New Insights on Potential Petroleum Systems in the Middle Benue trough of Nigeria

Abstract

Summary Previous studies have defined the shales and carbonates of the Albian marine Asu River Group, the Cenomanian marine Ezeaku Formation, and the Turonian equally marine shales, carbonates and coals of the Awgu Formation as potential source of hydrocarbon generation in the Middle Benue Trough with interbedded sandy and carbonate facies as potential reservoirs. While the Asu River Group constitutes a gas-targeted source rock, newly generated geochemical data show that the shales and carbonates of the Ezeaku Formation are heavily baked and overcooked leaving the shales, carbonates and coals of the Awgu Formation as the major potential source rocks. The generated data have contributed to significantly de-risk exploration for hydrocarbons in the Middle Benue Trough which are largely gaseous and align to current global energy transition to focus on gas as a clean energy source.