Results of High-Resolution Aerogravity and Magnetic Survey, Onshore/Offshore Gulf of Suez, Egypt 1998

Bruce Howe
AOA Geophysics Inc, Centennial, CO

Carson Aerogravity Gravity, Division of Carson Services Inc, was contracted by General Petroleum Company (GPC), Egypt to fly a high resolution aerogravity and magnetic survey, located on the western coast of the Gulf of Suez. The survey was designed to cover several; old producing fields, with numerous, undocumented & abandoned wells. GPC required a new and inexpensive set of data to help in their effort to evaluate these fields, with a limited budget, for their eventual privatization.

A high resolution airborne survey was designed and flown to cover the above mentioned oil fields, utilizing a grid of primary flight oriented in a northwest/southeast and spaced a ½ mile apart. The tie lines are oriented in a northeast/southwest direction and spaced at one mile intervals. The flight altitude was approximately 1,500 feet above the terrain. The aircraft flight speed averaged 85 knots.

The objective for acquiring these data was to delineate and map the geometry of the basement-controlled, producing structures and their associated faults, which provided the trapping mechanism for the associated hydrocarbons. The second objective was to determine if the field(s) boundaries could be extended beyond the limits of the current production.

The survey was a success. The new data base did show that the fields in question could possible be extended and new drill sites could be added. The survey was instrumental in arousing GPC's management interest in the area and their decision to budget 1.5 million dollars to contract for a 3D,seismic survey.