Palynostratigraphic and Paleoenvironmental Interpretation of Ore-1 Well, Onshore Western Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The study area is Ore-1 well and it is located on latitude 6° 03' 40" N and Longitude 5° 35' 44" The aim of this paper is to present the palynostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental mterpretation of Ore-1 well, onshore western Niger Delta, Nigeria. Forty-three ditch cutting samples were taken from 2,956.56 m – 3,14.68 m intervals of Ore-1 well and subjected to standard laboratory palynofacies analysis using the acid method. The recovered palynomorphs were examined under the CX41 Olympus binocular transmitted light microscope. The samples are made up of fine to medium grained sandstone and orange to dark shale. Four types of palynomacerals were identified namely: paJynomaceral l, 2, 3 and 4. Palynomaceral 1 (orange-brown or dark brown structured and unstructured higher plant materials) is more than 90% while palynomaceral 2 (structureless or structured materials of relics rootlet relics, stem, leaf and relics of algal) is over 80%, palynomaceral 3 (leaf cuticle and irregular relics of plants) is less than 30% and paJynomaceral 4 (dark blade, tube and needle like shape materials with cellular structured) is approximately 4%. Three interval palynostratigraphic range biozones were identified, namely: Verrucatosporites usmensis-Ctenolophonidites coastatus, Pachydermites diederixi- Spinicolpites echinatus and Grimsdalea polygonalis-Retibrevitricolpites triangulatus were recognized. The biozones were dated early to late Eocene based on the presence of marker palynomorphs and paleoenvironment of coastal- deltaic (lower delta and upper delta plain) was interpreted for the studied sections of Ore-1 well.