A Stratigraphic Discussion of the Tano Basin: From Shallow Waters to Deep Waters

Abstract

Over the years, several attempts have been made to reveal the stratigraphy of the prolific hydrocarbon bearing Tano Basin in Ghana. However, with over two hundred well locations drilled in the shallow to deep water seismic coverage, there is a need to build on previous stratigraphic knowledge using recent, relevant data and available reports. Thus, this paper reviews the stratigraphy of the Tano Basin from available well data and reports. This review produced a summarized chronostratigraphic framework showing the various lithofacies distributions with the sedimentation periods through geologic time. The lithic fill in the Basin is controlled by notable structural configuration, a result of the rifting events which typically gave rise to two major depocenters suites amongst other. The stratigraphy of the Tano Basin is underlain by Precambrian Basement rocks, followed by sedimentation from the Pre-Aptian to Recent, associated with notable undifferentiated stratigraphic gaps, as either hiatuses or unconformities. The authors recommend further studies to ascertain the provenance and depositional processes that geologically characterize some of the interesting revelations such as the localized Cenomanian calcarenite sediments, undifferentiated Aptian to Albian volcanic/ igneous intrusion amongst others to collapse or validate the diverse proposed hypothesis.