It's a class presentation at Dept. Of Earth Sciences IIT bombay. I have included main type of the Microfossils and their index feature and applications.
2. Microfossils- What are they ?
• Mineral Walled microfossils study – Micropaleontology
• Organic walled microfossils study – Palynology
Why study Microfossils ?
• Size
• Much Diversity
• Abundance
• Specific Association
• Easy to extract
3. 1. Foraminifera
• Size generally less than 0.5mm
• Test of having tectinous ,agglutinated or calcareous
• Inhabiting marine or brackish water environments
Planipiral involute
Elphidium
Planipiral evolute
Spirillinamilioline
Quinqueloculina biserial
Heterohelix
trochospiral
Ammonia
4.
5. 2. Calcareous Nannofossils
• Size range is 5-60µm
• Shape is hollow sphere composed of calcareous plates, called coccoliths
• Habitat is particularly in zones of oceanic upwelling or pronounced vertical mixing region
• Useful for the statistically valid result
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/GeolSci/micropal/image
s/calc/caldiag05.gif
6. 3. Diatoms
• Unicellular algae ;external skeleton (a frustule)
• Size range of frustules is 5 – 2000 µm
• Algae with siliceous wall
• Marine and fresh water ; many occur in polar ice caps to hot thermal springs
• Jurassic – Recent
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/GeolSci/micropal/diato
m.html
7. 4. Ostracode
• Calcareous or chitinous carapace
• 0.5 mm to >5 mm.
• Benthic and planktic
• All aquatic environments and also
moist soils
• Ordovician – Recent
• Good indicator of
palaeoenvironment
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/GeolSci/micro
pal/ostracod.html
8. 5. Palynomorphs
• Unicellular algae; organic wall.
• 20 – 150 µ
• Symbiotic, parasitic or as
independent autotrophic planktons.
• Marine, lagoonal and lacustrine.
• Permian – Recent.
• Good biostratigraphic potential
a. Acritarchs
b. Dinoflagellates
c. Spore and Pollen
http://lanwebs.lander.edu/faculty/rsfox/invert
ebrates/protozoa.html
9. Application of MicrofossilsApplication of Microfossils
1. Petroleum Exploration1. Petroleum Exploration
3. Development of Field
Core and SWC of Interested IntervalCore and SWC of Interested Interval
2. Appraisal of Discoveries2. Appraisal of Discoveries
Correlation between appraisal and Discovery wellCorrelation between appraisal and Discovery well Reservoir Distribution and Reserve EstimationReservoir Distribution and Reserve Estimation
1. Exploration of prospect
BiozonationBiozonation Coring point selectionCoring point selection Terminal depth decisionTerminal depth decision
Stratigraphic monitoring
while drilling
Stratigraphic monitoring
while drilling
10. It’s worth of crore while Horizontal Drilling monitoring-
Source-Geological Survey of the Netherlands
12. Graphic Correlation -Graphic Correlation -
• Line of correlation
• Rate of rock accumulation
• Hiatus and hiatal intervals
https://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331biostrat2.html
14. Fig.-Map is showing the two sampling stations in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal
Estimation Of Carbon Export Flux to Deep ocean
15. • Microfossils give the refinement of geological time scale specially in Cenozoic
• They are very sensitive to environment even a degree temp. difference will cause
assemblage differences
• Very good Index fossil ( Short Life span , Wide geographic distribution)
• Isotopic study of microfossils test gives clue about paleo-temperature
• Global Sea Level Curve using Phytoplankton
• Precise Age determination of geological formation
• Well Correlation during petroleum exploration
• Use in Basin modelling
• Use as maturity index of the oil prone source rock (Spore and Pollen)
• More Diverse the benthic microfossils than the planktic and vise-versa for abundance
Conclusion
16. 1. LOEBLICH, A. R., Jr. and TAPPAN, H., 1987. Foraminiferal genera and their classification.
New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 2 vol.
2. JAUHRI, A. K., 1994. Carbonate buildup in the Lakadong Formation of the South Shillong
Plateau, NE India: A micropaleontological perspective.
3. Armstrong Howard , Brasier Martin 2004 ;Microfossils, 2nd Edition
4. Internet references
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/GeolSci/micropal/
https://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/G331/lectures/331biostrat2.html
http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileychi/stjohn/supp/Chapter_3_Marine_Microfossils_and_Biost
ratigraphy.pdf
Reference: