Public Disclosure Authorized Annex 3: Geological Setting Study Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized - 1 - Egyptian ElEctricity transmission company pHYSICAL anD gEOLOGICAL sETTING FOR gEbEl El zEit – WEst saMMALUt TRANSMISSION LINE projEct, Egypt marcH – 2010, CAIRO 7 ﺷﺎﺭﻉ 6، ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺎﺩﻯ- 11431، ﺍﻟﻘﺎﻫﺮﺓ ﺕ: 3598588 – 3598599 - ﻓﺎﻛﺲ: 3782185 ﺑﺮﻳﺪ ﺇﻟﻴﻜﺘﺮﻭﻧﻰ: [email protected] - 2 - LIST oF CONTENTS Introduction 1- Location 2- Objective 3- Tasks 4- Accessibility 5- Scope of work PART: I – Gebel El-Zeit – Wadi Abu Had Region I- Climatic Conditions II- Regional Geomorphic Features III- Geological Setting III-A- Stratigraphy III-B- Structural Setting IV-Natural Resources: V- Water Resources VI- Natural Hazards VII - Man - Induced Hazards VIII -Environmental Impact of the Project PART: II – El-Galala El-Qibliya Plateau ( Wadi Tarfa ) I- Climatic Conditions II- Regional Geomorphic Features III- Geological Setting III-A- Stratigraphy III-B- Structural Setting IV-Natural Resources: V- Water Resources VI- Natural Hazards VII -Environmental Impact of the Project PART : III – El-Minia – Sammalut ( Nile Valley ) Region I- Climatic Conditions II- Regional Geomorphic Features III- Geological Setting - 3 - III-A- Stratigraphy III-B- Structural Setting IV- Natural Resources: V- Water Resources VI- Natural Hazards VII -Environmental Impact of the Project Selected References Appendices LIST oF FIGUrEs - 4 - 1- Topographic Map of the Northern Part of the Eastern Desert 2- Satellite Image of the study area 3- Topographic map 4- Mean monthly wind roses recorded at the stations surrounding the Gulf of Suez area , namelu ; Suez ( No. 450) Sudr ( No. 455) , El-Tor ( No. 459 ) and Hurghada ( No. 463 ) . After the Egyptianm Meteorological Authority, 1996). 5- Isotherm map of annual means of daily maximum ( A ) and minimum ( B ) air temperature in C , relative humidity in percent ( C ) and isohyetal map of annual rainfall in mm ( D ) (After the Egyptian Meteorological Authority 1996 ) 6- Geological map of Wadi Abu Had and Esh Mellaha areas 7- A- Simplified Geological map for the study area 7-B-Geological map of El-Galala El-Qibliya Plateau 8- Geological map of the Nile Valley area 9- The main faulting trends in the Gulf of Suez 10- Cummulative orientation and length of faults 11-Oil potential of province 3 in which the study area is located 12- Location map of Oil and Gas fields in the Gulf of Suez region 13- Wadi Tarfa Hydrogeological cross-section 14- Hydrogeological maop of the study area 15- The main basins and the type of the surface rock units 16- Wadi Tarfa Downstream 17- Wadi Tarfa network and some hydraulic parameters 18- Ras Gharib land use mp showing the risk zone areas (after NARSS, 1999) 19- Land sat – MSS composite image of Ras Gharib region (after NARSS, 1999) 20- The Drainage network of Wadi Qena basins (after Sultan et. al., 2005) 21- Sketch map of the structural aspects of the Nubia-Arabian Shield margin - 5 - in Northern Egypt and Sinai. 22- Epicenter distribution of varying magnitude earthquake focal mechanism of principle earthquakes and active seismic trends. 23- Sand dune encroachment in the West Sammalut area 24- The Site of West Sammalut Station 25 - Satellite Image showing the location of the route 26- Topographic map showing the location of the route LIST oF TABLEs 1- Annual average and minimum and maximum temperature - 6 - 2- Relative Humidity 3- Rainfall precipitation 4-Generalized Stratigraphic Column Gulf of Suez and Southern Galala Plateau 5- Generalized Stratigraphic Column of Southern Galala Plateau 6- Generalized Stratigraphic Column of the Nile Valley 7- The morphometric parameters of the main basins 8- Results of the hydrology model for Wadi Tarfa, Assyuiti, Qena and Hammamat. 9- The geographic co-ordinates and the type of hazards for each point list oF appEnDicEs A – Mineral Resources Map:- A- 1- Non Metalic Mineral Deposits and Occurrences in Egypt A- 2- Metalic Mineral Deposits and Occurrences in Egypt B- Risk Zone Maps:- C - Satellite Image showing the Drainage lines in Gabal El-Zeit – Esh El- Mellaha Range D- Indicative Geographic co-ordinates for the primary route 500 KV OHTL from Gebel El-Zeit to Sammalout INTRoDUCTION - 7 - Electric Power Transmission Line:- Electric power transmission or "high voltage electric transmission" is the bulk transfer of electrical energy, from generating plants to substations located near to population centers. This is distinct from the local wiring between high voltage substations and customers, which is typically referred to as electricity distribution. Transmission lines, when interconnected with each other, become high voltage transmission networks. In the US, these are typically referred to as "power grids" or sometimes simply as "the grid". Historically, transmission and distribution lines were owned by the same company, but over the last decade or so many countries have introduced market reforms that have led to the separation of the electricity transmission business from the distribution business. Electricity is transmitted at high voltages (110 kV or above) to reduce the energy lost in long distance transmission. Power is usually transmitted through overhead power lines. Underground power transmission has a significantly higher cost and greater operational limitations but is sometimes used in urban areas or sensitive locations. Egypt has a tremendous potential for the use of renewable energy technologies especially wind and solar power generation. Egypt's energy market is expected to grow by 7-8 % annually until 2010. Almost all the solar, wind and biomass technologies and applications have been demonstrated and field- tested in Egypt. The present work deals with the geomorphology, stratigraphy, litho-logical characteristics, tectonics and other environmental elements in the area stretched from Gebel El-Zeit on the Gulf of Suez to West Sammalut station. The total length of the transmission line is about 300 Km. - 8 - As far the Electric power transmission line stretches from the Gulf of Suez in the east to West Sammalut area in the west for about 300 Km., the line crossing three different regions i.e., the Gulf of Suez, the North Eastern Desert and the Nile Valley regions. Each one of these regions has its own physical and geological characteristic parameters which greatly differ from one region to another's. 1-Location: The study area is located in the stretch between Ras Gharib ( Gebel El-Zeit ) in the Red Sea Coast and along the southern boundary of El-Galala El-Qibliya Plateau and west Sammalut area in the Nile Valley ( Figs. 1& 2 & 3 ). 2 – Objectives: The main objectives of the present study are: To provide the basic physical and geological information's of the environmental conditions To identify the natural and the man-induced hazards that may affect the operation processes To identify the expected environmental factors which may affects on the routing line and to propose the effective mitigative measures. 3 – Tasks: It was necessary to carry out the following tasks: study the geomorphic , climatic conditions study the exposed rock units and the main geological structures that can affects the area . identify the natural hazards that may affect the project area Propose some mitigative measures to reduce or to minimize the impact of the expected hazards. - 9 - 4 – Accessibility: It easily to drive along the high way from El-Minia ( Sammalut ) in the Nile Valley in the west through El-Sheikh Fadl - Wadi Tarfa to Ras Gharib in the Red Sea Coast via Wadi Abu-Had . 5- Scope of Work: The present study, the physical and the geological of each region will be presented in the following three parts:- PART – I: Gebel El-Zeit – Wadi Abu-Had Region, PART – II, El-Galala El-Qibliya (Wadi Tarfa) Region and PART – III, El-Minia – Sammalut (Nile Valley) Region - 10 - Wadi Araba Fig. 1- Topographic Map of the Northern Part of the Eastern Desert - 11 - Wadi Abu Had El-Galala El-Qibliya Ras Gharib Sammalut Wadi Tarfa El-Minia Wadi Qena Fig. 2- Satellite Image for the study area - 12 - - 13 - PART - i gEbEl El-Zeit – WaDi abU HaD Region i – CLIMATIC CONDITIONS Generally, the climate of the Red Sea coastal belt is characterized by aridity typified by very low rainfall, high evaporation rate, high summer temperature - 14 - and vigorous winds with average 16.5 Km/h. The presence of the meteorological data is very important in planning national projects in the desert areas. The following meteorological features can be summarized. I-1-Air – Temperature: The temperature generally diminishes from October to January, and then raises continuously, the maximum being in April and the minimum in the last week of December and beginning of January. The average recorded temperature is 21.2 C. as a minimum and 23.1 C as a maximum (Table 1) during the summer. The minimum is -1.3 in St. Antony Monastery. Table 1:- Annual average & minimum and maximum temperature Temperature ( dc) Station Annu. average Maximum Minimum St. Antony 22.2 42.5 -1.3 Hurghada 23.1 43.0 3.4 I-2-Sand Temperature: The near-surface recorded temperature is 7 C as a minimum and 30 C as a maximum during December, 6 C as a minimum and 43 c as a maximum during March, and 17 C as a minimum and 58 C as a maximum during August. I-3- Ground Radiation: The minimum ground radiation recorded (temperature in vacuo) is 5 C during December and 6 C during March. I-4-Relative Humidity: - 15 - The relative humidity, in general, is 42 – 44 % during summer and 46 – 50 % during winter (Table 2). Table 2:- Relative Humidity Relative Humidity Station 06 U.T 12 U.T 18 U. T St. Antony 44 31 42 Hurghada ----- 52 --- I-5- Frost and Snow: Frost and snow were recorded far in the higher altitudes near the watershed. In the Red Sea Hills, such an occurrence is almost seldom, but water-bags are occasionally frozen on the mountain tops at night.