Hematization of Quartz Grains: Study of the Surface of Quartz Grains (M.E.B) and Semi-Quantitative Mineralization

Interest in the Côte d’Ivoire sedimentary basin has led to numerous investigations. All these investigations are aimed at understanding the functioning of the basin and a paleogeographic approach including sediment transport dynamics. However, the use of exoscopy and semi-quantitative mineralogy has been little developed. This study was carried out to compensate for this lack of interest in these methods. Its aim is to understand the transformation of quartz into hematite using exoscopy and semi-quantitative mineralogy in the Adiaké locality, in the eastern onshore basin of Côte d’Ivoire. Two methods were applied to 250 μm-diameter quartz grains from the 40 m coasts. Exoscopy provides information on microscopic texture, surface and corrosion, as well as determining the transport mechanism and deposition phases of quartz grains. Semi-quantitative mineralogy provides an estimate of the weight percentages of major element oxides and the ultrastructure of quartz grains. Exoscopy showed that these grains had been subjected to torrential fluvial transport. They were marked by mechanical and chemical traces during this transport and evolved in different environments. Semi-quantitative mineralogy shows the existence of negative and positive correlations between oxides. Negative correlations indicate a substitution, in order of importance, of silicon by iron, phosphorus and aluminum in these quartz. Positive correlations show that there is no substitution between the oxides concerned in these quartz grains. Divo’s quartz grains have recorded several mechanical and chemical microstructures of their sedimentary episodes, with the appearance of iron nodules in the ports left by silica.

Geochemistry of Cretaceous Sea Rocks from the LEO-3X Well in the Eastern Abidjan Margin, Côte d’Ivoire Offshore Basin

In this study, we apply geochemical and statistical analyses to evaluate the source rocks and kerogen type of Cretaceous sediments from the Cote d’Ivoire sedimentary basin. The geochemical analysis includes pyrolysis data such as total organic carbon (TOC%), generation source potential (S2) and hydrogen index (HI). The results of the cluster analysis separated the source rocks in the study area into two main groups. 1) Source rocks characterized by HI > 300 (mg/g), TOC from 1.76% to 3.19% by weight, and S2 from 6.55 to 14.46 (mg/g), indicating good to excellent source rocks with type II kerogen and are capable of generating oil. 2) Source rocks characterized by HI between 200 and 300 (mg/g), TOC from 1.6 to 2.02 wt%, and S2 from 3.45 to 5.36 (mg/g) indicating medium to good source rocks with type II-III kerogen and capable of generating a mixture of oil and gas.

Evidence of the Albo-Cenomanian Unconformity Using Chemical Elements Case Study of Sediments from the Eastern Abidjan Margin

Sedimentological and chemostratigraphical studies using accessory elements on 322 samples of cuttings from oil wells located in the submerged sedimentary basin (offshore) of Côte d’Ivoire. This basin covered the chronostratigraphic interval from the Upper Albian to the top of the Maastrichtian. The aim of this study was to determine the major accident, the Albo-Cenomanian unconformity, using chemical elements. To achieve this goal, we had to count the accessory elements glauconite, pyrite and carbonaceous debris, and identify all the chemical elements present in each cuttings sample. The results clearly indicate that: the sediments are essentially composed of carbonaceous debris and pyrite, with a high potassium content for sediments dating from the Abian period;and glauconite, carbonaceous debris, pyrite, and a sharp decrease in potassium content for sediments dating from the Cenomanian to the Maastrichtian period. Threshold values for ratios of source-indicating chemical elements (Zr, Ti, Y, Th) and paleoenvironmental elements (K, Rb, Mg, Al,) highlighted the MS1 and MS2 mega-sequences in the study area. The difference observed in the threshold values of these ratios can be explained by changes in sedimentary dynamics. The depositional environment varies from an inner continental shelf with strong littoral influence (Upper Albian) to an increasing subsidence outer continental shelf (Cenomanian-K/Pg boundary).