BRAIDED RIVER FACIES MODEL OF EARLY CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTS (UPPER BIMA) MEMBER FROM THE YOLA SUB-BASIN, NORTHERN BENUE TROUGH, NE NIGERIA

Abstract

Facies model was conducted on the Early Cretaceous sediments of Upper Bima Member from
Yola Sub-basin of the Northern Benue Trough, northeastern Nigeria with an objective of
interpreting the depositional setting and paleoenvironments. The sedimentary logs/sections
compriseof the two (2) main facies associations; the pebbly-sandy and the sandy-silty
associations. The sediments were interpreted as deposition in channel and floodplain complex
of the braided river depositional system. This formed the basis for reconstructing the
depositional framework of the Upper Bima Member in Yola Sub-basin as braided river facies
model. The findings however, supported the earlier interpretations from the neighbouring
sediments of Bima Formation from the Gongola Sub-basin. It also supports the two endmember
sub-division for the Cretaceous sequences of Bima Formation.