Geomechanical and reservoir modelling reveals promising Lower Cretaceous sandstone prospects in Egypt’s Shushan Basin

An integrated study of the Lower Cretaceous Alam El Bueib (AEB) sandstone reservoirs in the Shushan Basin, in the northern Western Desert of Egypt, has combined seismic interpretation, petrophysical modelling and geomechanical characterization to evaluate the subsurface and generate new drilling prospects. The research drew on data from five fields and their associated wells: APRIES-1X, SHU-2X, FUSTAT B-1X, BAT-1X and PTAH-1X.

The structural interpretation revealed a complex subsurface framework dominated by NE-SW trends, with NW-SE-trending normal fault systems dissecting the Lower Cretaceous succession. According to the study, these NW-SE structures are suitable for hydrocarbon entrapment in the Shushan Basin, a conclusion supported by the good correlation between the 1D geomechanical models and the Alam El Bueib depth structure maps interpreted from seismic data.

The 3D facies model depicted meandering sand channels within a floodplain facies setting, providing a depositional context for the reservoir intervals. This facies architecture was consistent with the petrophysical models, which highlighted pronounced contrasts in reservoir quality between the studied wells.

The petrophysical models for the APRIES-1X and FUSTAT B-1X wells revealed high hydrocarbon potential in selected basin reservoirs, with notable thickness and net pay, effective porosity of up to 34 percent, low water saturation of less than 50 percent, and low shale volume of less than 25 percent. These intervals were identified as promising reservoir sections with high effective porosity.

In sharp contrast, the PTAH-1X well exhibited poor reservoir quality across these units, characterized by high water saturation of approximately 90 percent and elevated shale content exceeding 25 percent. This contrast between wells underscores the lateral variability of reservoir quality within the basin and the value of integrated modelling before drilling.

Geomechanical characterization added a stress-field dimension to the analysis. The resistivity image log showed a breakout azimuth trending ENE-WSW within the reservoirs, specifically in the AEB-3E, AEB-3G, AEB-5A and AEB-5B intervals.

Based on this stress information, the study suggests that horizontal wells should be drilled ENE-WSW, perpendicular to the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax), in order to create a transverse fracture network and maximize reservoir contact. This recommendation links the geomechanical findings directly to well placement and reservoir development strategy.

The workflow demonstrates how combining seismic anomalies, petrographical analyses, petrophysical techniques and geomechanical characterization can be used to interpret the subsurface and understand the basin’s original framework. The authors frame the integration of these datasets as critical for evaluating the AEB sandstone reservoirs, and the resulting models identify both the structural trends that influence reservoir architecture and the intervals with the greatest hydrocarbon potential.

The study was published as an open access research article in the journal Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources on 21 October 2026. The published version was shared early to provide faster access to peer-reviewed, accepted research, and is subject to further edits before the final Version of Record. The work was carried out by Mohamed Arafat, Shu Jiang, Mohamed Fagelnour, Sherif Farouk and Khaled Al-Kahtany.

For operators in the Shushan Basin, the findings point to NW-SE fault-bounded structures as targets for hydrocarbon entrapment, with horizontal well trajectories oriented ENE-WSW to align with the stress-controlled completion strategy. The integrated dataset also provides a benchmark for distinguishing high-quality reservoir intervals, such as those at APRIES-1X and FUSTAT B-1X, from poorer-quality sections like those encountered at PTAH-1X, helping to reduce uncertainty in future prospect generation across the Lower Cretaceous succession.

Subject of Research: Integrated geomechanical and reservoir modelling of Lower Cretaceous sandstones in the Shushan Basin, Egypt

Article Title: Geomechanical and reservoir modelling of the Lower Cretaceous Sandstones in Shushan Basin, Western Desert, Egypt; implications for prospect generation

Article References: Arafat, M., Jiang, S., Fagelnour, M., Farouk, S., & Al-Kahtany, K. (2026). Geomechanical and reservoir modelling of the Lower Cretaceous Sandstones in Shushan Basin, Western Desert, Egypt; implications for prospect generation. Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-026-01263-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s40948-026-01263-y

Keywords: Shushan Basin, Western Desert, Egypt, Alam El Bueib, geomechanics, petrophysics, reservoir modelling, seismic interpretation, borehole breakouts, horizontal wells, Lower Cretaceous, hydrocarbon prospects