BIOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENT OF GA-E WELL, NORTHERN DEPOBELT, NIGER DELTA, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

A total of twenty-four (24) ditch cutting samples from GA-E Well was provided for sedimentological and palynological analysis between interval of 9185 ft to 12440 ft with the aim of carrying out a detailed palynomorph biostratigraphic analysis of the well. The sedimentological analysis with sample description yielded lithologies that are shaly sand, sandy shale and shale. . The index minerals include quartz and carbonates. The sediments were treated in the laboratory to concentrate the palynomorphs and promote their microscopic observation. The sediments recovered from the sediment of the GA-E Well in the Niger Delta Basin were assigned Late Eocene age based on the co- occurrence of stratigraphic markers Monocolpites sp., Psilatricolporites crassus, Retibrevitricolporites obodoensis and pteridophytic spores which include Acrostichum aureum, Laevigatosporites sp., Verrucatosporites sp. and Polypodiaceoisporites sp. Palynological zonation of the well was based on the first downhole and last downhole occurrence of chronostratigraphically significant species. The sediments have been broadly assigned to the P480 and P490 palynological zones. The palynofloral analysis yielded a rich recovery of palynomorphs dominated by Laevigatosporites sp., Verrucatosporites sp. and Polypodiaceoisporites sp. The dominance occurrence of pollen and spores species such as Monocolpites sp., Psilatricolporites crassus, Retibrevitricolporites obodoensis and pteridophytic spores which include Acrostichum aureum, Laevigatosporites sp., Verrucatosporites sp. and Polypodiaceoisporites sp, suggests that the studied well was deposited in a predominantly Continental environment. It is suggested that more wells are drilled for exploratory and research purposes.