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Integrated approach and insights into shale gas potential: Geological, petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical evaluation of the Khatatba Formation (Western Desert, Egypt)
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Mohamed I. Abdel-Fattaha, b, *, Hamdan A. Hamdana, Adnan Q. Mahdic, Zakaria M. Abd-Allahd, Nezar A. Hammouria, Sara M. Abuziedb
Petroleum Research | 2026, 11(2) : 415 - 430
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Petroleum Research | 2026, 11(2): 415-430
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Integrated approach and insights into shale gas potential: Geological, petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical evaluation of the Khatatba Formation (Western Desert, Egypt)
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Mohamed I. Abdel-Fattaha, b, *, Hamdan A. Hamdana, Adnan Q. Mahdic, Zakaria M. Abd-Allahd, Nezar A. Hammouria, Sara M. Abuziedb
Affiliations
  • aPetroleum Geosciences & Remote Sensing Program, Department of Applied Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE
  • bGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
  • cImam Ja’afar Al-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq
  • dGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt
Published: 2026-06-10 doi: 10.1016/j.ptlrs.2025.11.007
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This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the shale gas potential of the Middle Jurassic Khatatba Formation in the Obaiyed Field, Western Desert, Egypt, by integrating geological, petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical datasets into a unified workflow. The multidisciplinary approach allows for the identification of shale gas “sweet spots” and addresses critical operational risks associated with drilling and completion. Petrophysical evaluation indicates heterogeneity, with total porosity ranging from 6 to 12%, effective porosity between 4 and 8%, shale volume often exceeding 40% but locally decreasing below 30%, and permeability within 0.01–0.1 mD. Gas storage capacity is enhanced at depths greater than 3800 m, where free gas contents are significant and adsorbed gas reaches 1.5–2.0 cm3/g in Total Organic Carbon (TOC)-rich intervals. Geochemical analysis confirms that the Upper Safa Member is thermally mature within the gas window, with TOC averaging ~4 wt% and mixed Type II–III kerogens, while traces of CO2 (0.8–2.0 mol%) and H2S (25–80 ppm) raise concerns about casing corrosion and necessitate careful material selection. Geomechanical results reveal brittle intervals with high Young’s modulus and low Poisson’s ratio, fracture gradients ranging from 25 to 30 MPa/km, and maximum horizontal stress (σHmax) typically 1.2–1.5 times the minimum horizontal stress (σhmin), defininga narrow safe mud weight window. Seismic inversion delineates TOC-rich, low-impedance intervals as optimal drilling targets, while fault-bounded compartments highlight both opportunities for hydrocarbon trapping and risks of reservoir compartmentalization. The integration of reservoir quality (RQ) and completion quality (CQ) with stress and pressure profiles enables optimized well orientation and trajectory planning, particularly recommending horizontal wells perpendicular to σHmax in the lower Upper Safa Member. This integrated evaluation confirms the Upper Safa Member as the most promising shale gas target within the Khatatba Formation and establishes a transferable workflow for unconventional reservoir development worldwide.

Shale gas potential  /  Petrophysical analysis  /  Rock-Eval pyrolysis  /  Principal stresses  /  Geomechanical modeling  /  Seismic inversion  /  Khatatba Formation
Mohamed I. Abdel-Fattah, Hamdan A. Hamdan, Adnan Q. Mahdi, Zakaria M. Abd-Allah, Nezar A. Hammouri, Sara M. Abuzied. Integrated approach and insights into shale gas potential: Geological, petrophysical, geochemical, and geomechanical evaluation of the Khatatba Formation (Western Desert, Egypt)[J]. Petroleum Research, 2026 , 11 (2) : 415 -430 . DOI: 10.1016/j.ptlrs.2025.11.007
Year 2026 volume 11 Issue 2
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Article Info
doi: 10.1016/j.ptlrs.2025.11.007
  • Receive Date:2025-02-24
  • Online Date:2026-07-29
  • Published:2026-06-10
Article Data
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History
  • Received:2025-02-24
  • Revised:2025-11-19
  • Accepted:2025-11-23
Affiliations
    aPetroleum Geosciences & Remote Sensing Program, Department of Applied Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE
    bGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
    cImam Ja’afar Al-Sadiq University, Baghdad, Iraq
    dGeology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt

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Petroleum Geosciences & Remote Sensing Program, Department of Applied Physics and Astronomy, College of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, UAE. E-mail address: (M.I. Abdel-Fattah).
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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数

Family
属数
Number of
genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of
total species (%)

Genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of total
species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
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