• The Kharita Formation is composed mainly of sandstones with thin

•shale intercalations interrupted by thin rare carbonate interbeds.

•According 'to Barakat and Darwish (1984) the Kharita Formation encountered

•in the northern part of the Western Desert (Mersa Matruh area) overlies

•conformably the Dahab Formation' of Aptian age and underlies the

•Bahariya Formation of early Cenomanian age.

•The Bahariya Formation in turn underlies the Upper Cenomanian

•Abu Roash "G" Menber. In this connection, the Bahariya Formation

•encountered in wells drilled in the northernmost part of the Western

•Desert (Manura, Mersa Matruh and Burg El Arab wells, location map fig. 1)

•is mainly composed of sandstones and shales intercalated with limestone

•beds (Barakat et al., 1980). Whereas in wells drilled to the south of

•this area (Gibb Afia, Ghazalat and Betty wells) the Bahariya Formation

•is mainly formed of sandstones with shale intercalations.