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Depositional Facies and Palynofacies Provenance of Clastic Deposits: Insight from Paleocene Strata in Southeast Region, Nigeria

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Abstract

Detailed sedimentary facies and palynofacies provenance studies were carried out on clastic deposits outcropping around the Awka area within the Imo Formation (Paleocene) of the Niger Delta Basin. Seven facies were systematically recognized based on the textural parameters, sedimentary structures and palynological constituents. Interpretation of the prevailing paleoenvironments, palynofacies provenance and depositional mechanisms were derived from the hydrodynamic controls. The sedimentary facies include shales, mudstones, siltstones, heteroliths, cross-bedded sandstones and matrix-supported conglomerates. The palynofacies showed preponderance of amorphous organic matter, marine taxa, opaque particles, with few structured phytoclasts and terrestrial microflora. These palynological microflora constituents are grouped into palynofacies association A and B based on the composition and proportion of the organic particles, stratigraphic position and paleoenvironments of the strata. Facies analysis indicates that the mudrock facies (e.g. shale, mudstone and siltstone) are deposits of deep marine depositional settings with terrestrial input while the sandstones mimic deposits associated with tidal sand waves in shallow sandy seas, braided river and tidally influenced distributary channels. The facies and palynofacies provenance model suggest dominance of terrestrially influenced shallow to deep marine environment evidenced from the abundance of amorphous organic matter and presence of gonyaulacacean dinoflagellate species, Glaphyrocysta ordinata, G. exuberans, and pollen of Proxapertites operculatus, Retitricolporites irregularis with other accompanying marine forms. In addition, the presence of texturally mature coarse- to fine-grained sandstones, variable sedimentary structures, internal bed geometries and nature of bedding are suggestive of tidally dominated shallow marine settings including distributaries channel network deposits.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the reviewers and journal editors for the painstaking, diligent and unflagging revision of the work. We are grateful to Mary Rosa Mystica, colleagues, and friends in the Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for their support, suggestions and encouragement.

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The authors declare that no funds, grants or other supports were received from any source during this research.

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  1. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Kingsley Kachikwulu Okeke, Obianuju Patricia Umeji, Chidozie Princeton Dim, Ogechi Clementina Ekwenye, Ngozi Augustina Ulasi, Ozioma Carol Uwakwe & Chioma Oluchukwu Maduewesi

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  1. Kingsley Kachikwulu Okeke
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  2. Obianuju Patricia Umeji
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Contributions

O.P.U conceptualized and supervised the study. K.K.O., O.P.U., N.A.U. and O.C.U. carried out the field work, laboratory analysis and the palynofacies provenance interpretations of the work. C.P.D., O.C.E. and C.O.M. are the sedimentology specialists who dealt with the depositional facies interpretation of this research.

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Correspondence to Kingsley Kachikwulu Okeke or Ngozi Augustina Ulasi.

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Okeke, K.K., Umeji, O.P., Dim, C.P. et al. Depositional Facies and Palynofacies Provenance of Clastic Deposits: Insight from Paleocene Strata in Southeast Region, Nigeria. Iran J Sci 47, 73–90 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40995-023-01411-z

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