Faghur Basin is one of the most important hydrocarbon provinces in
the northern Western Desert of Egypt. Some of the Mesozoic (Alam El
Bueib and Khatatba formations) and Paleozoic rocks at this basin were
evaluated as source rocks based on certain parameters including: the
quantity, quality and maturation of the contained organic matter.
PetroMode 1D software was used for the construction and prediction of
geological and geochemical models. Results from organic geochemical
analysis have clarified that the TOC, HI, S1, S2, %Ro and Tmax values of
Alam El Bueib source rock units range from 0.27 to 6.39 wt.%, 34 to
114 mg/g, 0.12 to 0.38 mg/g, 0.23 to 4.3 mg/g, 0.58 to 1.07 % and 409
to 450 oC, respectively. While for the Khatatba source rock these values
range from 0.41 to 30.09 wt.%, 27 to 155 mg/g, 0.1 to 0.53 mg/g, 0.15 to
26.41 mg/g, 1.02 to 1.09 %, 363 to 454 oC, respectively. As for the
Paleozoic source rock they are ranging from 0.53 to 4.83 wt.%, 52 to
136 mg/g, 0.06 to 0.4 mg/g, 0.29 to 6.57 mg/g, 0.97 to 1.1 % and 406 to
467 oC, respectively. Such results indicate that the Alam El Bueib source
rocks are characterized by type (III) kerogen while Khatatba and
Paleozoic source rocks are of type (III) kerogen with inputs of kerogen
type (II). Burial history analysis indicates that most of these source rocks
are mature and reached their maximum temperature at Neogene time.