Paleoenvironments, source rock potential and thermal maturity of the UpperBenue rift basins, Nigeria: Implications for hydrocarbon exploration

The Upper Benue rift comprising the Gongola and Yola Basins in Nigeria cons ist of the Aptian-Albian Bima Formation, the Yolde Formation (Cenomanian-Tu ronian), Gongila/Pindiga/ Dukul Formation (Turonian-Coniacian) and Gombe Fo rmation (Campanian-Maastrichtian). To evaluate the maturity and source rock s potential, vitrinite reflectance, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and infrared spectr oscopy were carried out on 52 shale samples collected from boreholes, mine quarries and outcrop sections. In the Gongola Basin, mean random vitrinite reflectance (R-om) values range from 0.45% in the Gombe Formation to 0.69% in the Pindiga Formation and to 0.82% in the Bima Formation. Reflectance va lues in the Yola Basin also increase with stratigraphic age ranging from 0. 73% in the Dukul Formation to 0.94% in the Yolde Formation and up to 1.37% in the Bima Formation. Total organic carbon (TOC) values in the Pindiga and Gongila Shales are between 0.4 to 2.4% averaging 0.75%. TOC contents from 0.10 to 12.9 averaging 1.2% are contained in the Yolde Formation of the Yol a Basin. T-max values from the pyrolysis of shales in the Gongola Basin ran ge from 419 to 435 degrees C whereas for shales in the Yola Basin they rang e from 431 to 442 degrees C. Plots of HI vs T-max for kerogen classificatio n indicate the prevalence of Type III kerogens in the Gongila and Pindiga S hales although there are some indications of Type II-III kerogens in the Yo lde Shales of the Yola Basin. Our preliminary data suggest that Cretaceous successions in the Gongola Basin are thermally immature to marginally matur e whereas source rocks in the Yola Basin are thermally mature with respect to hydrocarbon generation. The predominance of Type III kerogens in the Gon gola Basin suggest their potential to generate gas in the deeply buried sec tions. The Dukul and Yolde formations with Type II-III kerogens may have ge nerated some quantities of oil and gas in the deeper non-emergent sections. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.