Palynological Analyses of Sediment from Niger Delta's Meren Oil Field Well 11: Indicating Age and Environment of Deposition

Palynological analysis was carried out on twenty (20) selected ditch cutting sediments collected from different depths (5130 ft – 6030 ft) of Well 11, Meren oil field, Niger Delta, using the non-acid method. The unwashed ditch cutting samples were initially rinsed to remove drilling mud and then dried at room temperature for 24 hours to avoid agglomeration or clumps of the samples during crushing. The ditch cutting samples were crushed to the size of 250 μm with the aim of exposing more of the sample particles to chemical processes, as well as totally separating all organic constituents. The analysis was done to delineate the age, depositional environment, maturity of the organic matter, and possible hydrocarbon accumulation. The analysis revealed the occurrence of Perchydemitites diderex, Retimonocolpites, Arecipites exillimuratus, Zonocostites ramonae, Monoporites annulatus, Psilatricolporites crassus, and Striaticolpites catatumbus. These forms indicate environments that are under terrestrial influence, as well as those formed with moderate to high organic matter inputs, usually deposited in a marginal marine environment.