Micropalaeontology in Petroleum Exploration

Many papers have noted the association between micropaleontology and petroleum exploration, but no book has ever provided a comprehensive and thematic treatment. This book attempts to do just that. It begins with an overview of pure micropaleontology, then treats the principles and practice of applied micropaleontology and sequence stratigraphy; case studies of applications in various geographic, geologic, and stratigraphic settings are given. The final section deals with applications outside petroleum exploration, with sections on environmental monitoring, coal mining, mineral exploration and exploitation, and engineering. Extensively illustrated and referenced, this book will benefit academic and commercial paleontologists.

The book provides the first comprehensive and thematic treatment of micropalaeontology and its applications in petroleum exploration. The first part deals with pure micropalaeontology, and the second part with the principles and practices of applied micropalaeontology and sequence stratigraphy. Case histories of applications in a range of geographic, geologic, and stratigraphic settings are given.

Introduction; 1: Calcareous microfossils; 2: Silicaceous microfossils; 3: Phosphatic microfossils; 4: Organic-walled microfossils (Palynomorphs); 5: Calcareous nannofossils; 6: Biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental interpretation; 7: Integrated stratigraphy; 8: Petroleum exploration, appraisal and development; 9: Case histories in petroleum exploration I: Clastic systems; 10: Case histories in petroleum exploration II: Carbonate systems; 11: Other commercial applications; Index