The palynological study of the outcrop Formations in parts of Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria has contributed to unraveling the palynostratigraphy and paleoenvironments of the outcrops through the use of diagnostic palynomorphs. The section is made up of carbonaceous shales, sandstones, mudstones and claystones. The conventional maceration technique for recovering acid-insoluble organic-walled microfossils from sediments was used to prepare twenty outcrop samples for palynological studies. The samples produced poor to fair diversity assemblages of palynomorphs. A total of 176 palynomorphs species were recorded, with 48% pollen grains, 33% spores, 12% dinoflagellate cysts, 5% fungal spores, and 2% microforam test wall linings. Based on stratigraphically selected index taxa recovered,age determination and correlation wereestablished. The samples from Imo Formation were assigned Late Paleocene-Eocene based on Psilatricolporites Crassus, Retitricolporites irregularies, Psilatricolporites sp. and Leiotriletes adriennis with the presence of Paleocene dinoflagellate cysts such as Lejeunacysta beninensis and Selenopemphix nephroides. Ameki samples were dated Early-Middle Eocene based on Proxapertites operculatus, Retistephanocolpites williamsi, Mauritidites crassiexinius, Monocolpites marginatus and Longapertites marginatus. Ogwashi-Asaba shale samples were assigned Late Eocene-Early Oligocene due to the abundant presence of Verrucatosporites usmensis, Laevigatosporites discordatus and Retitricolporites irregularis while Eze-Aku samples were tentatively assigned Paleocene because of the presence of two pollen index fossils Proxapertites operculatus and Pachydermites diederixi. Inferred depositional conditions suggest that Imo Formation was deposited in a shallow marine or near shore brackish water estuarine environment. The Ameki Formation was accumulated in a marginal marine or near shore, brackish water-estuarine environment in the upper deltaic setting. The Ogwashi-Asaba Formation was deposited in a progradational shoreline moving between the brackish water and fresh water deltaic plain. The Eze-Aku Formation was deposited in an upper foreshore fresh water environment. The palynological study of the samples are Paleogene Formations while the paleoenvironment is in a costal deltaic to shallow-marine environment and are appropriate for hydrocarbon accumulations and exploration.

Total organic carbon and Rock – Eval pyrolysis studies were conducted on seven (7) shale samples outcropping in parts of Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Niger Delta, Nigeria. The studies were done to determine the quantity and quality of organic matter in the shale source rock, and their hydrocarbon generation potential. Total organic carbon (TOC) values indicate poor to excellent organic richness with values ranging from 0.46 wt.% to 5.98 wt.%. The free oil content (S1) values range from 0.02-0.21 mg HC/g rock, (mean = 0.07 mg HC/g rock), while the source rock potential (S2) ranges from 0.08-1.09 mg HC/g rock with an average value of 0.45 mg HC/g rock both indicating poor source rock generative potential. The Hydrogen Index (HI) and the Oxygen Index (OI) range from 11 mg HC/g TOC to 59 mg HC/g TOC and 41 mg CO/g TOC to 74 mg CO/g TOC with an average value of 27.28 mg HC/g TOC and 55.71 mg CO/g TOC respectively. HI versus OI and S2 versus TOC cross plot results indicate that shale in parts of Ini Local Government Area contains organic matter capable of generating kerogen type III to type 1V which is gas prone.

Twenty ditch cutting samples composited and prepared at 80 ft from interval 4329 to 5892 ft of AA-1 Well in the Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria was studied and analyzed through the use of palynoflora assemblage of important diagnostic palynomorphs as well as their stratigraphic distribution with respect to a reference zonation scheme. This is to unravel the biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the studied section. A total of 226 palynomorph species were identified of which 31 represent spores, 153 pollen, 22 dinoflagellate cysts, 13 fungal spores while 7 are microforaminifera test wall linings. The diagnostic forms recovered permitted the zonation and dating of the analyzed section. The result of the section has been broadly assigned to the P520, P480 and P470 palynological zones. The upper boundary of P520 subzone was cautiously placed at 4300 ft, the depth of the first sample analyzed while its base is marked by Last Downhole Occurrence of Racemonocolpites hians at 4800 ft. Important species in this subzone are Racemonocolpites hians Retitricolporites irregularis, Verrutricolporites usmensis, Psilatricolporites crassus, Monoporites annulatus, Praedapollis flexibillis and Striatopollis catatumbus. The top of P480 is marked by base occurrence of Racemonocolpites hians at 4800 ft while the base is defined by the base occurrence of Cinctiporipollis mulleri at 5200 ft. The diagnostic species within this subzone are Proxapertites cursus, Spinizonocostites echinatus, Grimsdalea polygonalis, Polypodiaceiosporites gracillimus and Gemmamonoporites sp. The top of P470 is marked by the base occurrence of Cinctiporipollis mulleri at depth of 5200 ft which is the top occurrence of Verrutricolporites usmensis, while the base is tentatively placed 6000 ft. The diagnostic palynomorphs in this subzone are Psilatricolporites crassus, Striatopollis catatumbus, Retitricolporites irregularis, Retibrevitricolporites protrudens and Verrutricolporites usmensis. Based on the result from palynostratigraphy of the studied section, the Well interval has been dated Late Eocene to Early Oligocene. The depositional environment deciphered in this study range from transitional inner to outer neritic marine.