Palynological Characterization Of The Tertiary Offshore Emi-1 Well Dahomey Basin Southwestern Nigeria.

ABSTRACT- Palynological investigation was carried out on a sedimentary sequence of Emi- 1 well ranging in depth from 900-8000ft 247-2440m with a view towards determining the lithological sequence palynological zones relative age and paleoenvironment of deposition.Three main palynozones were identified these include Magnastriatites howardiiP680 zone characterized by quantitative base occurrence of Pachydermites diederixi and co-occurrence of Borteria sp Magnastritites howardii and Racemonocolpites hians dated Early Miocene Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveniP700 zone 2 characterized by assemblage of Crassoretitriletes vanraadshooveni Belskipollis elegans Verrutricolporites rotundiporus and Psilatricolporites crassus dated Middle Miocene and Echitricolporites spinosusP820 and Younger zone 3 characterized by co-occurrence of Multiareolites formosus Anthocerus sp and Nymphae lotus dated Late Miocene age. Paleoenvironmental deductions were based on the relative abundance of mangrove pollen to grass pollen presence of environmentally diagnostic dinoflagellates and incursion of freshwater algae into the setting. The paleoenvironment varies from fluvial swampy through marginal marine to open marine setting.