Re-Construction of Paleo-Sedimentation Processes of Aquifers Underlying Igueben Using Geo-Electrical Resistivity Signature and Borehole Data

Samuel O. Salufu; Isaac Aigbedion

Samuel O. Salufu
Isaac Aigbedion Ambrose Alli University,Ekpoma

Keywords: Aquifer, Palaeo-sedimentation processes, Geo-electrical resistivity, Palaeo-Sedimentation Processes, Igueben

Abstract

Igueben is located in the central of Edo State, Nigeria. It has neighboring towns; Ogwa, Ugbegun, Ugiogba, Ebelle, and Ekpon. These towns have the same aquifer but significant variations in the water table. However, this study is intended to unravel the salient ancient hydrological processes that occurred in the study area which resulted in this variation. Vertical electrical sounding (VES) data and borehole data of the area are integrated to generate geo-electrical resistivity section of the area, to identify the aquifer trends, body, and shape to re-construct the paleo-sedimentation processes of the aquifers that underlie Iguebe and the neighboring towns. The inversion model result for the seven VES conducted in the study area show that the curve types are HQA, AHA, A, AHA, AHA, HAQ, and AQA, respectively. These curve type suggested that the aquifer type is an arenite sandstone aquifer that has been transported from a long distance. The geo-electrical pattern and shape show that Iguebe and Ogwa (shallow marine) are the points of deposition from where other nearby towns (Ugbegun, Ugiogba, Ebelle, and Ekpon) sourced their aquifer by gravity settling from suspended sediments in water body into adjacent deep marine environment (Ugbegun, Ugiogba, Ebelle, and Ekpon). The two towns are the hydraulic-head of the aquifer in the study area. These geological processes are responsible for the variation in the water table in the study area.

References

AAigbedion, I., Salufu, S., 2021. Impact of Sandstone Maturity on Groundwater Resistivity in Geophysical Groundwater Exploration in Parts of Edo Central and Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. South Asian Research Journal of Natural Products 4 (2), 1-10.

Arua, I., 1986. Palaeo-environment of Eocen Deposits in Afikpo Syncline, Southern Nigeria. Journal of African Sciences 5, 297-284.

Arua, I., Okoro, A.O., 1989. Reconstruction of Palaeo-wave and paleao-depth Regimes of Nkporo Sea (Campano-Maastrichtian) Using Wave formed Ripple Marks. Journal of Minning and Geology 25 (1-2), 75-79.

Benkhelil, J. 1989. The Evolution of the Cretaceous Benue Trough, Nigeria. Journal of African Earth Sciences 8, 251-282.

Brett, C.E., Baird, G.C., Bartholomew, A.J., Desantis, M.K., VerStraeten, C.A., 2011. Sequence stratigraphy and a revised sea-level curve for the Middle Devonian of eastern North America. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 304 (1-2), 21-53.

Gary, N., 2009. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Second Edition Willey Black publisher.

Idowu, J.O., Ekweozor, C.M., 1993. Petroleum potential of Cretaceous shales in the Upper Benue Trough, Nigeria. Journal of Petroleum Geology 16, 249-264.

Inman, J.R., 1975. Resistivity inversion with ridge regression. Geophysics 40, 798-817.

Koefoed, O., 1979. Geosounding Principles 1: Resistivity sounding measurements. Elsevier Science Publishing Company, Amsterdam.

Kroonenberg, S.B., 1994. Effects of provenance, sorting and weathering on the geochemistry of fluvial sands from different tectonic and climaticth environment. Proceedings of the 29 International Geological Congress, Part A, pp. 69-81.

Lines, L.R., Treitel, S., 1984. Tutorial: A review of least-squares inversion and its application to geophysical problems. Geophysical Prospecting 32, 159-186.

Lowrie, W., 1997. Fundamentals of Geophysics.Institute of Geophysics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Zurich, Switzerland. Cambridge University Press. 354 p.

Mclennan, S.M., Hemming, S., Mcdaniel, D.K., Hanson, G.N., 1993. Geochemical approaches to sedimentation, provenance and tectonics, In: Johnson, M.J. and Basu, A. (eds.): Geological Society of America, Special Paper 285, 21-40.

Nwajid, C.S., Hoque M., 1985. Tectono‑sedimentological evolution of an elongate intracratonic basin (aulacogen): The case of the Benue Trough of Nigeria. Journal of Mineralogy and Geology 21 (1-2), 19-26.
Rock Well Drilling Company, 2018. Unpublished article, Auchi-Edo State-Nigeria.

Ryan, D.W., Juergen, S., 2015. Sedimentary Facies and Depositional Environment of the Middle Devonian Formation of New York, USA. Journal of Sedimentary Research 85, 1393-1415.

Stow, D.A.V, Huc, A.Y., Bertrand, P., 2001. Depositional processes of black shales in deep water: Marine and Petroleum Geology 18, 491-498.

Valloni, R., Mezzardi, G., 1984. Compositional suites of terrigenous deep-sea sands of the present continental margins. Sedimentology 31, 353-364.

VerStraeten, C.A., Brett, C.E., Sageman, B.B., 2011. Mudrock sequence stratigraphy: a multi-proxy (sedimentological, paleobiological and geochemical) approach, Devonian Appalachian Basin: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 304, 54-73.

Woodrow, D.L., 1985. Paleogeography, paleoclimate, and sedimentary processes of the Late Devonian Catskill Delta, in Woodrow, D.L., and Sevon, W.D., eds., The Catskill Delta: Geological Society of America, Special Paper 201, p. 51-63.