Origin of two different deformation styles via active folding mechanisms of inverted Abu El Gharadiq Basin, Western Desert, Egypt

The Abu El Gharadiq Basin (AGB) is one of the largest Cretaceous rift basins in the northern district of the Western Desert of Egypt. The AGB underwent tectonic inversion in the Upper Cretaceous through horizontal shortening in the NW-SE direction. Detailed interpretation of seismic sections across discrete regions of this basin shows that the rocks deformed in two different depth-related deformation styles, which are partitioned across the base of the so called Bahariya Formation of Cenomanian age. The deeper, pre-Cenomanian rock units show contractional deformation forming tight folds and related fabrics while shallower, post-Cenomanian rock units display features of extensional deformation. These are essentially shallowly undulating open folds, associated with conjugate normal faults and tensional fractures. The deeper pre-Cenomanian tight anticlines pierce the upper rock units as diapiric-like intrusions that are seen on the seismic sections as hazy regions. We infer that the two different deformation styles above and below the Cenomanian rocks occurred simultaneously. The hazy regions on the seismic sections may result from lateral flow of shale rocks that give rise to chaotic structures near the anticlines. Mechanical anisotropy across the Cennomanian rock unit is inferred to be the main cause of simultaneous emergence of contractional and extensional deformations. Re-evaluation of fracture patterns of the northern rift basins in the Western Desert implies that the AGB originated in an extensional stepover region of a discrete, ENE-WSE trending, shear zone whose margins underwent inversions, developing two parallel thrust-dominated ridges, namely the crustal scale Kattaniya and Qattara-Alamein ridges.