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Desert Institute, Mataria, Cairo, Egypt department of Geology, University o f Kuwait and Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

ABSTRACT

The Nubian Sandstone Formation, which has a regional extension in Egypt and the neighbouring countries, is regarded as including the most promising ground water reservoir in the area. It is deposited on the surface of the basement rocks. The basement relief map, which is constructed on the basis of gravity data for the northeastern portion of the Western Desert, is analysed together with the drill holes information for determining the configuration of the sub-Nubian surface and its effect on the thickness distribution of the Nubian Formation as well as on the occurrence, movement and quality of ground water. It  is of interest to indicate that (1) the Nubian stratigraphic interval varies in thickness from less than 250 m to about 2110 m, being greater towards the north, (2) the aggregate thickness of the Nubian Sandstone section varies approximately from 100 to 1000 m, (3) the depth to the top of the Nubian Sandstones varies from about 250 to 3500 m, (4) the northward movement of ground water is restrained by El Bahariya-El Khatatba basement ridge as well as several fault systems associated with the ridges, and (5) ground water of good potentialities is expected in the southwestern portions of the area.