Abstract
Oils produced from wells contain sediments possibly derived from source, reservoir, and such other rocks through which the oil migrated during the geologic past. Study of phytoclasts in the particulate content of oils may thus be helpful in relating it to the most probable source rocks. Clastic fraction and its palynofossil contents in oils of Messlah and Bouri fields were studied. To extract and separate the palynofossils from the crude oils, a special laboratory technique has been evolved.
The sediment content in oil is very low and that of the fossil phytoclasts, extremely poor. Only a very few palynofossils were recovered. These include Psilatrilites sp., Cycadopites sp., tetratlete pollen grain, and possible Retitricolpites sp. The rest of the fossil phytoclasts comprise plant remains, possible palynomorphs, and black to dark brown organic matter. The recovered palynofossils are long-ranging in age and it is not possible to relate them to any specific age.
The studied oil samples were collected after the separators and this could explain the overall extremely low yield of phytoclasts and palynofossils. It seems necessary to study oil samples collected before the separators and also, the sediments retained by the separators for more meaningful and conclusive results.