A new Late Miocene to Pleistocene palynomorph zonation for the western offshore Niger Delta
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Date
2015
Authors
Adeonipekun, P. A.
Sowunmi, M. A.
Richards, Keith
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Abstract
Existing biozonation schemes for the Niger Delta are mainly qualitative with zonal intervals too large to record subtle events. This has made it necessary to look for additional palynological events to enable recognition of shorter, more refined interval zones to improve stratigraphical definition. Hitherto unrecognised occurrence trends of palynomorphs were discovered and used to construct a new zonation scheme that can be applied in the offshore delta area. Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene sediments have been divided into five principal assemblage zones: FF1, Anthoceros abundance zone; FF2, Elaeis guineensis_Echiperiporites icacinoides zone; FF3, Lycopodium_Retibrevitricolporites obodoensis/protrudens zone; FF4, Cyperaceae abundance zone; and FF5, Echitriletes pliocenicus_Podocarpus milanjianus zone. The zones are further subdivided into 16 sub-zones based on quantitative events with some having finer subdivisions into (a) and (b). Examples of the zonations applied to three exploration wells from the western delta region are provided.
Description
Keywords
Niger Delta; palynology and palynostratigraphy; bio-zonation; palynomorphs; pollen and spores Miocene; Pliocene
Citation
Adeonipekun, P.A., Sowunmi, M. A. and Richards, K. (2015). A new Late Miocene to Pleistocene palynomorph zonation for the western offshore Niger Delta. Palynology 41(1): 2-16