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High-Resolution Palynostratigraphy and Palynofacies of the Upper Cretaceous and K/Pg Boundary, SE Sirt Basin, Libya: A Case Study

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Advances in Petroleum Source Rock Characterizations: Integrated Methods and Case Studies

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Abstract

Very rich, diverse and exquisitely preserved palynological material including dinocysts, sporomorphs, prasinophytes, acritarchs and freshwater algae have been recognised from the study of Upper Cretaceous-early Paleocene section in the C3-65 Well,  southeast Sirt Basin, Libya. Tens of well-preserved new varieties of dinocysts have been recorded and kept in open nomenclatures for the time being. Reworked Palaeozoic acritarchs and miospores are also recorded. Twenty-five stratigraphically and environmentally controlled palynomorphs associations are recognised and range in age from late Cenomanian to late Danian. Age determinations were based solely on palynomorph content for the earliest sixteen associations and on integrated palynomorphs and calcareous nannofossils data for the late associations. Based on integration of the recorded palynological components, the Etel Formation has been assigned to Late Cretaceous, late Cenomanian–Turonian; Rachmat Formation to late Turonian-late Campanian; Tagrift Formation to late Campanian-early Maastrichtian; Sirte Shale Formation to late Maastrichtian, and the lower part of the Hagfa Shale to Early Palaeocene,  late Danian age. Eleven main palaeo-environmentally, controlled palynofacies including brackish swamp, estuarine, aerobic and dysaerobic marine, very restricted marine, and fully open-marine conditions are recognised based on integration between the different types of organic matter components and their preservation on one hand, and on available nannofossil data across the K/Pg boundary on the other. The investigated organic matters are of good quality and quantity, but it is proved to be immature to marginally mature, whereas in the deeper part of the basin to the north of the study area is known to be mature to over mature and is thus a good source rock.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to express sincerest gratitude to Prof. David W. Jolley, Head of  Geosciences School, Aberdeen University, UK for his support and assistance throughout the course of my research. My gratitude to the National Oil Company (NOC) for their permission to publish this work. The author is deeply indebted to Prof. Rajab Elkhazmi, Prof. Salah El Beialy and Dr. Haytham El Atfy for their reviewing, fruitful comments and suggestions that improved the quality of this work.

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    Ali Daw El-Mehdawi

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  1. Geology Department, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Haytham El Atfy

  2. EXPEC Advanced Research Centre, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

    Bandar I. Ghassal

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El-Mehdawi, A.D. (2023). High-Resolution Palynostratigraphy and Palynofacies of the Upper Cretaceous and K/Pg Boundary, SE Sirt Basin, Libya: A Case Study. In: El Atfy, H., Ghassal, B.I. (eds) Advances in Petroleum Source Rock Characterizations: Integrated Methods and Case Studies. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16396-8_7

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