Journal of African Earth Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Mapping seismic hazard in Sudan: Characterizing epistemic uncertainty in a data-scarce environment","authors":"Mohamed Ezzelarab ,&nbsp;Khalda Yassin Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Sawsan Marouf ,&nbsp;Abouela A. Mohamed","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105990","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105990","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Characterizing seismic hazard in data-scarce environments like Sudan is a challenge dominated by large epistemic uncertainties. This study directly addresses this challenge by developing a comprehensive Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) whose primary objective is to produce national-scale hazard maps while explicitly quantifying the associated uncertainties. A robust logic tree framework was designed to systematically explore the full spectrum of scientific uncertainty stemming from a limited evidence base. This framework incorporates credible alternatives for seismic source characterization, maximum magnitude (Mmax), and, most critically, a suite of four modern Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) to substitute for the lack of local data. The results are presented not as a single outcome, but as a distribution of hazard levels for Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) and Spectral Acceleration (SA (0.2s)). While the mean hazard maps identify the Red Sea coast as the most seismically active region, a central finding is the quantitative characterization of the uncertainty itself. The substantial spread between the 16th and 84th percentile hazard levels transparently communicate the degree of confidence in the estimates. This study's principal contribution is therefore twofold: it provides the modern, scientifically defensible seismic hazard maps for Sudan, and it offers a robust characterization of their inherent uncertainty, a critical element for risk-informed engineering design and policy-making.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105990"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Petrogenesis and tectonometamorphic evolution of basement rocks in Kolme, Konso, southern Ethiopia: geological and geochemical constraints","authors":"Asmamaw Hangibayna Kussita ,&nbsp;Habtamu Wondem ,&nbsp;Muluken Fanta ,&nbsp;Gosaye Berhanu ,&nbsp;Talema Moged Reda","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105989","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105989","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Precambrian basement rocks of southern Ethiopia are part of the Neoproterozoic East African Orogen, a significant tectonic belt formed during the Pan-African orogeny. The high-grade metamorphic basement in Konso, southern Ethiopia, has not yet been thoroughly examined through geochemical studies. To elucidate the petrogenesis and tectonometamorphic evolution of the Kolme–Konso basement rocks, we conducted integrated fieldwork, petrographic analyses, and major and trace element geochemistry. Detailed field mapping at a 1:50,000 scale in the Konso region identifies hornblende gneiss, granitic gneiss, and metagranite as the predominant rock types, intruded by pegmatitic bodies. Petrographic analysis reveals mineral assemblages comprising quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, biotite, and hornblende, with microstructural evidence of overprinting by both prograde and retrograde metamorphism. Structural data document five phases of deformation (D1–D5), including penetrative foliations, folding, and shearing, all developed under amphibolite-facies conditions. Whole-rock geochemical signatures indicate igneous protoliths, with calc-alkaline affinities for the granitic rocks and transitional affinities for the mafic rocks. The granitic rocks correspond to I- and A-type granitoids, suggesting arc-related magmatism within an island-arc to continental-arc setting. In contrast, the mafic rocks exhibit trace and rare-earth element patterns consistent with derivation from a depleted mantle source, modified by subduction-related metasomatism and limited crustal assimilation. These findings underscore the polyphase tectonometamorphic evolution of the Konso basement and offer new insights into the role of southern Ethiopia within the geodynamic framework of the East African Orogen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105989"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Weathering processes and the role of combined chlorite-dolomite as main neutralizing agents of acidic fluids in the Cu(-Pb-Zn-Ag) Bou Skour supergene deposit (Eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco)","authors":"Julien Poot ,&nbsp;Remi Stanus ,&nbsp;Mohammed EL Azmi ,&nbsp;Augustin Dekoninck ,&nbsp;Lhou Maacha ,&nbsp;Gaëtan Rochez ,&nbsp;Mohammed Bouabdellah ,&nbsp;Johan Yans","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105981","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105981","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Cu(-Pb-Zn-Ag) Bou Skour deposit shows the distinctive feature of having its primary mineralization (hydrothermal events) associated with veins of chlorite, dolomite and quartz in Cryogenian and Ediacaran magmatic rocks. The deposit underwent weathering, leading to the oxidation of primary sulfides, formation/neutralization of acidic fluids, and the neoformation of secondary minerals, including carbonates, silicates, and arsenates. Bou Skour deposit shows a quite unusual neutralization process of acidic fluids occurring mainly within/around the chlorite and/or dolomite veins containing primary mineralization. Chlorite, rarely considered as a dominant neutralizing agent, plays a significant role in the formation of secondary minerals in Bou Skour. The dual neutralization (chlorite and dolomite), combined with the diversity of primary assemblages and the vein-associated fractures, strongly influence secondary mineralization patterns and sequences, leading to restricted oxidized zones where different parts of weathering profile merge and overlap. Understanding these mechanisms is essential for unraveling the mineralogical evolution of the deposit and estimates its economic potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105981"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evolution of the Suhum Basin of the Rhyacian Birimian terrane in Ghana: Insight from paraschist and orthoamphibolite","authors":"Daniel Kwayisi ,&nbsp;Susanna S. Boateng ,&nbsp;Naa A. Agra ,&nbsp;Solomon Anum ,&nbsp;Raymond W. Kazapoe ,&nbsp;Abigail E. Ayikwei ,&nbsp;Chris Y. Anani ,&nbsp;Daniel K. Asiedu","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105978","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105978","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We present petrographical and geochemical data of paraschists and orthoamphibolite from the Suhum-Akwadum area of the Suhum Basin, Ghana, to determine their provenance, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting, and discuss the crustal evolution of the Rhyacian Birimian terrane of the West African Craton. The amphibolite exhibits trace element signatures similar to those of subalkaline basalts. Two main geochemical groups are present: (1) dominant arc-rocks with negative Nb-Ta, Ti, low Nb/Th and high La/Nb, and (2) subordinate enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts characterised by moderate to high TiO₂, positive Ta and high Nb/Th value. These compositions are interpreted as formation in a supra-subduction zone setting. The schists are geochemically classified as shales and wackes and have &lt;60 CIA, &lt;70 CIW, moderate to high Al₂O₃/TiO₂ and Na₂O/K₂O, low SiO₂/Al₂O₃, La/Sc, and Ti/Zr values. These geochemical signatures are consistent with low chemical weathering intensity, immature to moderately mature sediments and deposition in an active continental margin setting with sediments sourced from greenstone and granitoid-gneiss complexes of the Rhyacian Birimian terrane. Therefore, the current and previous geochemical data confirm the presence of an arc tectonic setting in the formation of the metasedimentary basins of the Birimian terrane. The overall geochemical data suggest that the greenstones and metasedimentary rocks formed during an orogenic event related to an arc environment where subduction zone components contributed to the generation of their parental magmas and sedimentation. This finding is consistent with the onset of “modern-style” subduction-related processes during the Archean-Paleoproterozoic transitional period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105978"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mesoproterozoic orogeny in Malawi, part 1: Irumide Domain","authors":"Thomas Fullgraf ,&nbsp;Steven D. Boger ,&nbsp;Robert J. Thomas ,&nbsp;Alexis Plunder ,&nbsp;Kondwani Dombola","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105982","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105982","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Mesoproterozoic Irumide belt is a paired orogen comprising two contrasting segments. The northerly, Irumide Domain, is composed of reworked Palaeoproterozoic crust and Mesoproterozoic igneous rocks. To the south, the South Irumide Domain consists of an assembly of juvenile Mesoproterozoic arc-related crustal blocks. The suture between the two domains is a sharp tectonic contact marked by a sudden change in lithologies, magmatism and isotopic signature. This paper describes the northern segment where recent geological mapping and laboratory studies allow its precise delineation in Malawi, building upon the definitions established in adjacent Zambia and Mozambique. The Irumide Domain has been subdivided into the Mzimba, Kasungu and Mchinji subdomains. Each contains high-grade paragneisses that post-date the ∼2 Ga Ubendian orogeny. Two age-sequences are recognized; an older assemblage of paragneisses and quartzites considered to be high-grade metamorphic equivalents of the Muva Supergroup in Zambia, and including the Mafingi Group in Malawi. Detrital zircon data show that the other paragneiss sequence also contains significant contributions of ∼1100 Ma source rocks currently unknown from Zambia. These younger paragneisses, together with a suite of granitoid orthogneisses dated at ∼1080 Ma, provide evidence for a short-lived Mesoproterozoic active continental margin along the southern edge of the Congo-BaNy (combined Bangweulu Block-Nyika Subdomain) Craton. The first phase of the Irumide orogeny, resulting from arc accretion of the Irumide and South Irumide Domains to the Congo Craton, is dated at 1069 ± 9 Ma by local syntectonic anatectic melting in the suture between them. This was followed by closure of the Irumide Ocean and docking of the Proto-Kalahari craton from the south at c. 1045 Ma, which represents the main Irumide tectono-metamorphic event. Voluminous, syn-collision magmatism at c. 1040 Ma resulted from melting and assimilation of Ubendian-age continental crust from the Irumide Domain mixed with mantle-derived juvenile crust of the South Irumide Domain. Structural observations show that the Irumide Domain is sandwiched between South Irumide Domain rocks at the base of the tectonic pile and Congo Craton on top. This suggests that N-directed subduction of the Irumide Ocean beneath the Irumide Domain was followed by south-directed nappe transport during the collision phase. Our revised model of the Irumide Orogeny suggests that the main crustal architecture of southern Africa was established at the end of the Mesoproterozoic and is not just the result of the Neoproterozoic Pan-African, East African orogeny as advanced by some researchers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105982"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coastal processes and potentially toxic elements distribution in the western Moroccan Mediterranean coast (Fnideq–Azla)","authors":"Haitam Afilal ,&nbsp;Maria-Angela Bassetti ,&nbsp;Saida Bouzid ,&nbsp;Dominique Aubert ,&nbsp;Bruno Charriere ,&nbsp;Abdellah Trankil ,&nbsp;Bouchta El Moumni ,&nbsp;Ayoub El Bakkali ,&nbsp;Abdelhamid Rossi","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the distribution and ecological risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs: Cd, As, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn, Ag) in ten surface marine sediments along the western Moroccan Mediterranean coast (Fnideq–Azla). The results demonstrate that PTE transport and accumulation are mainly driven by continental inputs, marine hydrodynamics, and coastal morphology. Oued Martil represents the main contamination source, pollutants are transported northwestward by longshore drift and subsequently trapped by the Cabo Negro and Ceuta headlands, creating distinct accumulation zones. While the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) shows varying enrichment levels, ranging from uncontaminated (Cr, Cu) to severe (Cd at Oued Martil), the Pollution load index (PLI: 1.19–2.70) indicates widespread anthropogenic impact across the region. Martil is the main pollution hotspot, followed by Fnideq, Cabo Negro, and Azla. The M'diq fishing harbor shows moderate impact, whereas the adjacent M'diq coastline and Restinga remain the least affected. Ecological risk assessment (PERI) highlights very high risk near Oued Martil and considerable risk in the northern sectors of coastal headlands. The total toxic unit (ΣTU) exceeded 3 at most sites, with Ni contributing the highest toxic load. The biological risk index (BRI: 0.17–0.42) reflects moderate risk corresponding to an 11–30 % probability of adverse effects occurring on benthic communities. Except at M'diq and Restinga, PTE levels exceeded the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) safe thresholds. Our results surpass previous regional reports, marking this area as a critical hotspot with escalating contamination patterns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering the Cenozoic detrital record of the External Rif Belt (Northern Morocco): insights for the evolution of the NW African Margin","authors":"Juan Carlos Cañaveras,&nbsp;Manuel Martín-Martín","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105970","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105970","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the Cenozoic geodynamic, palaeogeographic, and palaeoclimatic evolution of the Moroccan NW African Margin through petrographic analysis of 18 stratigraphic sections across the Maghrebian Flysch Basin and the External Rif Zone. Detrital samples (comprising arenites and microconglomerates) are classified as quartzarenites, sublitharenites, and litharenites. These rocks are dominated by quartz and lithics, with scarce intrabasinal carbonate content. Provenance signatures reveal a polycyclic origin with the presence of low-to medium-grade metamorphic sources, likely derived from pre-Alpine orogens (African Craton, Pan-African belt, and/or Variscan mesetas), with contributions from plutonic intrusions. During the Oligo-Miocene, sections show increased quartz, particularly in distal foreland domains, reflecting tectonic uplift and enhanced recycling. Minor mafic input in the Intrarif/Mesorif suggests episodic oceanic crust or subduction-related volcanic contributions. Palaeoclimate proxies suggest moderate to high chemical weathering, with peak warming and aridity during the Paleocene-Eocene and Middle-Late Miocene intervals. Textural maturity ranges from well-sorted quartzarenites to submature arenites, supported by low content of feldspar and unstable grains content, suggesting a history of prolonged sediment transport, multicyclic recycling, and diagenetic overprinting. Comparative analysis with the South Iberian, North Tunisian, West Adriatic and Moldavidian- Scythian-Moessian Margins show inmature sediments in the internal areas, ultramature sediments close to the foreland and mixed succession of the two formers in intermediate positions. In particular, the South Iberian Margin shares quartz-lithic dominance but lacks metamorphic/plutonic clasts, whereas the West Adriatic Margin is characterized by persistent arc-derived volcanoclastics. These disparities highlight distinct geodynamic and palaeogeographic regimes across the Western Tethys during the Cenozoic. Our findings constrain orogenic recycling, sediment routing, and climatic feedbacks in the NW African Margin, providing insights for Mediterranean Alpine belts geodynamic reconstructions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105970"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145787842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mapping landslide susceptibility in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia, using geospatial techniques and multi-criteria decision-making analysis","authors":"Selemon Thomas Fakana ,&nbsp;Fekadu Fanjana Falta ,&nbsp;Megegn Mada Mano ,&nbsp;Elias Bojago ,&nbsp;Mekonen Shibru Gebremariam ,&nbsp;Mathewos Markos Fakana","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105991","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105991","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Landslides are among the most destructive geo-environmental hazards, posing significant risks to lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods. This study aims to assess and map landslide susceptibility in the Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia, using an integrated geospatial and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach. The input datasets were obtained from various sources, including USGS Earth Explorer, NASA POWER, and World Geologic Maps, and analyzed using ArcGIS 10.8.2 software. A total of fourteen causative factors were selected based on expert knowledge, literature review, and data availability, and categorized into five domains: topographical, hydrological, geological, anthropogenic, and environmental. Each factor was standardized and weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), ensuring consistency in judgment and reflecting relative influence on landslide occurrences. Results revealed that approximately 1.27 km² (0.04 %), 426.9 km² (9.78 %), 2731.43 km² (62.6 %), and 1203.53 km² (27.58 %) of the study region are highly susceptible, susceptible, moderately susceptible, and less susceptible, respectively. Areas with steep slopes, high rainfall, sparse vegetation, proximity to streams, and certain lithological formations were more susceptible to landslides. Validation using expert field observation at landslide locations and consistency ratios confirmed the reliability of the model. This susceptibility map provides crucial spatial information for planners, disaster risk managers, and policymakers to prioritize areas for intervention, early warning systems, and land-use regulation. The methodology also serves as a replicable framework for landslide risk assessment in other data-scarce and hazard-prone regions. This study presents a flexible, cost-effective, and scientifically robust framework for landslide risk mapping that can be applied regionally, particularly in data-scarce and hazard-prone areas. It advances local disaster risk reduction and mitigation, climate resilience, and sustainable land-use planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105991"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated geophysical and geological assessment of groundwater occurrence in the Dodoma region, central Tanzania","authors":"Uwezo Frank Mao ,&nbsp;Benatus Norbert Mvile ,&nbsp;Mahamuda Abu ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Sulungu","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105951","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105951","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Dodoma region of central Tanzania is a semi-arid climatic region underlain by crystalline basement rocks. Like other semi-arid zones, it faces acute groundwater scarcity due to erratic rainfall and over-extraction driven by population growth and industrialization. This study applies an integrated geophysical and geological approach to delineate groundwater resources and assess structural controls on their occurrence. By combining airborne gravity and magnetic data with geological mapping and borehole information, key groundwater-bearing structures such as faults, fractures, shear zones, and dykes were identified. Areas with low-density and low-magnetic anomalies, particularly in the southeastern and central parts, coincide with structurally deformed zones that enhance porosity and permeability. Topographic depressions and fault intersections were also found to facilitate recharge. The results confirm that a multidisciplinary framework improves the reliability of aquifer characterization in crystalline terrains. This approach provides a practical, cost-effective solution for groundwater exploration in semi-arid regions, supporting sustainable water resource management amid rising demand.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105951"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145659070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reservoir architecture, diagenesis, and compartmentalization in syn-rift gravity-flow systems: Insights from the Gulf of Suez Rift basin","authors":"Ahmed A. Kassem","doi":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2025.105955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Miocene Asl Member in the North October Field, Gulf of Suez Rift, offers a well-exposed case study of syn-rift slope-apron sedimentation, where gravity-driven depositional processes, Syn-depositional faulting, and diagenetic evolution combine to create highly heterogeneous reservoirs. This integrated study synthesizes detailed core facies analysis, petrography analysis, structural interpretation, and dynamic production data to construct a predictive reservoir model linking facies architecture to reservoir performance. The methodology integrates 230 ft of conventional core description, thin-section petrography, SEM imaging, porosity–permeability measurements, and historical production data from three wells (GS172-2, GS183-1, and OCT-J5) to ensure quantitative and reproducible interpretation. Three principal facies associations: Facies A: sand-prone gravity flows, Facies B: heterolithic debris flows and Facies C: carbonate-rich deposits establish a complex stratigraphic framework, vertically partitioned by diagenetic baffles and laterally segmented by active growth faulting. Diagenetic processes, particularly feldspar dissolution and pervasive carbonate cementation, amplify contrasts in reservoir quality, controlling porosity-permeability distributions across facies. Structural and stratigraphic compartmentalization govern distinct pressure regimes and flow unit behavior, reflected in differential production responses between fault blocks. High initial oil production is sustained from clean, sand-prone compartments, while water breakthrough and rapid decline are strongly influenced by intra-reservoir heterogeneity. The Asl Member case study enhances understanding of how sedimentary, diagenetic, and structural factors interact to shape reservoir performance in syn-rift settings, providing a methodological framework applicable to other tectonically active rifted margins. The multi-disciplinary approach presented here offers an effective predictive framework for exploration and development strategies in structurally complex clastic reservoirs worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14874,"journal":{"name":"Journal of African Earth Sciences","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 105955"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145735045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}