Pyrolysis Analysis and Organic Petrography of Cretaceous Coals of Northern Benue Trough, Northeast Nigeria: Implication for Oil-gas Generative Potential

Pyrolysis Analysis (Rock-Eval pyrolysis and total organic carbon or TOC content determination) and Organic Petrological (vitrinite reflectance and macerals identification) Analyses were conducted on Maiganga and Lamza coals from The Northern Benue Trough, Northeastern Nigeria. This with an objective of determining the kerogen types, thermal maturation and oil-gas generative potential. The study revealed that the analysed Maiganga coals are immature to mature with major gas source rock potential (pre–oil generation window) while samples from Lamza area are at early-mature to peak oil window maturity with predominantly gas generative potential. The Maiganga and Lamza coals samples have fairly mixed Type II-III and Type III kerogens and could be expected to generate major gas and limited components of liquid hydrocarbons. This study therefore, suggest that the Maiganga and Lamza coals possess qualities and can serve as good source rocks for Upper Crectaceous petroleum system of the Northern Benue Trough with major gas and minor oil generating potentials. This research however, could be used as a guide for current frontier basins exploration in the Northern Benue Trough of Nigeria for future economic growth of Nigeria.