Abstract
Major oxides and trace elements analysis was carried out on ditch cutting samples of FE-1 well, Onshore, Niger Delta Basin, to define their oxygen condition, paleo-climatic conditions, provenance, tectonic setting, sandstone classification and maturity of the sediments. Sedimentological analysis revealed five main lithofacies comprising of sandstone, shaly sand, mudstone, sandy clay and sandy shale. Geochemical results indicates that the average value of silica (87.1 wt. %) is far higher than the average values of the rest oxides which shows the duration and intensity of weathering and destruction of other minerals during transportation. Bivariate plot of La/Sc versus Th/Co, Zr versus TiO2, and trace elemental ratios of Th/Sc, Th/Co, Th/Cr, Cr/Th, La/Sc establishes that the source of the sediment are from felsic rock. Different chemical classification schemes characterized the sediments as quartzarenite, lithic arenites and Fe-rich sand. The plot of Log (K2O/Na2O) versus Log (SiO2/Al2O3) and K2O/Na2O versus SiO2 all plotted mainly in the passive margin zone. The low average value of uranium content, trace elemental ratios of U/Th, Ni/Co, Cu/Zn, V/Cr and binary plot of Ni/Co versus V/Cr indicated an oxic environment of deposition. However, the binary plot of Ni/Co versus V/ (V+Ni) indicates oxic to anoxic condition during deposition of the mixed marine and terrigenous source input sediment. Binary plot of SiO2 versus (Al2O3+Na2O+K2O) designates deposition mainly in humid/semi-humid climatic condition. The samples studied have a much higher SiO2/Al2O3 ratio with low Fe2O3/K2O ratio, thus, they are mineralogically mature. The Al2O3/(CaO+MgO+Na2O+K2O) ratio inferred that there are stable mobile oxides in the samples. 
 Keywords: Major oxides, lithic arenites, provenance, tectonic setting.
Highlights
The Niger Delta is an essential sedimentary basin in Nigeria known to have major delta systems and utmost productive petroleum provinces worldwide
Tectonic setting of the Niger Delta Basin: Given to Whiteman (1982), the Niger Delta Basin clastic segment was formed along aulacogen that formerly advanced in the course of breakdown of the South American and African plates during the Tithonian Kimmeridgian to Early Cretaceous
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and LA-ICPMS analyses: Loss on ignition (LOI) results were determined from the total weight of sample by ignition at 1000 °Ċ for 1 hour using a robotic TGA system
Summary
The Niger Delta is an essential sedimentary basin in Nigeria known to have major delta systems and utmost productive petroleum provinces worldwide. The aim of this study is to infer the paleo-environment and paleoclimatic conditions, provenance, tectonic setting, sandstone classification and maturity of sediments during the deposition in the considered section of the Niger Delta basin. The fracture zone ridges divided the margin into individual Basins which form the boundary faults of the Cretaceous Benue Trough that cuts far into the West African Shield. The deltaic sedimentation come to be developed in the southern part of the Benue Trough that assembled in the establishment of the current Niger Delta Basin. Reijers et al, (1997), considered the Niger Delta to be the youngest among the chain of sub-basins in the Benue Trough.
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