Mineralogic Characterization and Petroleum Potential of Clays (Shales) of the N’Kappa Formation (Paléocene-Eocene) in the Douala Sedimentary Sub-basin (South-West Cameroon)

Paul Lambert  Kenfack; Pierre Ricard  Njike Ngaha; Georges Emmanuel  Ekodeck; Gabriel  Ngueutchoua

doi:10.4236/ijg.2012.34070

IJG Vol.3 No.4 , September 2012

Mineralogic Characterization and Petroleum Potential of Clays (Shales) of the N’Kappa Formation (Paléocene-Eocene) in the Douala Sedimentary Sub-basin (South-West Cameroon)

Paul Lambert Kenfack^*, Pierre Ricard Njike Ngaha, Georges Emmanuel Ekodeck, Gabriel Ngueutchoua

Abstract: The aim of this research work was to report a facies analysis of the N’Kappa formation, identified the clay minerals present in those facies and evaluate their oil potential. For that to be done, Lithostratigraphic descriptions were performed on three natural outcrops chosen in three different localities of the northern border of Douala sedimentary basin. Ten shaly samples were then collected on those outcrops and submit to X ray diffraction and Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Lithologically, the N’Kappa formation is made up of dark to grey shales and fine to coarse sandtones. The mineralogic content of the shales is made up of Kaolinite, dickite, low quartz and vaterite. Those shaly facies present high amount of immature organic matter (average TOC content around 2%). The petroleum potential is fair to poor (average S2 for all the samples around 3.33 mg HC/g of rock) though some samples (M1 and M2) presenting a good petroleum potential up to 6.62 kg HC/t of rock and 6.44 kg HC/t of rock respectively. They have undergone a low degree of diagenesis (early to burying diagenesis). This is evidenced by the predominance of kaolinite and dickite, low quartz and vaterite which are minerals stable at low temperature.

Keywords: Mineralogy; Organic Matter; Petroleum Potential; N’Kappa Formation; Douala Sub-Basin

Cite this paper: P. Kenfack, P. Njike Ngaha, G. Ekodeck and G. Ngueutchoua, "Mineralogic Characterization and Petroleum Potential of Clays (Shales) of the N’Kappa Formation (Paléocene-Eocene) in the Douala Sedimentary Sub-basin (South-West Cameroon)," International Journal of Geosciences, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2012, pp. 696-709. doi: 10.4236/ijg.2012.34070.

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