Potential field methods to investigate the source of hydrocarbon contamination in Sharm el-Maya Bay Area, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

Abstract EN

Hydrocarbon contamination in Sharm El-Maya Bay forms an eminent threat to the flourishing tourism industry in Sharm El- Sheikh area.

Chemical analyses of seawater, seabed sediments and surface soil samples indicate anomalously high level of hydrocarbon contamination in Sharm El-Maya Bay area.

Integrated geophysical survey using magnetic and gravity methods was conducted on the suspected area in order to delineate the source (s) of contamination.

The magnetic survey results revealed the presence of four possible sites of subsurface storage facilities.

Three of them have been confirmed by the gravity survey results.

Moreover, the gravity survey revealed the presence of north-south trending fault on the eastern side of the study area.

Detailed investigations using high-resolution geophysical tool, such as ground penetrating radar, are needed to get better imaging of the vertical and horizontal distribution of the subsurface objects in the study area before the excavation.