Depositional and Structural Styles in Chad Basin of Northeastern Nigeria

Seismic reflection data in the Maiduguri area of the Chad basin reveal a significant juxtaposition of faults and folds, the primary structural orientation of which is northeast-southwest and parallel to the surface structural pattern in the contiguous Benue trough. The faults in the basin consist of both basement-involved faults and detached faults. The folds are simple symmetrical structures, restricted to the deeper parts of the basin. Concomitant compressive structures are notably scarce. The structural pattern is complicated further by the presence of intrusions that are presumed to be the subsurface extension of volcanic outcrops that rim the southeastern part of the Maiduguri subbasin. Seismic reflection data also reveal distinguishable seismic sequences that correlate with the established stratigraphic sequence of the basin.The apparent structure and the seismically derived stratigraphy suggest a rift origin for the basin. Furthermore, the seismic stratigraphy, sedimentologic implications, and seismically determined structural features suggest that the Maiduguri area of the Chad basin has good prospects for hydrocarbon plays in Cretaceous rocks, with high potentials for both structural and stratigraphic traps.