Cenozoic

Mesozoic

Information provided by geoscience team at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria --see About

Zeit Formation

Zeit Fm

Period:

Neogene

Age Interval:

Mid Tortonian-Messinian (Fig. 2 of Elkareem et al., 2022)

Province:
Sudan E

Type Locality and Naming

Red Sea coastal area of Sudan. Suakin-1 well, Tokar-1(St2) and Talla-1(St) wells (Eltayib, 2016; Eltayib et al., 2019; Eltayib, 2022)

Synonym: Upper Clastic Group (Yagoub, 2007)

Reference section: Yagoub, 2007; Eltayib, 2016; Eltayib et al., 2019; Eltayib, 2022

[Figure 1. Index map of the Red Sea showing extent of the Red Sea Basin total petroleum system (from Lindquist, 1998).]

[Figure 2. Syn- and Post-Rift Red Sea Stratigraphy - Oligocene to Recent (from Lindquist, 1998)]

[Figure 3. Pre-Rift Red Sea Stratigraphy - Precambrian to Oligocene (from Lindquist, 1998).]

[Figure 4. Index map of the Red Sea region showing generalized geology and discussed locations (after Mitchell and others, 1992, extracted from Lindquist, 1998).]

[Figure 5. Lithostratigraphic Column of the Study Area (Modified After Eltayib, 2016, from Eltayib et al., 2019).]

[Figure 6. Stratigraphic column for the Sudanese Red Sea, based on surface geology and limited coastal exploration wells (after Bunter, 1989). Extracted from]

Lithology and Thickness

The top anhydrite bed of the Zeit Formation is mainly represented by rapid intercalations between clastics (shale and sandstone) and evaporites (Halite and Anhydrite), that were deposited under lagoonal, deltaic environments with intermittent continental influence. The average thickness of Zeit Formation is about 1800-1900m. The Zeit Formation could be subdivided into three main members mostly separated by unconformity surfaces: Upper (shale with anhydrite), Middle (shale and siltstone), and Lower (thick evaporiate) Zeit members (Eltayib, 2016; Eltayib et al., 2019). The generated hydrocarbons from Zeit Formation source rock in the kitchen areas of the basins started to expel at time ranging from 2.6 to 5.7 My (Eltayib, 2022).

Lithology Pattern:

Gypsiferous claystone

Relationships and Distribution

Lower contact

Dunganab Fm

Upper contact

Unconformably overlain by Wardan Fm of the Abu Shagara Gr. "Based on seismic data, the top of the Zeit Fm demonstrates a regional unconformity surface" (Eltayib et al., 2019)

Regional extent

Red Sea coastal area of Sudan.

GeoJSON

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Fossils

Age

Late Miocene -- Mid Tortonian-Messinian (Fig. 2 of Elkareem et al., 2022)

Age Span:

Beginning stage:

Tortonian

Fraction up in beginning stage:

0.5

Beginning date (Ma):

9.44

Ending stage:

Messinian

Fraction up in the ending stage:

1.0

Ending date (Ma):

5.34

Depositional setting

Reefal (Yagoub, 2007)

Depositional pattern:

Additional Information

Compiler:

Enam O. Obiosio, Solomon Joshua Avong and Henry Nasir Suleiman (2024) - Stratigraphic Lexicon compiled from the following publications:

Bunter, M.A.G. and Abdel Magid, A.E.M. (1989): The Sudanese Red Sea: New Development in Stratigraphy and Petroleum Geological Evolution. Jour. Petroleum Geology, 12: 145-166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-5457.1989.tb00230.x

Elkareem, E.M.I.A., Osman, W.R., Ferguson, A.J., Warren, J.K. and Mohamed, N.E. (2022): New Evidence of the Holokinetic Sequences around Suakin-1 and -2 in the Sudanese Red Sea Area Using Integrated Geophysical Interpretation. International Journal of Geosciences, 13: 483-497. https://doi.org/10.4236/ijg.2022.136026

Eltayib, S.H.M.A., Abdelrahman, E.S.M., Ibrahim, A.S.M., Al-Imam, O.A.O.. (2019): Sedimentary petro graphic characteristics of Zeit Formation (Suakin-1 Well) in Sudanese Red Sea Basin. Int Jour Advanced Geosciences. 7: 10-17.

Yagoub, A.M. (2007): Preliminary sequence stratigraphy and tectonic evolution of the Tokar Delta, (Southern Sudanese Red Sea). Qatar Univ. Sci . J. 27: 85- 98.