The regional structural setting, sedimentary basins distribution and mapping the local structures of
West Wadi El-Rayan area were delineated using potential field data. West Wadi El-Rayan lies as transit area between
well known two major prolific sedimentary basins in the western desert (Egypt) which are represented by Gindi basin
(Eocene basin) in the eastern side and Abu Gharadig basin (Early Cretaceous basin) in the western side.
The Bouguer gravity and the total magnetic intensity (TMI) maps were digitized and gridded in 1000 m grid spacing before processing. The reduced to the pole (RTP) map was produced. The radially average power spectra for both the Bouguer and the RTP maps were calculated. Five different filters (Band pass, Gaussian, Butterworth filters, vertical and horizontal derivatives) were applied to produce the regional and residual maps. The processed maps revealed that NE-SW and NW-SE are the two main trends dominating the structures of the studied area. Several basins have been delineated in the area where the depth to basement ranges between 1000 and 5000 m. By integrating the results from different techniques, an interpreted basin distribution map was constructed where Abu-Gharadig, Gindi, Alam-Elbuieb, and Natrun basins were delineated. The depth to basement using different automatic techniques (Euler deconvolution and source parameter imaging; SPI) was calculated and adjusted by 2-D modeling along selected profiles. Interpretation of the potential field data help in delineating the main major structures in the north western desert which were formed by Jurassic-Early Cretaceous NE-SW normal faults and Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary NW-SE compressional regime (wrench deformation with strike slip component). These are the two main trends dominating the structures of the studied area and define the expected sedimentary basins as Abu Gharadig, El Gindi, Alam Elbuieb , Natrun and Kattaniya high. The thickness of the sedimentary section was determined in each basin. Integrating the results from the processed magnetic and gravity maps, the depth-to-basement map and modeled profiles, an interpreted basin distribution map of the studied area was constructed showing different basin locations and their trends