2012 ). As shown in table(1) and according to (Peters, 1986 ; Trabucho -Alexandre et
al., 2012 ) Um Huetat mine represent ative 3 samples , TOC v alues range between 2.6 wt.% and 5.18
wt% with average TOC of 3.6 wt%, it is mainly very good source rock and called black shale. El
Nakheil mine represent ative 3 samples, TOC values range between 19.18 and 22.23 wt. % with an
average TOC of 21.12 wt. %, it is mainly very good source rock and called oil shale. El Beida mine
represent ative 2 samples, TOC values range between 11.45 wt % and 11.61 wt% with average TOC of
11.53 wt% it is mainly very good source rock and called black shale. Mohamad Rabah mine
represent ative 4 samples, TOC values range between 0.04 wt.% and 9.66 wt.% with average TOC of
2.88 wt.%, it is range from poor to very good source rock and called black shale and muddy rock.

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65 Organic Matter (Kerogen) Type
(Espitalie et al., 1977 ) Used the pyrolysis yield to differentiate between the types of organic matt er
by plotting the hydrogen index (HI =S2/TOC) versus the oxygen index (OI =S3/TOC) on a modified
Van Krevelen diagram fig (5) as follows:
Type I: mainly oil -prone organic matter with minor gas.
Type II: mixed oil and gas -prone organic matter.
Type III: mainly gas -prone organic matter with minor oil.
The Rock -Eval pyrolysis data Table (1) and the relationship between hydrogen index (HI), versus
oxygen index (OI) fig (3) shown that the type of organic matter at El Nakheil mine is mainly type I (oil
prone ) , while in Um Huetat e and El Beida mines are mainly of type II (oil prone).In Mohamed Rabah
mine organic matter type range from type I, II and mixed type II/III.
Organic Matter Maturation
(Peters, 1986 ; Peters and Casa, 1994 ) are used Tmax and Production Index ( PI= S1 / (S1+S2) ) from
Rock-eval pyrolysis as a good tool for evaluation the maturation of organic matter .
(Peters and Casa, 1994 ) used Tmax to divid the maturity of organic matter into : Tmax ˂435oC, which
indicate immature stage, Tmax between 435 -445oC indicate early mature stage, Tmax between 445 –
450 oC indicate peak of maturation stage, Tmax between 450 -470 oC indicate late maturation stage,
while Tmax ˃470 oC indicate over mature stage. The measured Tmax of the analyzed samples from
all mines occur in immature stage, (Tmax ˂ 435 oC) (Fig 4).
(Peters, 1986 ) referred to PI as a maturation indicator for organic matter present in black shale . He
referred to oil generation windo w (maturation stage) between 0.08 and 0.4. It is clear from Fig (5)
that, most of the analyzed samples are outside the limit of t he maturation stage. (Ghori and Haines,
2007) constructed a relationship between the maturation parameters Tmax and production index (PI)
obtained from rock – eval pyrolysis data to define the maturation of the existing sedimentary organic
matter. All the samples are present in immature stage not reached to maturation stage as shown in
Fig (6).
Generation potential
The generation potential of black shale is identified by using the sum of S1+S2 obtained from
pyrolysis analysis, it is known also as the genetic potential (GP), (Hunt, 1996 ; Tissot and Welte,
1984). According to (Hunt, 1996 ), source rocks or oil shale with a GP <2, from 2 -5, from5 -10 and>10
are considered to have poor, fair, good and very good generation potential, respectively. We used the
relationship between summation of (S1+S2) and TOC aft er (Ghori and Haines, 2007 ) to define the
generation potential of the studied samples . Fig (7) summarizes the source rock and oil shale
generating potential or potential yield obtained from diagram of rock eval py rolysis data (S1+S2) and
organic carbon richness data (TOC) after (Tissot and Welte, 1984 ). According to this relationship,
Duwi Formation at El Nakheil and El Beida mines have excellent generation potential or hyd rocarbon
yield (PY), it is vari ed between (134.4 and 163.7 with an average 151.4 mg/ gm rock) and (66.82 and

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65 67.58 with an average 67.2 mg hydrocarbon/gm rock) for the two mines respectively, and in Um
Huetat mine it is varied from very good to excellent generation potential or PY it is ranged from 11.95
to 24.76 with an average of 16.62 mg hydrocarbon/gm rock. Mohamad Rabah mine is ranged from
poor to excellent generation potential or hydrocarbon yield it clear that PY is ranged (from 1.8 to
59.55 with an average of 15.35 mg hydrocarbon/gm rock) .
Hydrocarbon products type index (QI).
This method is used for determining the type of hydrocarbons products (such as oil and (or) gas)
generated from a source rock or black shale by using the ratio of the values S2 and S3 derived from
pyrolysis analysis. According to (Hunt, 1996 ; Peters, 1986 ; Peters and Casa, 1994 ) the ratio S2/S3 is
propor tional to the amount of hydrogen in a source or oil shale rock and is an indicator of the
potential to generate oil and gas. As summarized by (Hunt, 1996 ), the hydrocarbon type index (QI) is
< 2 for gas -prone organic matter, > 5 for oil -prone and between 2 and 5 for oil/gas prone. The
results of the analyzed samples from the studied mines reflected that, oil and black shale of El
Nakheil, El Beida and Um Huetat mines are mainly oil -prone in which the values of S2/S3 are more
than 5. While in Mohamad Rabah mine the hydrocarbon products are range from oil, gas/oil and gas
Table ( 1). (Jackson et al., 1985 ) Used the relationship between organic carbon richne ss (TOC) and the
hydrogen index (HI) Fig (8) which is used to define the hydrocarbon quality. The occurrence of
different types of organic matter lead to production of different hydrocarbon types of vari ous quality
ranged from good oil from Um Huetat e mine to fair oil in most of the analyzed sampl es obtained from
the evaluated mines as El -Nakheil, El -Beida and some from Mohamad Rabah, whereas one sample
from Mohamad Rabah produce gas and some oil.
Composition of e xtracted hydrocarbons (Bitumen)
n-alkane
The gas chromatography analysis is performed on 4 extracted samples s elected from the studied
mines, on e from each. N-alkanes are an integral part of determining the source of the organic matter.
If the n -alkane distribution is unimodal, this indicates a single source of organic matter; however a
bimodal distribution of n -alkanes indicates a secondary source of organic matter (Peters et al., 2005 ).
The preference for odd n -alkanes comes from terrigen ous input. Contamination from higher plants will
show an odd n -alkane preference and an even n -alkanes preference usually implies aqueous input
(Peters et al., 2005 ). From the previous discussion gas chromatography charts of the samples from
the Duwi Formation indicated that, At El -Nakheil mine it did not produce high enough abundances of
bitumen to effectively determine whether the n -alkane distribution u nimodal or bimodal as shown in
Fig. (9A and 1 0A), but gas chromatography chart show humping, this reflect the biodegradation of the
present hydrocarbons. The carbon number distribution (Fig. 1 0A) indicated that, the extracted
bitumen contain a mixture of m arine organic matter in association with terrigenous input. In case of
El-Beida mine gas chromatography chart (fig. 9B) reflects that, n – alkane distribution (fig. 1 0B) is
bimodal and there is a biodegradation lower than that present in El -Nakheil mine, th is is reflected

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65 from the high intensity of the normal alkanes and it indicated also the presence of terrigenous organic
matter input. Gas chromatography chart and carbon number distribution of the normal alkanes
separated from Um Huetat black shale (figs 9 and 1 0C) shows unimodal carbon number distribution
toward the short chain, this indicated marine source organic matter. It reflects also that it is exposed
to biodegradation as indicated from the humping of the chart and decrease of the intensity of the
different components. At Mohamad Rabah mine gas chromatography chart and carbon number
distribution (figs. 9 and 1 0D) of sample No 10, show that the extracted bitumen is suffering from
biodegradation as shown from humping of the chart and it is unimodal tow ards the high molecular
weight. These features reflected the organic source is a mixture of marine and terrestrial organic
matter. The parameters calculated based on the distributions and the abundance of the n -alkanes as
well as ispronoids pristine (Pr) and phytane (Ph) of all investigated samples are presented in Table
(2). Carbon preference index (CPI) values are in between 0.730 and 0.866 is low Table (2). The
degree of Waxiness for the studied samples in Um Huetate and El Beida mines ranging from 25.10 to
25.90 Table (2) confirms low waxy nature and suggests marine organic sources. The degree of
Waxiness for the studied sample in Mohamed Rabah mine is 92.30 Table. (2) Confirms high waxy
nature and suggests terrestrial organic sources and in El Nakheil m ine is 50.67 (table 3) confirms
moderate waxy nature and suggests marine organic sources with terrestrial imputs (Peters and
Moldowan, 1993 ).
Pristane and Phytane
The Pr/Ph values less than 1.0 suggests that the conditions of deposition were reducing and The
Pr/Ph values more than 1.0 suggests that the conditions of dep osition were oxidizing (Huang and
Pearson, 1999 ) [22].The Pr/Ph ratios range from 0.228 in Um Huetate mine to 0.946 in El Beida mine
(Table 2) are less than 1.00 indicating the studied samples are deposited in reducing environment.
According to (Shanmugam, 1985 ) the relationship between pristine/n -C17 and phytane/n -C18 (fig 1 1)
is used t o define the nature of organic matter, depositional environment and maturation. The current
samples in this study are mainly marine algal organic matter in most current samples, deposited under
reducing environment, suffering from different degrees of biod egradation. Isoprenoid/n -alkane ratio is
specific also for maturity, but also gets affected by other processes, such as source and
biodegradation (Peters e t al., 2005 ). As more n -alkanes are generated from kerogen by cracking, the
ratio of pr/Nc17 and ph/n -C18 decreases with increasing thermal maturity of the sample. The pr/n –
C17 and ph/n -C18 ratios decrease with increasing maturity due to preferential gen eration of n –
alkanes. (Connan and Cassou, 1980 ) Considered , however, the pr/nC17, ratio to be sensitive to
thermal maturity for the same type of organic matter. (ten Haven et al., 1988 ) reported the
development of highph/n -C18 ratio ( ˃ 1) in immature oil and sediment extracts, while during
maturation the ratio eventually reaches values below unity. The samples in the suite show ph/n -C18
ratios between 0.234 and 1.717 as shown in Table (2) suggesting that samples are in immature zone.
However, it has to be emph asized here that the ratio is mainly affected by source input as well. El
Nakheil, El Beida and Mohamed Rabah mines with low values it is indicated highly mature organic.

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65 The authers believe the low values not related to maturation as indicated from rock e val pyrolysis data
and as Duwi formation is present at shallow depths, it is mainly related to nature of organic matter.
While with high value (1.717 ) is low mature from Um Huetat mine. The high value ( Table 2) of Pr/n-
C17, Ph/n-C18, and n -C19/n -C31 and lo w CPI values ( <1) suggest that sample from Um Huetat is
immature. However, the CPI values for El Nakheil, El Beida and Mohamed Rabah mines suggest that
these samples are immature due to the low CPI. Although the values of Pr/n -C17, Ph/n -C18, and n –
C19/n -C31are high Thermo -catalytic (petroleum generation) processes which act on sedimentary
organic matter after deep burial modify the n -alkane distribution so that no carbon number
predominance remains [18] this stage is not affected on the studied samples beca use they are
immature samples as indicated from thermal parameters obtained from rock eval pyrolysis data. The
CPI values for the samples in current study range from 0.73 to 0.886. These values suggesting anoxic
(Reducing) conditions at the time of deposit ion.From the relationship between Pristane/Phytane ratio
(Pr/Ph) versus carbon preference index (CPI) figure (1 2) according to (Akinlua et al., 2007 ), the
depositional environment and maturation of kerogens in the studied samples are mainly immature
deposited under more reducing environment.
Conclusion
Rock – Eval pyrolysis studies of studied samples from the phosphate mines at Sa faga – Quseir area,
Red Sea Coast, Egypt Show that the samples have fair to very good TOC. The studied black shales
grouped under type I and type II and rarely type III kerogen. Hydrogen Index versus Tmax values,
production Index and Tmax values indicated that most of the studied black shale samples fall with in
an immature stage. S1+S2 ratio versus Toc values indicate that black shales are fair to excellent
potential source rocks. The hydrogen carbon type index ( QI) indicated that most studied samples are
mainly oil prone except in Mohamed Rabah mine the hydrocarbon products are range from oil, gas /oil
and gas. Carbon number distribution shows that the studied bitumen samples deposited at marine
environment. CPI for the samples is low than one, which indicates immature stage. PR/n -C17 versus
Ph/n-C18, shows that samples deposited in marine environment under reducing condition. In addition ,
Pr/Ph versus CPI value indicated that the studied samples are mainly immatur e deposited under
reducing environment.

Acknowledgement
Benha university is acknowledge for submission of needed fund for the analyses and field trips of this
work and also Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute (EPRI) is acknowledge for permission to use the
Rock – Eval 6 apparatus , Liquid Colum Chromatography and Gas Chromatography (GC) in this study.

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65 References
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of the northwestern part of the Gulf of Aqaba. Geol. Soc. Egypt. Spec. Publ., No. 1, 409 -445.
Akinlua, A., Ajayi, T .R., Adeleke, B.B., 2007. Organic and inorganic geochemistry of northwestern
Niger Delta oils. GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 41, 271 -281.
Bosworth, W., Huchon, P., McClay, K., 2005. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Basins. Journal of African
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Fig. caption List

Fig. 1 Location map of the study Area.
Fig. 2 Summary of the stratigraphic sections of the northwestern p art of Red Sea coast (Khalil and
McClay, 2009 ).

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65 Fig. 3 Modified Van Krevelen diagram.
Fig. 4 Maturation of organic matters present in Duwi Formation based on rock -eval pyrolysis Tmax.
Fig. 5 Maturation of organic matter present in Duwi Formation based on rock -eval pyrolysis data as
production index (PI).
Fig. 6 Maturation potential of the studied mines based on rock -eval pyrolysis data Tmax and PI (Ghori
and Haines, 2 007).
Fig. 7 Generation potential of Duwi Formation in the studied mines (Ghori and Haines, 2007 ).
Fig. 8 The relationship between organic carbon richness (TOC) and the hydrogen index (Jackson et
al., 1985 ).
Fig. 9 Gas chromatography charts of the studied extracted bitumen samples (20, 16, 3 and 10).
Fig. 10 Carbon number distribution of the analyzed samples from the studied mines.
Fig. 11 The relationship between Pr/n -C17 and Ph/nC18 to define type and maturation of kerogen in
Duwi Formation (Shanmugam, 1985 ).
Fig. 12 Pristane/Phytane ratio (Pr/Ph) versus carbon preference index (CPI) depositional environment
and maturation of kerogen in Duwi Formation (Akinlua et al., 2007 ).

Table caption List
Table 1: Rock eval pyrolysis data of the analyzed samples from the studied mines .
Table 2: Ratios derived from bitumen analysis calculating from GC.

figure 1

figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Mine
Name Sample
Number
TOC Average
TOC Shale
Type
(Trabucho
–
Alexandre
et al.,
2012 ) [13]
S1
S2
S3
Tmax
PI
HI
OI Kerogen
Type QI Produc –
tion Yield
S1+S2

Um
Huetat 1 3.02
3.6
Black
Shale 0.23 12.93 1.17 409 0.02 428 39 11.05 13.16
2 2.6 0.32 11.63 1.6 427 0.03 447 62 7.27 11.95
3 5.18 0.39 24.37 2.73 412 0.02 470 53 8.93 24.76

Mohamed
Rabah 4 1.77

2.88 Black
Shale 0.14 1.66 1.68 421 0.08 94 95 0.99 1.8
5 0.04 Muddy
Rock – – – – – – – – –
6 9.66 Black
Shale 1.3 58.25 4.04 416 0.02 603 42 14.42 59.55
7 0.05 Muddy
Rock – – – – – – – – –

El Beida 8 11.61
11.53
Black
Shale 1.97 65.61 7.1 419 0.03 565 61 9.24 67.58
9 11.45 2.01 6481 7.75 418 0.03 566 68 8.36 66.82

El Nakheil 10 19.18
21.12
Oil Shale 4.18 130.2 8.17 418 0.03 679 43 15.94 134.4
11 21.94 4.05 151.9 6.79 418 0.03 693 31 22.38 156.1
12 22.23 4.5 159.2 6.54 418 0.03 716 29 24.35 163.7
Table 1

Mine Name
Sample No.
Cmax
CPI
Wax%
n-C19/ n -C31
Pr/Ph
Pr/nc17
Ph/nc18
El-Nakheil 20 C18 0.868 50.67 0.24 0.337 0.462 0.470
El-Beida 16 C18 0.881 25.90 3.87 0.946 0.357 0.234
Mohamed Rabah 10 C18 0.730 92.30 1.08 0.263 0.421 0.287
Um Huetate 3 C18 0.886 25.10 3.98 0.228 1.458 1.717
Table 2

Highlights of
Organic Characteristic of Some Black Shales of Egypt.
This paper deal with the most promising aggregates of Oil Shale
in Egypt and focus in the geochemical characteristics of the oil
shale to further recommendation of its use as alternative source
of energy.

Highlights (for review)