Facies Analysis and Sequence Stratigraphy of Missole Outcrops: N’Kapa Formation of the South-Eastern Edge of Douala Sub-Basin (Cameroon)

Abstract

Missole facies description and sequence stratigraphy analysis allow a new proposal of depositional environments of the Douala sub-basin eastern part. The sediments of Missole outcrops (N'kapa Formation) correspond to fluvial/tidal channel to shallow shelf deposits with in some place embayment deposits within a warm and semi-arid climate. Integrated sedimentologic, palynologic and mineralogical data document a comprehensive sequence stratigraphy of this part of the Douala sub-basin. Five facies associations occur: (1) facies association I is characterized by Floodplain deposits; (2) facies association II is Fluvial to mouth bar deposits; (3) facies association III characterise Shallow Shelf deposits; (4) facies association IV represents Distal bay or Lacustrine déposits; and (5) Facies association V is made of Fluvial channel deposits. Six depositional sequences were identified. These sequences are composed of four progradational sequences and two retrogradational sequences containing a fluvial channel portion represented by lag deposits at the base of retrogradational sequences. These deposits represent the outset of the relative sea level rise period. In the study area, the N'kapa Formation is composed of non-marine/coastal aggradational deposits representing the early stage of the regressive period. The occurrence of the estuarine/bay deposits with paleosols development is interpreted as evidence of climate change with significant relative base level fluctuation. The study of key minerals associated to sequence stratigraphy as well as palynology demonstrated that sequence architecture has been controlled mostly by climate evolution and outcrops are dated Paleocene -early Eocene.

Age and paleo-environmental evolution of the Douala Basin (Cameroon) during the Cenozoic: insights from palynology and sequence analysis

“…Previous outcrops studies by Njike Ngaha (1984,2005); Ntamak-Nida et al ( 2008); Kenfack et al (2012); Njoh et al (2013); Oliver and Petters (2013);Mfayakouo et al (2014);Ngon et al (2015); Kwetche et al (2018) allow the correlation with the foregoing formations with the present study aimed at replacing the Missole I and the Dibamba outcrops in this stratigraphic context.…”

“…We also compared our results to the existing works in Cameroon (e.g. Salard-Chbolfaeff, 1977, 1979, 1981Mbesse et al, 2012;Mbesse, 2013;Ngon et al, 2015;Kwetche et al, 2018), neighboring basins e.g. Nigeria, Benin and Ghana (Germeraad et al, 1968;Van Hoeken-Klinkenberg, 1966;Atta-Peters and Salami, 2004b;Bio-Lokoto et al, 1998;Chiaghanam et al, 2012;Okechukwu and Obianuji, 2016), as well as in the northern and southern American basins (e.g.…”

“…The Missole I sediment was deposited in delta plain environment (Mfayakouo Chavom et al, 2014). The palynomorph assemblages A identified in the samples from this unit is Paleogene in age (see Ngon et al, 2015;Kwetche et al, 2018). Among the fossil assemblages in this unit, the dominant are Spinizonocolpites baculatus, Proxapertites cursus, Striatopollis bellus, Biretisporites triglobosus, Verrucatosporites usmensis and Gonyaulacysta sp, that are globally known to be associated with sediments that Paleocene to Eocene in age (Germeraad et al, 1968;Salard-Cheboldaeff, 1979;Bio-Lokoto et al, 1998;Atta-Peters and Salami, 2004;Chiaghanam et al, 2012).…”

“…(2014) ; Ngon et al. (2015) ; Kwetche et al. (2018) allow the correlation with the foregoing formations with the present study aimed at replacing the Missole I and the Dibamba outcrops in this stratigraphic context.…”

Shallow Marine Cenomanian-Turonian Benthic Foraminifera and Kerogen Type from Mangoule, Logbadjeck Formation, Douala/Kribi-Campo Basin, Cameroon, West Africa

“…As in most exploration basins, several key previous publications are known, which have contributed to the current knowledge of the tectono-stratigraphic evolution, biostratigraphy, and petroleum potentials of this basin: ([1]- [12]), amongst others. Only a few published works [11] [13] [14] are found in literature on the palynostratigraphy of this…”