PALYNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF GAIBU-01 WELL AND KASADE-01 WELL IN BORNO BASIN, NORTHEASTERN NIGERIA.

Abstract

The morpho-taxonomy of dispersed spores and pollen as well as dinoflagellate cysts of Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary palynomorphs recovered from ninety seven (97) slides prepared from the ditch cutting of a section of two wells (Gaibu-01 well and Kasade-01 well) in the Borno Basin, northeastern Nigeria were described. The aim is to carry out detailed systematic paleontology of the palynomorphs retrieved from Gaibu-01 Well and Kasade-01 Well and provide information on the paleoclimatic condition of the basin. Palynomorphs taxa recovered from the Basin were compared with those found in African and South American (ASA) region. The palynological assemblage recovered includes forty seven (47) genera, forty one (41) species and seven (7) indeterminate taxa in Gaibu-01 well and twenty two (22) genera, eighteen (18) species and four (4) indeterminate taxa in Kasade-01 well. The palynological assemblage is dominated by angiosperm pollen having sub-dominant gymnosperm and pteridophytic spores with very low dinolagellate cysts. Three palynozones were established in Gaibu-01 well. These zones are, from oldest to youngest: the Triorites africaensis assemblage zone (Albian – Cenomanian), the Oligosphaeridium spp. assemblage zone (Turonian – Coniacian) and the Droseridites senonicus zone (Santonian). Three palynozone were also established in Kasade-01 well, these are, from oldest to youngest: the Monocolpollenites sphaeroidites assemblage zone (Campanian), the Dinogynium euclaensis assemblage zone (Maastrichtian) and the Spinizonocolpites baculatus assemblage zone (Early Paleocence). Majority of the palynomorphs assemblages in Gaibu-01 well and Kasade-01 well were developed within a predominantly warm and humid climate. These assemblages are typical of the Albian-Cenomanian of African and South America (ASA) microfloral Province, the Turonian palynofloras of Brazil and Central-West Africa Province and the Senonian Palmae Province of Africa and South America (ASA) region