Abstract
Palynomorph species comprising 53 pollen, 7 spores, 2 algae and 6 dinoflagellate cysts were recovered from a section of well ‘Y’ located in the offshore western Niger Delta and were used for paleoclimatic deductions of the sediments. There was a dominance of the fresh water swamp species over the brackish, savannah and the rain forest types. Stratigraphically, four floral zones corresponding to inferred climatic units were identified. M2 floral zone, at the lower portion of the well, occurred between 8150 ft (2486 m) and 6440 ft (2147 m). It corresponded to wet and humid climate with periodic rainfall. M1 floral zone was between 6440 ft (1964 m) and4820 ft (1470 m) indicating a dry climatic phase in a high sea level stand. The P7 floral zone was also a humid climate in a sea level rising environment while the topmost floral zone between 4370 ft (1333 m) and3125 ft (953 m) was a fluctuating dry and wet climatic phase in a tidally influenced environment. A humid tropical climate characterised by alternation of dry and wet regimes occasioned by sea level changes and cyclic fluctuation in continental climatic condition is inferred from the analysed well that spanned through Late Miocene and Early Pliocene.Keywords: Floral zones; Niger Delta; Paleoclimate; Palynomorphs; spores; pollen
Highlights
Deltaic facies, typified by Niger Delta environment, have abundant palynomorphs whose occurrence does reflect variations of sediment provenance and the environmental conditions that supported the floral growth
In Nigeria, palynological studies had largely been conducted on the Tertiary Niger Delta on account of increasing exploratory activities resulting from the discovery of petroleum resources in the late
The present study presents identified palynomorphs retrieved from well “Y” owned by Chevron Nigeria
Summary
Deltaic facies, typified by Niger Delta environment, have abundant palynomorphs whose occurrence does reflect variations of sediment provenance and the environmental conditions that supported the floral growth. The abundance readily becomes a tool for paleoclimatic interpretation as the various morphophyte groups do reflect different vegetational species consequent upon climatic differences (Sowunmi, 1987 and Ivanor et al, 2007). In Nigeria, palynological studies had largely been conducted on the Tertiary Niger Delta on account of increasing exploratory activities resulting from the discovery of petroleum resources in the late. The few published papers are those of Jan du Chêne et al (1978), Sowunmi (1981), Odebode and Salami (1984) as well as Lawal and Moullade (1986). The present study presents identified palynomorphs retrieved from well “Y” owned by Chevron Nigeria
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