Palynological Study Of Igbomotoru - 1 Well Central Coastal Niger Delta Nigeria

Abstract The 127 samples consisting of 55 side wall and 72 ditch cutting samples from Igbomotoru-well in the Niger delta yielded some dinoflagellate cysts. Pollenspores foraminifera test linings fungal spores rare specimens of pyritized diatoms. The dinoflagellate cyst assemblages indicate an upper Miocene to Pleistocene age for the 11542 feet thick deltaic complex. The samples yielded 30 dinocyst genera and 53 species. The pollen and spore components included 32 genera 35 species and fungal spores. The deposits have been subdivided into beds of Upper Miocene lower Pliocene and Upper Pliocene to Pleistocene age. The palynostratigraphic subdivisions observed consist of four zones. Zone I at the base with a dominance of Spiniferites pseudofurcatus Zone 2 directly above dominated by Multispinula quanta Zone 3 dominated by Chytrioeisplaeridium sp and Zone 4 at the top dominated by Sumatradinium hispidum. The pollen and spore zonations consisted of verrucatosporites usmensis and Megastriatites howardii zones. Combined palynologic maceral and sedimentological date indicate that deposition occurred close to shore in a marine environment that became progressively shallower upsection.