Abstract: Sudanese Red Sea area is located in west of middle section of Red Sea basin.Only syn-rift stratum (Upper Oligocene-Pleistocene) occurs here, in which the Middle Miocene is a stably distributed salt layer, including two sets of source rocks of lower Rudeis formation and upper Zeit formation, forming the lower and the upper reservoir-cap rock assemblages. The former becomes the major target for petroleum exploration at present. With consideration of the challenges on the exploration in oversea offshore block, this paper proposes the exploration strategies of focusing on the lower section in shallow water area in first phase and stepping into deep water area in second phase.

Key words: Sudan, Red Sea, offshore, petroleum geology, exploration strategy