Abstract
Detailed fieldwork in parts of the Benin (Dahomey) Basin SW, Nigeria has allowed the recognition of sedimentary successions deposited in different continental depositional environments interpreted as fluvial sedimentation characterised by abandoned channels and subaerial exposure features. The lithofacies recognised are: conglomerates, debris flow deposits, very coarse grained sandstone, ferruginous cross bedded sandstone, siltstone, shale/clay and massive sand. The lithofacies were interpreted in terms of sequence stratigraphic elements with the recognition of sequence boundaries characterised by distinct facies dislocations and subaerial exposures. Four depositional sequences (DS I to DS IV) were identified. Depositional sequences (DS I) exhibited a complete regressive–transgressive cycle comprising LST, TST and HST, while DS II to DS IV were incomplete comprising of sediments interpreted as LST deposits. On the basis of the depositional facies and sequence stratigraphic elements, the sediments in the area of study are interpreted as predominantly of Ilaro Formation while fewer exposures are sediments of the Coastal Plain Sands/ Benin Formation. This observation suggests a re-interpretation of the Tertiary sedimentary successions, which hitherto recognised all the sediments in the area of study as Coastal Plain Sands.
Highlights
The Benin (Dahomey) Basin is one of the sedimentary basins located in the Gulf of Guinea oil province and straddles through four major countries, namely, Ghana, the Republic of Benin, The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Togo (Figure 1)
Attempts have been made by previous workers to study the Nigerian sector, what has become increasingly evident over the past years is that the Nigerian sector of the Benin (Dahomey) Basin is little understood, especially when this basin is compared with its contiguous Niger Delta Basin
The lithofacies indentified are: debris flow deposits, conglomerates, very coarse grained sand, ferruginous cross bedded sandstone, siltstone, shale/clay and massive sand. These lithofacies were interpreted as fluvial sedimentation characterized by abandoned channels and subaerial exposure
Summary
The Benin (Dahomey) Basin is one of the sedimentary basins located in the Gulf of Guinea oil province and straddles through four major countries, namely, Ghana, the Republic of Benin, The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Togo (Figure 1). The exposed sedimentary successions in the Nigerian sector of the Benin basin has been studied and presented in some published works [1] [2], none of these papers have applied the concept of sequence stratigraphy to decipher the sedimentary successions. The sedimentological characteristics of the exposed sedimentary successions are described and analysed together with their depositional facies. These depositional facies are related to their sequence stratigraphic elements with a view to re-interpreting the Tertiary sedimentary successions in the area of study. It is intended that the results obtained shall give a new insights into the depositional facies, sequence stratigraphic elements and their relationship to the Tertiary formations in the area of study
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