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Abstract The Nile Delta Basin straddles the present day Mediterranean shoreline and embraces the farmed lands of the onshore Nile Delta in its southern part and extends offshore till latitude 33°30‘ 00.00” N. About 70% of its areal extent lies offshore in water depths up to 2800 m. The basin overlies the passive margin of northeast Africa with depth to basement reaching 9 to 10 km. The onshore sector of the Nile Delta Basin is crossed by an E-W striking narrow zone (Hinge Zone) of down-to-the-north rotated fault blocks. This zone marks the transition from thick, normal continental crust in the south, to extended continental crust under both the northern onshore Delta and (probably) the entire offshore sector of the basin. The southwestern part of the Nile Delta Basin overlies the eastern extension of the Northern Egypt Basin, while its southeastern portion overlies part of the Syrian Arc province. The Nile Delta has become a major focus for gas exploration and production over the past decade following the recent discoveries in the offshore Baltim, Port Fouad and Temsah areas (Fig. 1) (EGPC, 1994). |