Cretaceous-Palaeogene palynology of the Keta-1 well offshore Keta basin, southeastern Ghana

Abstract

Cretaceous to Palaeogene miospores and dinoflagellates cysts have been recovered from the Keta-1 well, offshore southeastern Ghana. Based on marker palynomorphs (spores and pollen), four biozones (Biozones I, II, III, and IV) have been recognized corresponding with the Aptian, Turonian-Santonian, Campanian-Maastrichtian and Palaeocene-Eocene stages respectively. The palaeoenvironment is interpreted on the basis of the identified palynomorphs, in the light of their ecological preferences. It fluctuates from marginal, open marine (inner shelf) and swampy freshwater to slightly brackish water environment in a humid, arid/semiarid condition. The absence of the elaterospores is an obvious indication of the absence of Albian and Cenomanian sediments and thus the presence of an unconformity between biozone I and II. © IDOSI Publications, 2013.