Geochemical Journal, Vol. 40, pp.

227 to 243, 2006

Geochemical evaluation of the hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins

in Northern Nigeria

N. G. O BAJE,1* D. O. A TTAH ,2 S. A. OPELOYE3 and A. M OUMOUNI1

1
Department of Geology and Mining, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria
2
Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Nigeria
3
Department of Geology, Federal University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria

(Received April 25, 2005; Accepted November 9, 2005)

Sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria comprise the Middle and Upper Benue Trough, the southeastern sector of the
Chad Basin, the Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin, and the Sokoto Basin. Organic geochemical and organic petrologic studies
indicate the existence of potential source rocks in the Benue Trough and the Chad Basin, with coal beds constituting major
potential source rocks in the whole of the Benue Trough. The generation and production of liquid and gaseous hydrocar-
bons from coal beds presently is world-wide indisputable.
Although TOC values and liptinite contents are relatively high in the Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin, Tmax values and biomarker
data show that hydrocarbons are probably just being generated in the basin and may not yet have been expelled nor
migrated in large quantities.

Keywords: biomarkers, petroleum, coal, maceral, Benue Trough

ing of the South Atlantic (Fig. 2). Commercial hydrocar-

INTRODUCTION
Nigerias current national petroleum reserves asset
(proven) is put at 35 billion barrels of oil. Gas reserve on
the other hand has been estimated to be about 170 trillion
standard cubic feet. Current production of oil and gas in
Nigeria comes entirely from the Niger Delta onshore and
offshore. Some exploration campaigns have been under-
taken in sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria with the
aim to expanding the national exploration and produc-
tion base and to thereby add to the proven reserves asset.
Sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria comprise the
Middle and Upper Benue Trough, the southeastern sector
of the Chad Basin, the Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin, and the
Sokoto Basin (Fig. 1). However, these inland basins have
continued to frustrate the efforts of many explorers, prin-
cipally because of the poor knowledge of their geology
and the far distance from existing infrastructure (discov-
ery must be large enough to warrant production invest-
ments), and for these reasons, many international com-
panies have turned their focus away from frontier onshore
to frontier deep-water and ultra deep-water offshore.
The sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria are one
part of a series of Cretaceous and later rift basins in Cen-
tral and West Africa whose origin is related to the open-
*Corresponding author (e-mail: nobaje@yahoo.com)
Copyright 2006 by The Geochemical Society of Japan.
bon accumulations have recently been discovered in Chad
and Sudan within this rift trend. In SW Chad, exploita-
tion of the Doba discovery (with an estimated reserve of
about 1 billion barrels of oil) has caused the construction
of a 1070 km-long pipeline through Cameroon to the At-
lantic coast. In the Sudan, some giant fields (Unity 1 &
2, Kaikang, Heglig, etc.) have been discovered in the
Muglad basin (Mohamed et al., 1999). The major source
rocks and reservoirs are in the Aptian-Albian-Cenomanian
continental deposits of the Abu Gabra and Bentiu forma-
tions, respectively, which are similar and correlatable to
the well-developed Bima Sandstone in the Nigerian up-
per Benue trough. In Niger Republic, oil and gas shows
have also been encountered in MesozoicCenozoic se-
quences in the East Niger graben, which is structurally
related to the Benue-Chad-Sudan-Libyan rift complexes
(Zanguina et al., 1998).
Within the sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria,
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
through its frontier exploration services arm (NAPIMS)
has drilled some wells in the Nigerian sector of the Chad
Basin and only gas shows were encountered. The first
well in the Benue Trough region, Kolmani-River-1, drilled
by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company
(SNEPCO) to a depth of about 3000 m in 1999 encoun-
tered some 33 billion standard cubic feet of gas and little
oil (that has been the only well drilled by that company
in that area to date). Two other wells, Kuzari-1 and

227
Fig. 1. Sketch geological map of Nigeria showing the inland basins and sample localities (inset: upper Benue trough magnified).
Results from the Anambra Basin not presented in this study.

LIBYA EGYPT
ALGERIA
RE

SIRTE
D

EAST NIGER
SE
A

TERMIT/ BLUE NILE

NIGER KANEM
SUDAN
CHAD
BORNU BAGARRA MELUT
BONGOR
GONGOLA
T

NIGERI A DOBA
R IF

YOLA ETHIOPIA
BENUE
ON

N
CA

C. A. R.
RO

FRI

NGAOUNDERE MUGLAD
ANZA
ME

NIGER
A

DELTA
T
CA

EAS

ZAIRE
(D.R.C.) KENYA
200 Km

Major oil discovery Major oil and gas shows

Fig. 2. Regional tectonic map of western and central African rifted basins showing the relationship of the Muglad, Doba and
East Niger Basins to the Benue Trough/Gongola Basin. Locations of regional shear zones (marked with half-arrow) and major
zones extension (complete arrow) are shown. (Adapted from Schull, 1988.)

228 N. G. Obaje et al.

Fig. 3. Stratigraphic successions in the Benue Trough, the Nigerian sector of the Chad Basin, the Mid-Niger Basin and the
relationship to the Niger Delta.
Nasara-1, drilled by Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited
(TotalFinaElf) in 1999 to a depth of 1666 m and Chevron
Nigeria Limited (ChevronTexaco) in 2000 to a depth of
about 1600 m, respectively, were reportedly dry.
With this development, it has become necessary to
evaluate the prospectivity of this frontier region, espe-
cially the availability or otherwise of favorable petroleum
systems. At the core of any petroleum system is a good
quality source rock (TOC > 0.5%, HI > 150 mgHC/gTOC,
liptinite content > 15%, Tmax 430C, Ro 0.51.2%,
biomarker validation). However, other petroleum system
elements must include, apart from established source
rocks, also reservoir and seal lithologies, establishable
trapping mechanisms and favorable regional migration
pathways. In this work, we have aimed at evaluating the
source rock qualities of CretaceousTertiary sequences
in the sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria (excluding
the Sokoto Basin at this stage) as an input to the under-
standing of petroleum system elements in the basins.
REGIONAL GEOLOGIC S ETTING
The Benue Trough of Nigeria is a rift basin in central
West Africa that extends NNE-SSW for about 800 km in
length and 150 km in width. The trough contains up to
6000 m of CretaceousTertiary sediments of which those
Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 229
pre-dating the mid-Santonian have been compressionally
deformed, faulted, and uplifted in several places. Com-
pressional folding during the mid-Santonian tectonic epi-
sode affected the whole of the Benue Trough and was
quite intense, producing over 100 anticlines and synclines
(Benkhelil, 1989). Following mid-Santonian tectonism
and magmatism, depositional axis in the Benue Trough
was displaced westward resulting in subsidence of the
Anambra Basin. The Anambra Basin, therefore, is a part
of the lower Benue Trough containing post-deformational
sediments of Campano-Maastrichtian to Eocene ages. It
is logical to include the Anambra Basin in the Benue
Trough, being a related structure that developed after the
compressional stage (Akande and Erdtmann, 1998). The
Benue Trough is subdivided into a Lower, Middle and an
Upper portion (Figs. 1 and 3). Reviews on the geology
and stratigraphic successions in the Benue Trough with
details on each formation, bed thicknesses, lateral exten-
sions and stratigraphic locations have been given by
Carter et al. (1963), Offodile (1976), Petters (1982), Pet-
ters and Ekweozor (1982), Obaje (1994) amongst others.
Details on the evolution and stratigraphic framework of
the Chad Basin have been given in Avbovbo et al. (1986)
and Olugbemiro et al. (1997). The Mid-Niger Basin some-
time known as the Bida or Nupe Basin is a NW-SE
trending embayment perpendicular to the main axis of
 Table 1. Rock Eval pyrolysis results of samples from the Middle Benue Trough and Mid-Niger (Bida)
Basin

Sample ID Locality Formation TOC S1 S2 S3 Tmax HI* OI**

(wt%) (mg/g) (mg/g) (mg/g) (C)

Middle Benue Trough

OBIC 6 Jangwa Awgu 17.40 0.41 21.76 5.37 444 125 31
OBIC 5 Jangwa Awgu 75.60 2.60 192.77 2.69 457 255 4
OBIC 4 Jangwa Awgu 76.30 3.04 203.84 2.52 452 267 3
OBIC 3b Jangwa Awgu 26.40 0.84 43.51 1.48 457 165 6
OBIC 3 Jangwa Awgu 79.10 3.16 207.3 2.50 459 262 3
OBIC 2b Jangwa Awgu 70.60 2.27 171.54 2.31 453 243 3
MBJJ 9 Jangwa Awgu 27.00 3.93 41.20 1.65 452 153 6
MBJJ 8 Jangwa Awgu 44.20 0.26 18.42 19.13 441 42 43
MBJJ 7 Jangwa Awgu 43.10 0.19 10.81 18.12 445 25 42
MBJJ 6 Jangwa Awgu 61.10 1.93 83.05 13.60 449 136 22
MBJJ 5 Jangwa Awgu 18.50 0.38 22.18 5.32 444 120 29
MBJJ 4 Jangwa Awgu 23.80 0.72 39.58 1.23 455 166 5
MBJJ 3 Jangwa Awgu 2.69 0.02 1.99 0.30 463 74 11
MBJJ 2 Jangwa Awgu 66.70 4.38 164.29 1.33 452 246 2
MBJJ 1 Jangwa Awgu 17.40 0.08 2.49 12.49 457 14 72

Mid-Niger/Bida Basin
AHOK 5 Ahoko/Lokoja Patti 2.74 0.07 2.98 2.30 429 109 84
AHOK 3 Ahoko/Lokoja Patti 2.79 0.06 2.39 2.30 425 86 82
AHOK 2 Ahoko/Lokoja Lokoja 2.39 0.06 1.78 1.92 423 74 80
AHOK 1 Ahoko/Lokoja Lokoja 2.73 0.05 1.71 2.08 421 63 76

*mgHC/gTOC; **mgCO2/gTOC.

the Benue Trough (Fig. 1). During Campanian
Maastrichtian, the South AtlanticTethys seaway was
routed through the Mid-Niger Basin and it has been most
frequently regarded as the northwestern extension of the
Anambra basin (Ladipo et al., 1994; Akande and Ojo,
2002), both of which were major depocentres during this
transgression. Sediment thickness in the Mid-Niger Ba-
sin is estimated to be between 30003500 m (Whiteman,
1982; Braide, 1990). Details on the stratigraphic
successions in the Benue Trough, the Chad Basin and the
Mid-Niger Basin and as they relate to the Anambra Basin
and the Niger Delta are depicted on Fig. 3.
METHODS OF STUDY
In the Middle Benue Trough, outcrop samples (mainly
coals) were collected along the bank of River Dep in
Jangwa near Obi/Lafia (MBJJ, OBIC). Outcrop and some
shallow borehole samples of the following formations:
Bima (at Lamurde: BIMA), Yolde (at Futuk and Gombe:
YOLD, MYS), Dukul (at Lakun: DUKL, MDS), Gongila
(at Ashaka: GONG, MGS), Pindiga (at Gombe and
Pindiga: PIND, MPS), Lamja (coals at Lamja: LAMCO),
Gombe (coals at Doho, Haman Gari, and Wuro: UBDJ,
UBHJ, UBWJ, MGMC) were collected from the Upper
Benue Trough. Sixty three ditch cutting samples of shale
and coaly lithologies were collected from well Nasara-1
at 30 ft interval, except where samples were not avail-
able or too sandy to contain appreciable quantity of or-
ganic matter. Well samples from Kemar-1 (KM-1),
Murshe-1 (MS-1), Tuma-1 (TM-1), and Ziye-1 (ZY-1)
constitute the study materials from the Chad Basin. The
samples (ditch cuttings) were collected based on avail-
ability and visual estimation of probable organic richness.
In the Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin, outcrop samples of the
Lokoja and Patti formations (AHOK) were collected from
the road cut section at Ahoko on the LokojaAbaji road.
Attempts were made during sampling to cut back to
unweathered materials, even though in most cases it was
not possible to obtain totally fresh samples. Whatever
weathering impressions that remained on the samples
were thoroughly brushed off before subjecting them to
analyses.
Samples from all the formations were subjected to
organic geochemical and organic petrologic studies com-
prising:
a) Total organic carbon (TOC) determination to esti-
mate the quantity of organic matter in each sample.
b) Rock-Eval pyrolysis to determine the hydrocarbon
generative potential of the organic matter (S 1 , S2, S 3,
Tmax, and the derivatives: HI, OI).
c) Vitrinite reflectivity (Ro%) to determine the ma-

230 N. G. Obaje et al.

 250 600

y = 2.81x - 40.16 Gas Middle Benue

500
200 Oil & Gas
2
R = 0.83 Oil
Tmax
(C) 400

150
300

Mid. Benue Coals

S2
(mg/g) 100 200
0 100 200 300 400 500
HI (mgHC/gTOC) (a)
50 600

(Av. H I = 281) Upper Benue

Gas
500
0 Oil & Gas
Oil
Tmax
0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 100.00 (C) 400

TOC (%)
300

Fig. 4. S 2 vs. TOC plots of coal samples from the Middle Benue
200
Trough with the regression equations which gave the average 0 100 200 300 400 500
hydrogen indices (Av. HI). HI (mgHC/gTOC) (b)

Fig. 6. HI-Tmax plots of samples from the Benue Trough.

900 Type I
800
700
Type II
600
500
HI 400
300
200
100
Type III
0 tion. Langford and Blanc-Valleron (1990) noted that hy-
0 100 200
OI
Fig. 5. HI vs. OI plots on the modified Van Krevelen diagram
of samples from the inland basins of Nigeria, indicating a pre-
dominance of type III organic matter (Anambra Basin plots were
added from Obaje et al., 2003).
turity of the envisaged source rocks.
d) Maceral analysis to evaluate the relative propor-
tions of the hydrocarbon-prone macerals.
e) Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatog-
raphy-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for biomarker assess-
ments of the n-alkane distribution, pristane/phytane ra-
tios, odd-over-even-predominance (OEP), regular steranes
distribution, transformation ratios of 17 (H)-
trisnorhopanes (Tm) to 18(H)-trisnorneohopanes (Ts) as
well as moretanes to 17(H)21(H)-hopanes.
All samples were prepared according to standard organic
geochemical (e.g., Espitalie et al., 1977; Waples and
Machihara, 1991; Pratt et al., 1992; Petersen et al., 2000;
Jovancicevic et al., 2002) and organic petrologic (e.g.,
Stach et al., 1982; Bustin et al., 1985; Obaje, 1994; Obaje
and Abba, 1996; Taylor et al., 1998) sample preparation
methods.
Chad Basin
Upper Benue
Middle Benue
Anambra Basin
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Mid-Niger Basin
Middle Benue Trough
In the Middle Benue Trough, TOC contents of up to
79.1 wt% (Table 1) and a mean HI value of 281 mgHC/
gTOC (Fig. 4) characterize the coals of the Awgu Forma-
300
drogen indices obtained from Rock-Eval pyrolysis can be
misleading, as much of the hydrocarbons may be adsorbed
by the rock matrix. Shaley source rocks may therefore
yield Rock-Eval pyrolysis-generated HIs that are less than
the true average hydrogen index, while coaly source rocks
may have HIs that are higher than the true average. They
therefore proposed the use of S2 versus TOC plots; they
believed that regression equations derived from these plots
were the best method for determining the true average
hydrogen index (Av. HI) and measuring the adsorption of
hydrocarbons by the rock matrix. Tmax and Ro values in
indicate maturity in the peak to late oil window. Plots on
the modified Van Krevelen diagram of samples from the
Middle Benue Trough show a mixed range of type Itype
IItype III organic matter (Fig. 5), even though the or-
ganic matter could be assigned to a high potential type
III kerogen at the diagenesis/catagenesis boundary. A cor-
responding plot on the HITmax diagram indicates
potentials in the oil and gas phase and a gas phase for
some of the coal samples from the Middle Benue Trough
(Fig. 6). Chromatograms and mass fragmentograms of the
lipid extracts show biomarkers with a unimodal distribu-
tions of short and long-chain n-alkanes (C15-C28) with no
obvious odd-over-even predominance (Fig. 7) indicating
that organic matter were contributed from both algal and

Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 231

Abundance

OBIC 5 Ion 71.00 (70.70 to 71.70): 0207299A.D

gTOC for the coals in the Upper Benue combined. Ro
240000 (coal)
and Tmax values indicate maturity in the middle/peak oil

nC25
220000

200000

180000 window for the coals of the Lamja Formation. Unfortu-

nC16
Relative intensity

160000
Ion 71 (n-alkanes)
140000 nately, samples from the Bima, Yolde, Pindiga and

nC27
120000

100000

80000
Pr Gongila formations used in this study yielded poor source
60000

40000
rock quality. Plots on the modified Van Krevelen diagram
Ph
20000

0
for samples from the upper Benue Trough show mainly
Time-->
10.00

Time
15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00
type III organic matter with some type II attributable to
the Lamja coals. The corresponding HITmax diagram
Abundance

14000
Ion 191.00 (190.70 to 191.70): 0207299A.D indicates some potential between oil and gas with gas
13000

12000
H dominating. Majority of the samples fall into fields that
11000

10000

9000
Ion 191 (triterpanes) have no hydrocarbon generative potential (Fig. 6). The
8000

7000

Tm
Lamja and Gombe coals are of special attention, espe-
6000

5000

4000
Ts
cially the Lamja which yielded the highest amount of
3000

2000
m soluble organic matter during solvent extraction.
1000

Time-->
0
30.00 32.00 34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 44.00
Biomarkers show a dominance of both short and long-
chain n-alkanes (C14-C 31) with negligible OEP. Pristane/
Abundance

Ion 217.00 (216.70 to 217.70): 0207299A.D

phytane ratios range from 0.84 in the Pindiga Formation
950

900

850
to 6.65 in the Lamja coals. C27/C29 ratios range from as
29
Relative intensity

27 Ion 217 (steranes)

low as 0.2 in the Lamja coal to 1.9 in the Pindiga Forma-
800

750

700
28
650

600

550

500
tion (Table 5) indicating rapidly changing depositional
450

400

350
conditions. The very low Ts/Tm ratio (0.03) and the mod-
erate moretane/hopane ratio (0.18) validate the maturity
300

250

200

150

100

50

0
30.00 32.00 34.00
Time-->
Time
Fig. 7. Mass chromatograms of ions 71 (n-alkanes), 191
(hopanes) and 217 (steranes) of OBIC 5 (Obi coal) from the
Awgu Formation in the Middle Benue Trough.
terrestrial higher plants sources or are in an advanced stage
of maturity. Pristane/phytane ratios range from 4.53 to
7.33 and steranes are mainly of the C29 forms with C27/
C29 ratios ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 (Table 5). These values
indicate oxic mix up in the depositional milieu that fre-
quently changed between continental, marine and
lacustrine environments. The relatively high values of Ts/
Tm and low moretane/hopane ratios validate the vitrinite
reflectance maturity of 0.8 to 1.1 Ro% recorded for these
samples.
Upper Benue Trough
The formations from the Upper Benue Trough have
generally low TOC and HI contents (Table 2), except the
coals of the Lamja Formation (LAMCO) and those from
Doho and Gombe (UBDJ, MGMC) within the Gombe
Sandstone as well as some Dukul Formation samples, all
of which have good to fair source rock qualities. Akande
et al. (1998) and Obaje et al. (1999) had independently
reported TOC values of to 12.5 wt% from the Yolde For-
mation and 2.4 wt% from the lower Pindiga Formation,
respectively. In the Lamja Formation, TOC contents at-
tain values of up to 51.1 wt% and a mean HI of 183 mgHC/
level of 0.700.73% Ro.
36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 44.00
Organic petrologic studies show moderate to high con-
tents of liptinite macerals for most of the coal samples
from the Benue Trough (up to 40% in the Lamja Forma-
tion). The liptinites comprise mainly resinite, sporinite,
cutinite and bituminite from which the abundant micrinite
macerals in all the coal samples must have been gener-
ated. The origin, nature and significance of micrinite
maceral to oil and gas generation have attracted much
attention. In a detailed study on the genesis of micrinite,
Teichmeller and Wolf (1977) concluded that it is related
to liptinites (although micrinite comes under the inertinite
maceral group), and may have been generated from them
(liptinites); pointing out that it appears first in the bitu-
minous coal stage as a product of the coalification of
liptinites, especially bituminite, with a close link to the
generation of petroleum. Taylor and Liu (1989), however,
are of the opinion that although micrinite is more com-
mon in bituminous coals, it occurs also in sub-bitumi-
nous coals (confirmed in this study), within an overall
Ro range of 0.31.3%. The amount and density increased
with rank and was thus inferred that oil generation pro-
ceeds over a considerable range at varying rates. The con-
centration of micrinite particles may thus offer a useful
means of trailing the process of hydrocarbon generation
and expulsion within the Benue Trough.
Nasara-1 Well (Gongola Basin, Upper Benue Trough)
Table 3 shows Rock-Eval pyrolysis results for samples
from well Nasara-1. The TOC contents are generally poor
to fair with a slight trend of decreasing values with depth
(Fig. 8). However, at depths of 4,7104,770 ft, very high

232 N. G. Obaje et al.

 Table 2. Rock Eval data of samples from the Upper Benue Trough

Sample ID Locality Formation TOC S1 S2 S3 Tmax HI* OI**

(wt%) (mg/g) (mg/g) (mg/g) (C)

UBWJ 2 Wuro Gombe 2.63 0.01 0.06 2.60 511 2 99

UBWJ 1 Wuro Gombe 1.26 0.01 0.05 0.67 515 4 53
UBHJ 4 H/Gari Gombe 1.05 0.01 0.03 0.43 310 3 35
UBHJ 3 H/Gari Gombe 0.96 0.01 0.03 0.43 502 3 45
UBHJ 2 H/Gari Gombe 0.83 0.01 0.03 0.47 300 4 57
UBHJ 1 H/Gari Gombe 0.92 0.01 0.03 0.47 282 3 51
UBDJ 2 Doho Gombe 20.20 0.62 35.95 10.53 423 178 52
UBDJ 1 Doho Gombe 6.84 0.13 12.01 5.08 429 176 74
MGMS 1 H/Gari Gombe 0.12
MGMC 3 H/Gari Gombe 3.43 0.08 9.62 1.58 432 280 46
LAMCO 7 Lamja Lamja 51.10 1.47 91.70 14.15 438 179 28
LAMCO 1 Lamja Lamja 50.70 2.15 93.25 12.62 438 184 25
MFS 3 Fika Fika 0.07
MFS 1 Fika Fika 0.07
DUKL 8 Lakun Dukul 0.61 0.02 0.27 0.18 429 45 30
DUKL 5 Lakun Dukul 0.34 0.01 0.05 0.83 429 15 242
DUKL 3 Lakun Dukul 0.36 0.01 0.10 0.17 436 28 47
DUKL 1 Lakun Dukul 0.72 0.03 0.46 0.20 433 64 28
MDS 13 Lakun Dukul 0.53 0.01 0.09 0.39 434 17 74
MDS 11 Lakun Dukul 0.91 0.02 0.26 0.60 432 28 66
MDS 4 Lakun Dukul 0.45 0.01 0.10 0.36 435 22 81
GONG 4 Ashaka Gongila 0.55 0.02 0.14 0.33 421 26 61
GONG 3 Ashaka Gongila 0.53 0.01 0.08 0.32 417 15 61
GONG 2 Ashaka Gongila 0.52 0.01 0.09 0.26 420 17 50
GONG 1 Ashaka Gongila 0.59 0.02 0.12 0.35 419 20 60
MGS 24 Ashaka Gongila 0.09
MGS 7 Ashaka Gongila 0.16
MGS 5 Ashaka Gongila 0.42 0.01 0.06 0.34 421 14 81
MGS 2 Ashaka Gongila 0.50 0.01 0.11 0.22 423 22 44
MGS 1 Ashaka Gongila 0.37 0.01 0.15 0.64 425 40 171
PIND 10 Pindiga Pindiga 0.71 0.02 0.22 0.36 418 31 51
PIND 1 Pindiga Pindiga 0.12 0 0
MPS 77 Gombe Pindiga 0.23 0.01 0.02 0.32 276 9 139
MPS 74 Gombe Pindiga 0.07
MPS 72 Pindiga Pindiga 0.64 0.02 0.21 0.33 421 33 52
MPS 70 Pindiga Pindiga 0.47 0.01 0.15 0.28 419 32 59
MPS 63 Pindiga Pindiga 0.52 0.02 0.20 0.27 417 38 52
MPS 50 Pindiga Pindiga 0.57 0.02 0.20 0.34 421 35 60
MPS 20 Pindiga Pindiga 0.30 0.06 0.08 0.31 421 26 102
MYS 3 Gombe Yolde 0.21 0.01 0.13 0.51 424 62 242
MYS 2 Gombe Yolde 0.05
YOLD 6 Futuk Yolde 0.12
YOLD 4 Futuk Yolde 0.30 0.01 0.08 0.19 437 26 63
YOLD 2 Futuk Yolde 0.35 0.01 0.11 0.12 438 31 34
BIMA5 Bambam Bima 0.07

*mgHC/gTOC; **mgCO2/gTOC.

TOC contents (52.155.2 wt%), characteristic of coals,
were recorded. Coals in the Upper Benue Trough have
hitherto been known to occur only in the Lamja Forma-
tion and in the Gombe Sandstone (e.g., Carter et al., 1963;
Obaje et al., 1999). Since the youngest stratum penetrated
by well Nasara-1 is the Pindiga Formation, these coals
probably occur in the Yolde Formation or Bima Sand-
stone. This is the first report of a coal in either the Pindiga,
Yolde or Bima Formations. The precise formation in
which the coals occur has not yet been determined. Nei-
ther is it clear how many similar coal intervals may occur
deeper in as-yet unpenetrated sections.
With the exception of the high TOC contents in the
coaly interval, none of the other recorded TOC values
exceeded 1%; about one-half of them ranged between 0.50
and 0.87% (Table 3). Hydrogen indices (HIs) are also low
and the highest value, apart from those in the coaly inter-
val, was 160 mgHC/gTOC. Within the coaly interval by

Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 233

 NASARA-1 1.4
TOC (wt%) HI (mgHC/gTOC) Tmax (C)
0.01 0.10 1.0 10 100 0 200 400 600 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 1.2
0 y = 0.45x + 0.01
0.5 1.0

Oil and Gas

R2 = 0.17
Gas

Oil
0.8

S2 (mg/g)
500
0.6

1000 0.4

0.2
1500 (Av. HI = 45)
0.0
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
(a) TOC (wt%)
2000
Gas source

2500
390
Depth (ft)

3000 370

350
y = 3.66x + 111.16
R2 = 0.51

S2 (mg/g)
3500 330

310

4000 290
Gas source

270
4500 (Av. HI = 366)
250
Oil source + 51.50 52.00 52.50 53.00 53.50 54.00 54.50 55.00 55.50
Migrated oil
5000 (b) TOC (wt%)
Gas source

5500
Fig. 9. S2 vs. TOC plots of (a) shaley/siliciclastic and (b) coaly
samples from Nasara-1 well with the regression equations which
6000 give the true average hydrogen indices (Av. HI).
Conventional begin of
hydrocarbon generation
Beginning of hydrocarbon
generation in coaly source
rocks

Fig. 8. TOC-HI-Tmax variations and hydrocarbon generation rocks with HI above 300 mgHC/gTOC will produce oil;
potentials with depth in Nasara-1 well (note: hydrocarbons gen- those with HI between 300 and 150 will produce oil and
erated must migrate and be trapped; therefore intervals indi-
gas; those with HI between 150 and 50 will produce only
cated as gas or oil source refer to generative potential only).
gas; and those with HI less than 50 are inert.
However, Sykes and Snowdon (2002) proposed that
coaly source rocks are sufficiently different from marine
contrast, HI values range from 564 to 589 mgHC/gTOC. and lacustrine source rocks in their organic matter char-
Tmax values increase gradually with depth up to about acteristics to warrant separate guidelines for their assess-
3,000 ft; thereafter, they show little discernible trend, al- ment based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Using data from some
though a very high value of 514C was recorded at the New Zealand coals, they concluded that the threshold for
bottom of the well. oil generation in coals occurs at Tmax of 420430C (Ro
The thermal maturity represented by Tmax of 423 0.550.6%), and the threshold for oil expulsion is at Tmax
428C for the coals equates to a vitrinite reflectance (Ro) 430440C (Ro 0.650.85%).
of about 0.560.58%, which in turn corresponds to sub- A plot of S2 vs. TOC for shaley rocks in well Nasara-
bituminous A coals (Stach et al., 1982; Taylor et al., 1998). 1 gave an average HI value of 45 mgHC/gTOC (Fig. 9a);
We note here and also in Obaje et al. (2004) that the the HI was 366 mgHC/gTOC for the coaly rocks
maturities of coals are generally lower than those in the (Fig. 9b). It should be noted that the average hydrogen
underlying and directly overlying shaley intervals. How- index of 45 mgHC/gTOC in Figure 9a is not reliable be-
ever the reason for this is not yet understood. cause of the high scatter of the points (the regression co-
An assessment of the HI versus OI for well Nasara-1 efficient is 0.17). In this case, the Rock-Eval pyrolysis-
samples indicates that organic matter is predominantly generated hydrogen indices in Table 3 are more reliable.
of Type III kerogen, except in the coaly interval where The only evidence for assigning the interval 4710
Type I kerogen is present. Juxtaposition of the HI versus 4770 ft to a coaly lithology is the high TOC values. All
Tmax indicates that the shale samples have only gas-gen- the other data (HIs, Pr/Ph ratios, C28 steranes) point to a
erative potential, whereas the coal samples had oil-gen- lacustrine source rock. Equally, because no lacustrine
erating potential. source rocks have such high TOC contents, and in the
Peters (1986) suggested that at a thermal maturity absence of petrographic data at the moment, we assume
equivalent to vitrinite reflectance of 0.6% (Tmax 435C), that some oils generated from a probably deeper seated

234 N. G. Obaje et al.

Table 3. Rock Eval pyrolysis data of samples from Nasara-1-well

Sample ID Formation TOC S1 S2 S3 Tmax HI* OI** Depth

(wt%) (mg/g) (mg/g) (mg/g) (C) (ft)
NAS-1 Pindiga 0.67 0.01 0.12 0.40 419 18 60 360
NAS-2 Pindiga 0.87 0.02 0.29 0.67 420 33 77 390
NAS-3 Pindiga 0.65 0.01 0.20 0.31 420 31 48 420
NAS-4 Pindiga 0.63 0.01 0.14 0.41 420 22 65 450
NAS-5 Pindiga 0.55 0.01 0.08 0.34 421 15 62 480
NAS-6 Pindiga 0.51 0.01 0.08 0.34 423 16 67 510
NAS-7 Pindiga 0.64 0.01 0.16 0.36 421 25 57 540
NAS-8 Pindiga 0.58 0.01 0.11 0.34 423 19 59 570
NAS-9 Pindiga 0.66 0.01 0.10 0.25 424 15 38 600
NAS-10 Pindiga 0.58 0.01 0.11 0.38 424 19 65 630
NAS-11 Pindiga 0.46 0.01 0.10 0.36 427 22 78 660
NAS-12 Pindiga 0.45 0.00 0.08 0.37 426 18 82 690
NAS-13 Pindiga 0.51 0.01 0.10 0.34 424 20 67 720
NAS-14 Pindiga 0.56 0.01 0.13 0.57 420 23 102 750
NAS-15 Pindiga 0.57 0.01 0.14 0.44 421 24 77 780
NAS-16 Pindiga 0.55 0.01 0.15 0.56 424 27 102 810
NAS-17 Pindiga 0.59 0.01 0.15 0.39 420 26 66 840
NAS-18 Pindiga 0.53 0.01 0.13 0.57 424 25 108 870
NAS-19 Pindiga 0.48 0.01 0.14 0.47 423 29 98 900
NAS-20 Pindiga 0.50 0.01 0.14 0.47 423 28 93 930
NAS-21 Pindiga 0.44 0.01 0.10 0.35 424 23 79 960
NAS-22 Pindiga 0.44 0.01 0.11 0.46 424 25 104 990
NAS-23 Pindiga 0.45 0.01 0.09 0.31 425 20 69 1020
NAS-24 Pindiga 0.40 0.01 0.09 0.37 426 22 92 1050
NAS-25 Pindiga 0.54 0.01 0.14 0.55 422 26 102 1080
NAS-26 Pindiga 0.59 0.01 0.14 0.31 419 24 53 1110
NAS-27 Pindiga 0.59 0.01 0.17 0.51 420 29 86 1140
NAS-28 Pindiga 0.46 0.01 0.16 0.51 426 35 110 1170
NAS-29 Pindiga 0.50 0.02 0.26 0.48 429 52 96 1200
NAS-30 Pindiga 0.53 0.02 0.30 0.55 427 57 104 1230
NAS-31 Yolde? 0.75 0.03 0.58 0.40 430 77 53 1320
NAS-32 Yolde? 0.71 0.03 0.48 0.53 433 68 75 1350
NAS-33 Yolde? 0.58 0.03 0.33 0.63 432 57 108 1380
NAS-34 Yolde? 0.59 0.01 0.29 0.45 433 50 77 1410
NAS-35 Yolde? 0.59 0.02 0.31 0.52 427 52 88 1440
NAS-36 Yolde? 0.69 0.02 0.24 0.52 428 35 75 1500
NAS-37 Yolde? 0.87 0.05 1.23 0.44 437 142 51 2070
NAS-38 Yolde? 0.55 0.02 0.70 0.52 442 128 95 2520
NAS-39 Bima? 0.24 0.01 0.12 0.48 445 50 201 2970
NAS-40 Bima? 0.25 0.00 0.13 0.39 445 52 156 3090
NAS-42 Bima? 0.38 0.07 0.61 0.76 414 160 199 3720
NAS-43 Bima? 0.49 0.02 0.21 0.41 463 43 84 3870
NAS-44 Bima? 0.17 0.01 0.11 0.45 441 63 259 4050
NAS-45 Bima? 0.30 0.02 0.26 0.55 442 86 182 4080
NAS-46 Bima? 0.23 0.02 0.15 0.62 443 65 270 4110
NAS-47 Bima? 0.21 0.01 0.17 0.49 435 81 233 4140
NAS-48 Bima? 0.21 0.02 0.17 0.43 437 79 201 4230
NAS-49 Bima? 0.35 0.02 0.39 0.52 432 113 151 4320
NAS-50 Bima? 0.13 0.02 0.10 0.35 444 78 273 4350
NAS-51 Bima? 0.13 0.01 0.08 0.30 444 61 229 4650
NAS-52 Bima? 0.33 0.06 0.39 0.48 426 119 146 4680
NAS-53 Bima? 52.70 20.56 297.44 10.13 427 564 19 4710
NAS-54 Bima? 55.20 22.60 314.29 11.18 428 569 20 4740
NAS-55 Bima? 52.10 18.10 306.91 10.87 423 589 21 4770
NAS-56 Bima? 0.51 0.04 0.68 0.48 425 134 94 4920
NAS-57 Bima? 0.18 0.01 0.10 0.45 440 56 253 4980
NAS-58 Bima? 0.30 0.01 0.21 0.37 446 70 124 5040
NAS-59 Bima? 0.15 0.00 0.08 0.36 444 54 242 5250
NAS-60 Bima? 0.25 0.00 0.07 0.36 484 28 145 5280
NAS-61 Bima? 0.21 0.00 0.08 0.38 466 38 182 5310
NAS-62 Bima? 0.37 0.06 0.23 0.43 456 62 116 5340
NAS-63 Bima? 0.10 0.01 0.04 0.38 457 42 399 5430
NAS-64 Bima? 0.29 0.00 0.00 0.30 514 21 104 5760

*mgHC/gTOC; **mgCO2/gTOC.

Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 235

 Table 4. Rock Eval pyrolysis data of samples from the Chad Basin (the last set of figures on the
sample ID refers to the depth in meters)

Sample ID Locality Formation TOC S1 S2 S3 Tmax HI* OI**

(wt%) (mg/g) (mg/g) (mg/g) (C)

KM-1 680 Kemar-1 well Gongila 1.13 0.03 0.84 0.39 435 74 35
KM-1-770 Kemar-1-well Gongila 1.11 0.02 0.43 0.44 433 39 40
KM-1-855 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.60 0.01 0.22 0.42 434 37 70
KM-1-975 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.86 0.02 0.32 0.45 437 37 52
KM-1-1070 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.80 0.02 0.20 0.55 440 25 69
KM-1-1290 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.76 0.02 0.22 1.03 431 29 136
KM-1-1385 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.72 0.02 0.12 0.75 441 17 105
KM-1-1480 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.77 0.02 0.18 0.59 438 23 76
KM-1-1620 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.72 0.04 0.64 1.24 447 90 173
KM-1-1720 Kemar-1-well Gongila 0.59 0.02 0.08 0.75 437 14 128
MS-1-640 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.96 0.02 0.22 0.74 419 23 77
MS-1-735 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.89 0.02 0.23 0.54 421 26 61
MS-1-820 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.78 0.02 0.21 0.61 429 27 78
MS-1-1005 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.96 0.03 0.69 0.46 435 72 48
MS-1-1155 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.97 0.04 0.84 0.54 439 87 56
MS-1-1260 Murshe-1-well Gongila 1.05 0.04 0.38 0.67 437 36 64
MS-1-1365 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.69 0.03 0.21 0.81 438 31 118
MS-1-1440 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.83 0.02 0.27 0.57 443 32 68
MS-1-2035 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.66 0.02 0.07 0.61 444 11 93
MS-1-2375 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.79 0.02 0.04 0.93 330 5 118
MS-1-2445 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.69 0.02 0.04 0.96 322 6 139
MS-1-2515 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.55 0.01 0.02 0.73 311 4 133
MS-1-2755 Murshe-1-well Gongila 0.78 0.01 0.02 0.82 330 3 105
TM-1-935 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.33 0.01 0.10 0.64 429 31 197
TM-1-1125 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.93 0.01 0.31 0.41 431 33 44
TM-1-1515 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.79 0.05 0.28 0.42 441 35 53
TM-1-1685 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.57 0.02 0.15 0.54 445 27 95
TM-1-1780 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.92 0.03 0.24 0.59 446 26 64
TM-1-1810 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.69 0.02 0.11 0.57 440 16 83
TM-1-1985 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.77 0.03 0.09 0.42 452 12 55
TM-1-2285 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.60 0.03 0.10 0.56 443 17 93
TM-S-2285 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.92 0.06 0.33 0.62 451 36 68
TM-12605 Tuma-1-well Gongila 0.37 0.15 0.22 0.57 290 59 152
ZY-1-885 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.71 0.02 0.54 0.50 431 76 71
ZY-1-990 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.66 0.02 0.32 0.55 430 48 83
ZY-1-1210 Ziye-1-well Gongila 1.07 0.06 1.34 0.50 442 125 47
ZY-1-1325 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.72 0.03 0.61 0.55 441 85 77
ZY-1-1880 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.59 0.06 0.34 1.13 457 58 192
ZY-1-2085 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.34 0.02 0.15 0.69 457 44 204
ZY-1-2205 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.23 0.01 0.09 0.38 452 39 166
ZY-1-2405 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.35 0.02 0.12 0.48 482 35 139
ZY-1-2685 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.67 0.02 0.26 0.59 437 39 88
ZY-1-2840 Ziye-1-well Gongila 0.84 0.12 1.04 0.80 448 124 96

*mgHC/gTOC; **mgCO2/gTOC.

or laterally located (yet to be identified) lacustrine source
rock must have migrated and adsorbed into the coaly
facies, which were later intermittently subjected to an-
oxic to suboxic biodegradation processes. It is therefore
assumed that a coaly source rock is present into which
also some oils from a lacustrine source have migrated.
Chad Basin
Eighty percent of the shale samples from the Chad
Basin have TOC values > 0.5 wt%, the minimum limit
for hydrocarbon generation (Table 4). The HI values all
indicate gas-prone Type III organic matter with possibili-
ties to generate gaseous hydrocarbons when juxtaposed
against the Tmax. S 2 vs. TOC plots gave an average hy-
drogen index of 148 mgHC/gTOC in source rocks from
Ziye-1 well, indicating a possible oil generating poten-
tial (oil was not discovered in this well, but there is such
a possibility in prospects that have source rocks correlat-

236 N. G. Obaje et al.

 ZY-1-1210
Abundance
(Ziye-1)
Ion 71.00 (70.70 to 71.70): 0207233A.
D
180000

170000 Pr
160000

150000

140000
Relative intensity

130000
nC20

120000 Ion 71 (n-alkanes)

110000

100000

90000
nC23

80000

70000

60000 Ph nC26
50000

40000

30000

20000

10000

0
10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00 45.00 50.00
Time-->

Time
Abundance

Ion 191.00 (190.70 to 191.70): D

0207233A.
11500

11000

10500

10000
H
9500

9000

8500

8000

7500

7000

6500
Ion 191 (triterpanes)
6000

5500

5000

4500

4000

3500

3000 Ts Tm
2500

2000
m
1500

1000

500

0
32.00 34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 44.00
Time-->

Abundance

Ion 217.00 (216.70 to 217.70): 0207233A.

D
1200

1150

1100

1050

1000

950 27
Relative intensity

900

850
Ion 217 (steranes)
800

750

700 29
650

600

550

500
28
450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
30.00 32.00 34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 44.00
Time-->

Time
Fig. 11. Soluble organic matter vs. TOC plots (based on Landais
Fig. 10. Mass chromatograms of ions 71 (n-alkanes), 191 and Connan in Jovancicevic et al. (2002)) of samples from the
(hopanes) and 217 (steranes) of Ziye-1-1210 (Ziye-1 well) from inland basins of Nigeria indicating migrated oil in Ziye-1 well.
the Chad Basin (probably Gongila Formation). This diagram does not recognize the oil source rock potential
of coals and coaly samples and cannot therefore not be used to
evaluate such samples.

able to those in Ziye-1 well). Biomarkers show a domi-

nance of short-chain n-alkanes with no obvious OEP and
are very similar to what an oil show or oil sample would Mid-Niger/Bida Basin
look like (Fig. 10). A plot of the soluble organic matter Although TOC values (Table 1) and liptinite contents
(extract yield) against the TOC as proposed by Landais are relatively high in the Mid-Niger Basin samples, the
and Connan (1980) in Jovancicevic et al. (2002) for Ziye- Tmax values, Ts/Tm and moretane/hopane ratios are in-
1-1210 (depth: 1210 m) indicate that some oils have ac- dicative that hydrocarbons of mainly gaseous composi-
tually migrated (oil show/oil impregnation) in Ziye-1 well tion (Fig. 5) are probably just being generated in the ba-
(Fig. 11). This diagram, however, is not suitable for de- sin and may not yet have been expelled nor migrated in
termining expelled/migrated hydrocarbons in coals and large quantities. However, it is important to note at this
coaly samples, and for this reason, only plots of the Chad stage that some hydrocarbon seepages have been reported
Basin samples can be considered reliable. Pristane/ along the bank of River Niger around Pategi and Mokwa
phytane ratios range from 0.80 to 2.98 that indicate an- in the Niger State of Nigeria (Philip Shekwolo, 2003,
oxic to oxic depositional environments. Steranes are domi- personal communications).
nantly of the C27 forms. The predominance of type-III
organic matter in this basin with dominantly marine
depositional environments (as confirmed by the high con- COAL AS A SOURCE ROCK
tents of C27 steranes) may be attributed to high oxic lev- The subject of coal as a major source of oil and gas in
els (high Pr/Ph ratios) which have downgraded organic many parts of the world has been extensively reviewed
matter preservation in the marine system. The relatively and succinctly discussed by Hunt (1991) and many other
high Ts/Tm and low moretane/hopane ratios validate authors. Coal has long been recognized as a source of
maturity levels that have entered the main phase of oil gas, primarily methane and carbon dioxide but its impor-
generation. tance as a source of economic accumulations of oil has

Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 237

 Table 5. Biomarker parameters of samples from the inland basins of Nigeria (results
from the Anambra Basin as shown have not been discussed in this study)

Sample ID Formation Pr/Ph Ts/Tm m/H C2 7 C2 8 C2 9 C2 7 /C2 9

(%) (%) (%)

Anambra Basin
MAMU 22 Mamu 16.88 0.01 0.48 14.0 26.3 59.6 0.2
MAMU 19 Mamu 5.58 0.02 0.49 13.6 29.2 57.1 0.2
ENUG 13 Enugu 11.08 0.09 0.52 39.8 17.6 42.6 0.9
NKPO 5 Nkporo 9.57 0.25 0.27 32.7 21.7 45.6 0.7
NKPO 4 Nkporo 7.39 0.23 0.24 36.7 19.5 43.8 0.8

Mid-Niger Basin
AHOK 5 Patti 2.79 0.36 0.42 44.4 18.4 37.2 1.2
AHOK 2 Lokoja 1.55 0.31 0.36 31.6 20.9 47.6 0.7
AHOK 1 Lokoja 2.88 0.28 0.52 42.8 16.9 40.3 1.1

Middle Benue
OBIC 5 Awgu 4.70 0.95 0.07 16.1 32.3 51.6 0.3
OBIC 2b Awgu 4.53 0.84 0.08 27.8 25.3 46.8 0.6
MBJJ 7 Awgu 4.89 1.23 0.07 40.0 20.0 40.0 1.0
MBJJ 4 Awgu 7.33 3.21 0.05 12.5 33.8 53.8 0.2
MBJJ 2 Awgu 4.95 0.92 0.06 7.8 39.1 53.1 0.1

Upper Benue
UBWJ 1 Gombe 1.22 0.71 0.12 41.4 21.4 37.1 1.1
UBHJ 4 Gombe 0.94 0.81 0.10 8.9 32.2 58.9 0.2
UBDJ 2 Gombe 3.44 0.00 0.14 13.7 44.9 41.4 0.3
MGMC 3 Gombe 2.67 0.25 0.14 35.8 20.2 44.0 0.8
LAMCO 1 Lamja 6.65 0.03 0.18 14.7 21.7 63.6 0.2
DUKL 8 Dukul 2.05 0.74 0.21 42.7 19.2 38.0 1.1
DUKL 1 Dukul 3.91 0.32 0.27 39.3 23.0 37.7 1.0
GONG 3 Gongila 1.00 0.61 0.12 39.7 25.0 35.3 1.1
PIND 10 Pindiga 0.84 0.36 0.36 51.0 22.6 26.4 1.9

Chad Basin
KM-1 680 Gongila 0.80 0.33 0.15 46.6 21.1 32.3 1.4
KM-1-1620 Gongila 1.66 0.85 0.10 41.7 18.9 39.4 1.1
MS-1-1005 Gongila 1.01 0.38 0.18 47.2 19.2 33.6 1.4
MS-1-1155 Gongila 0.72 0.38 0.13 17.8 18.8 63.4 0.3
TM-1-2605 Gongila 1.30 0.83 0.10 44.7 22.0 33.3 1.3
ZY-1-885 Gongila 2.83 0.22 0.31 52.2 22.8 25.0 2.1
ZY-1-1210 Gongila 2.85 1.25 0.11 46.8 18.8 34.4 1.4
ZY-1-1325 Gongila 2.97 0.97 0.10 49.1 20.8 30.2 1.6
ZY-1-1880 Gongila 2.98 0.92 0.10 46.2 18.5 35.3 1.3
ZY-1-2840 Gongila 0.98 0.94 0.09 48.6 18.9 32.4 1.5

been difficult to prove as coals are often interbedded with
shales which are always assumed to be the source beds.
Increasing evidence, however, suggests that coals and
associated type III kerogens can yield not only gas or
condensate (e.g., Tissot and Welte, 1984), but also sig-
nificant quantities of oil (Murchison, 1987; Hunt, 1991;
Hendrix et al., 1995). The traditional view that coals are
largely gas-prone may be the result of historical bias in
the study of North American and European Paleozoic
coals, prior to the study of Mesozoic-Cenozoic coals con-
taining contributions from resinous conifers and
angiosperms (Obaje and Hamza, 2000).
Pyrolysis data have revealed that the hydrocarbon rich-
ness of sedimentary rocks is dependent on the amount
and nature of liptinite and some vitrinite macerals (Hunt,
1991; Hendrix et al., 1995). The abundance of liptinite
macerals is therefore the major criterion when consider-
ing any sedimentary rock (including coal) as a potential
source for liquid hydrocarbons. A minimum of 1520%
liptinite content (by volume) of total macerals in shales,
carbonates, or coals is considered an important criterion
for a rock to be characterized as a potential oil source
rock (Hunt, 1991). Although the concentration of long-
chain aliphatic constituents has also been considered as a

238 N. G. Obaje et al.

 2 2 1
2 2 2 Basement
Basement 1 1
2
1 1 2
1
1 1
2
1
Horst
Basement
Basement

a Graben
Migration

200 km
East West

Yola / Lamurde / Lau Gongola / Kerri-Kerri /

basins Gombe basins
b

Fig. 12. Schematic illustrations of (a) Block faulting and the formation of horst and graben structures; juxtaposition of older
reservoir facies against younger source rock facies; (b) Down-warping, subsidence and tilting in the Maastrichtian making
provision for more sediment accommodation in the Gongola/Kerri-Kerri/Gombe sub-basin.

primary determinant of the oil generation potential of
coals (Curry et al., 1994), the factors which govern their
occurrence in different coals are poorly understood.
Permian coals from the Cooper Basin in Australia, which
have sourced commercial accumulations of oil (Curry et
al., 1994), were deposited in high latitude bogs and con-
tain 4070% inertinite. Pristane/phytane ratios range from
2.15 to 6.00 and HIs are moderate (up to 243 mgHC/
gTOC). The extracts and pyrolysates both contain high
relative concentration of aliphatic groups. These aliphatic
groups were found to be derived from microbial biomass
(bacterial and algal degradation products). The Taranaki
coals (Late Cretaceous to Eocene) of New Zealand, which
also are the source of commercial oil accumulations, were
deposited in temperate fluvial-deltaic environments (Col-
lier and Johnson, 1991). HI values range from 236365.
Extracts have high pristane/phytane ratios and variable
abundances of hopanoid and other non-hopanoid terpanes.
The extracts and pyrolysates both contain high relative
concentrations of aliphatic groups >nC20 which were in-
terpreted to be derived directly from higher plant materi-
als. The geochemical results from the studies of Cooper
Basin and Taranaki Basin coals show that long-chain
aliphatic groups in coals can be derived directly from
higher plant materials, from microbial activity in the
depositional environment, or from a combination of both.
The geochemical data of our Benue trough coals are very
similar to those of the Cooper Basin and the Taranaki
Basin.
Coals and related continental strata with type III
kerogen provide the source for commercial oil accumu-
lations in many other sedimentary basins around the
world: e.g., in the Mahakam Delta of Indonesia (Huc et
al., 1986), the Karoo Basin in Tanzania (Mpanju et al.,
1991), the Junggar and Tarim Basins in northwestern
China (Hendrix et al., 1995) and in the Harald and Lulita
fields in the Danish Central Graben of the North Sea
(Petersen et al., 2000). And in the Niger Delta of Nigeria,
source rocks of dominantly type III kerogen produce the
vast amounts of hydrocarbons that have accumulated in
that part of the West African continental margin. The
major problem with hydrocarbons generated from coaly
source rocks is the fact that most of such hydrocarbons
are adsorbed in the interstices of the coal matrix which
has made effective expulsion, migration, accumulation
and producibility very difficult (Barker et al., 1989). This
is probably the case with the envisaged coaly-sourced
hydrocarbons in the Nigerian Benue Trough. Exploration
for hydrocarbons in these coals, therefore, must target
deep coal seams that have been subjected to local and
regional tectonics.
EVALUATION OF P OTENTIAL PETROLEUM SYSTEMS
The build up of any prospect or of a petroleum system
requires the availability of good quality source rocks.
Additionally, the stratigraphic position of the source
rocks, the availability of good quality reservoir and seal
lithologies, timing of hydrocarbon generation, favorable
regional migration pathways and trapping mechanisms

Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 239

 SW
W E
Gongola sub-basin
Kolmani River-1
Ashaka Gombe well
Kerri-Kerri
e Sill
Gongila mb
Go
a Se ssu
dig
Pin
Yolde lde
Yo
6000m
Bima
B a s e m e n t
Fig. 13. Stratigraphy, structures, possible migration patterns and trapping mechanisms in the Upper Benue Trough (for the
indicated section and horst trap) in relation to some exploratory wells drilled in the area.
must also be considered. In the Middle Benue Trough,
juxtaposition of sandstone facies (Fig. 12a) of the Keana
and Awe formations against the Awgu Formation source
rock can lead to some petroleum trappings in this region.
Time equivalent marine and paralic sandstones (e.g., the
Makurdi Sandstone) and other sandstone bodies within
the Awgu Formation are expected to constitute additional
reservoirs. Prospects in the overlying Lafia Sandstone will
be too shallow and may lack adequate seals, but the pos-
sibility of some traps within the Lafia Formation cannot
be ruled out. In the Upper Benue Trough, a similar juxta-
position of sandstone facies against shaley and coaly
source rocks as a result of block faulting that produced
numerous horst and graben structures in this basin can
provide good drainage for generated hydrocarbons. In this
way, younger shaley and coaly source rocks can generate
hydrocarbons that can be trapped in the underlying (but
now juxtaposed) very thick and laterally extensive (but
compartmentalized as a result of the block faulting) Bima
Sandstone (Fig. 12a). Shelf sandstones within the Pindiga,
Dukul, and Gongila formations may also constitute addi-
tional reservoir lithologies. Just like in the very shallow
Paleocene Amal Formation in which significant volume
of oil has been discovered in the Muglad Basin of Sudan
(Schull, 1988; Mohamed et al., 1999), possibilities of
shallow prospects within the Paleocene Kerri-Kerri For-
mation in the Upper Benue Trough cannot be ruled out.
Volcanic activities locally occur in this basin, but none
of the studied samples from this area has produced an
240 N. G. Obaje et al.
Yola sub-basin
Pindiga/Futuk
Dadiya Syncline Lamurde Anticline
(Nasara-1 well) Biliri Lakun Lafiya-Lamurde
Hiatus
liy
e
Sill ku
Bima
Bima Dukul Je
Yold
e
lde
Yo
Bima
Volcanic
B a s e m e n t B a s e m e n t
Shell's subcommercial (33bcf) gas discovery
Chevron's target (dry) Migration
overcooked facies (Ro > 2.5%). In the Chad Basin, source
rocks are mainly in the Gongila Formation (this study and
Olugbemiro et al., 1997) and in the Fika Shale (Petters
and Ekweozor, 1982). Reservoirs may be provided by
sandstone facies in the same Gongila and Fika formations
and in the Gombe Sandstone, where deposited. Most of
the hydrocarbons in the Nigerian sector of the Chad Ba-
sin may have been lost as result of the Tertiary hiatus
(non-deposition). Source rocks, reservoirs and seals in
the Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin are in the Lokoja Sandstone
and in the Patti Formation (if hydrocarbons have been
generated). Prospects in this basin get better towards the
center of the basin in the Bida area.
With respect to the exploration and drilling campaigns
so far undertaken, Maastrichtian tectonism has tilted and
shifted the center of sedimentation in the Upper Benue
Trough to the west in the so-called Gombe-Kerri-Kerri
or Gongola sub-basin (Fig. 12b). The Gongola sub-basin
therefore contains the thickest pile of sediments in the
Upper Benue Trough and constitutes the more favorable
sub-sector for exploration in that region. This is confirmed
by Shells subcommercial success in Kolmani-River-1
well (Fig. 13). Chevrons Nasara-1 well was too shallow
and was located on an anticlinal core of the Pindiga For-
mation that was supposed to be the source rock (not cor-
roborated in this study) for hydrocarbons that would have
been generated for the targeted prospect. This is prob-
ably responsible for the dry hole encountered in that cam-
paign.
 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria have been
highly under-explored principally because of the poor
knowledge of their geology, far distance from existing
infrastructure and the prolificity of oil in the Niger delta.
These basins constitute one set of a series of Cretaceous
and later rift basins in Central and West Africa whose
origin is related to the opening of the South Atlantic.
Commercial hydrocarbon accumulations have recently
been discovered in Chad and Sudan within this rift trend.
This study has analyzed the quality of source rocks in the
sedimentary basins of Northern Nigeria as a preliminary
step to understanding petroleum systems that may be
available in the basins. At the core of every petroleum
system is a good quality source rock. Coal beds consti-
tute the greater part of the source rocks in most parts of
the basins. Coal beds and type III generally are currently
well recognized as effective source rocks and being seri-
ously considered in many exploration activities. In the
Middle and Upper Benue Trough, good to fair source rock
qualities characterize the coal beds of the Awgu Forma-
tion and the Lamja Formation respectively, while fair to
poor source rock qualities are inherent in the Chad basin.
Our geochemical data indicate that some oils have been
generated and migrated into some intervals penetrated by
Nasara-1 well and may have accumulated somewhere in
the basin. Similarly, some oil impregnations (oil shows)
were recorded in Ziye-1 well at a depth of 1210 m. Gen-
erated petroleum may not yet have reached the threshold
for hydrocarbon expulsion in the Mid-Niger (Bida) Ba-
sin. A review of petroleum system elements in the basins
indicate that commercial prospects may exist in sedimen-
tary basins of Northern Nigeria. Although oil has not yet
been discovered in commercial quantities in these basins,
our biomarker spectra constitute an important data bank
that can be used to trace the source rocks for whatever
hydrocarbons (oil and/or gas) that may be discovered in
these basins as exploration efforts continue. Chevron
Overseas Petroleum Incorporation (COPI)s exploration
program in central Sudan was a classical textbook exam-
ple of a successful drilling campaign, from concept to
exploration and development, in an untested, remote, high
risk, high cost area (Kaska, 1989). With relentless and
rejuvenated geological and geophysical studies, particu-
larly with respect to the evaluation of potential petroleum
systems, commercial success may also be achieved in the
Nigerian sector of Africas inland basins, even if it may
take some time to put all the elements together. Apart from
the samples from Nasara-1 well (Gongola Basin) and
those from the Chad Basin, all other samples analyzed in
this study were obtained from outcrops and some shal-
low boreholes. Outcrop samples having undergone many
exogenic transformations (weathering, contaminations,
anthropogeny) may not have yielded very reliable source
Hydrocarbon prospects of sedimentary basins in Northern Nigeria 241
rock evaluation data, but being the only types of samples
available for study in this region at the moment, they nev-
ertheless have constituted preliminary useful data, since
during sampling, attempts were made to cut back to
unweathered materials. We recommend that a deep re-
search well be drilled in each sector of Nigerias inland
basins to furnish a better understanding of the stratigraphy,
sedimentology and geochemistry of the yet chiefly
unpenetrated deeper sections.
AcknowledgmentsThe greater part of this work was carried
out during an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship tenure of
the first author at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and
Natural Resources (BGR), Hannover-Germany, in 2002/2003.
The organic geochemistry and organic petrology team at BGR
Hannover (Dr. Hermann Wehner, Dr. W. Hiltmann, Mrs. A.
Balke, Mrs. Jolanta Kus, Mrs. A. Tietjen, Mrs. Monika Weiss,
Mrs. A. Vidal) are gratefully acknowledged for assisting in the
data generation.
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