SOUVENIR COMMITTEE - Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany

Training Programme on “PALYNOLOGY IN FOSSIL FUEL EXPLORATION”
[ September 10-17, 2012 ]
HISTORY OF PALEONTOLOGY, ADVANCES IN MICROFOSSIL
STUDIES,BIOCHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY, RESOLUTION ACHIEVED APPLICATION IN
HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION
DSN RAJU
MSR Residency, 2 nd Floor, Pragati Marg, J.N.Road, Rajahmundry-533103, A.P., India
E-mail: rajudsn1@gmail.com
Paleontology is one of the historical sciences along with archaeology, geology, biology, astronomy,
cosmology and history itself. Before 17 th, Paleontology focuses on the macroscopic animal fossils preserved
on the rocks based on the available information. The information of small fishes and marine shells on inland
mountains were given by Xenophanes, Pythagora and Xanthus and large benthic foraminifera Nummulites
(Herodotus). The Paleontology was used to understand the nature of mountains, climate, sea-level change,
paleogeography: The 17 th century: the first diagram illustrating the disposition of strata, and its unconformity
of later beds on earlier inclined strata (Steno,1638-1687), The outstanding geological figure of the 17 th century
was undoubtedly carried out for advent of cryptic fauna (Micrograptia, 1665), foraminifera (Rotalia); sutures
of ammonites (Hook 1965) under compound microscopes which named as micropaleontology and possible
used in as a chronological index (extinction of species). After a centaury, a new branch named Palynology
for the pollen and spores was introduced by Hyde and Williams in 1944.
They are monumental in integration of microfossil data with other branches of geology in
interpretation of plate tectonics and paleogeography.
The birth of economic or commercial micropaleontology can be attributed to the advent of oil industry.
This signalled the present “Application phase of micropaleontology in Hydrocarbon exploration and
production.’
The advent of sequence stratigraphy in 1977 demanded a major role by micropaleontologists.
Advances in the study of microfossils: The morphological nature of forms to molecular (ribosomal DNA
sequences) micro-paleontology suggested by various workers (Srinivasan, 2007, Hayward et al 2003).
Hydrocarbon reservoirs were first predicted based on the recovery of microfossils from well to well (
Gryzbowski, 1980). A detailed account on advances in the application of biostratigraphy to Petroleum
Exploration and Production (Giwa et.al. 2006). The sub branches include: 1. Biostratigraphy, 2.
Biostratigraphic events concept, 3. High resolution biostratigraphy, 4. Wellsite biostratigraphic support,
5. Biosteering, 6. Ecostratigraphic techniques, 7. Quantitative stratigraphy and 8. Biostratigraphic workstation.
Studies on stable isotopes and trace elements in foraminifera as proxy of paleoclimate, paleobiology and
paleooceanography are under progress in India.
Resolution achieved in biochronostratigraphy through various tools/methods:
Microfossils palyed/ playing a major role in Dating of sediments, seismic origins and well log breaks,
Well to well, inter basinal and intercontinental correlations,Determination of paleoenvironments/
paleobathymetries, recognition and estimation of duration of hiatuses including submarine, eEstablishing
biochronostratigraphic frame work,3 rd , 4 th , 5 th /6 th order stratigraphic cycles and relative sea level fluctuations
and an independent scheme of foraminiferal sequence stratigraphy and to some extent dinoflagellates cysts
sequence stratigraphy.
Geosteering is related to process of drilling a borehole; adjusting the borehole position( inclination
and azimuth angles) on the fly to reach one or more geological targets.
Biosteering is combined data of paleontological related to the entombed microfossils in rocks in
horizontal wells and LWD (log whilst drilling) for steering decisions. Because of fossils allow determination of
Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow
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