ABSTRACT

This research examines the hydrocarbon and mineralogical potentials of Abia State and environs which covers about 48,400 km2 and lies between latitude 50 0‟N to 70 0‟N and longitude 7 0 0‟E to 8 0 0‟E. The study area lies in the Lower Benue Trough consisting of Abia state and parts of Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Benue states. Aeromagnetic data sets with sheet numbers; 287 (Nsukka), 288 (Igumale), 301 (Udi), 302 (Nkalagu), 312 (Okigwe), 313 (Afikpo), 321 (Aba) and 322 (Ikot-Ekpene) were obtained from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency and the Landsat imagery was obtained from the United States Geological Survey database. For the satellite imagery, band 10 of the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) of Landsat 8 with a scene size of 220km by 110km and a resolution of 100m was used for vegetation, temperature and drainage studies. The Elevation and linear structures were mapped from data acquired from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). All data sets were analysed using Oasis Montaj 6, Mathlab 17 and ArcGis. Results show that the study area has a surface temperature of 20-34oC with a dendritic drainage pattern. The magnetic anomaly responses range from -102.8nT to 145.6nT and the depth to the magnetic basement as obtained from source parameter imaging and spectral analysis ranges from -102.4km to 7,618km implying that parts of the study area meet the sedimentary thickness for the accumulation of hydrocarbon. The average Curie point depth, geothermal gradient and heat flow were found to be 4.48km, 34.6oCkm-1 , 69.2mWm-2 respectively indicating that the study area is geothermaly active. Furthermore, 4,090 lineament features were obtained from the landsat imagery and the lineament density ranges from 22.7 km-1 to 113.7km-1 with a NE-SW structural trend. Areas like: Bende, Umuahia, Arochukwu and Ohafia (Abia State); Okigwe (Imo state); Afikpo, Amagunze, Eha-Amufu (Ebonyi State) have high amplitude anomalies which implies presence of igneous intrusions and as such are not viable for hydrocarbon exploration although their depth to magnetic basement meet the requirement for hydrocarbon generation thus making them viable for mineral prospecting. However, areas like Abi, Obolo-Eke, and Ikem areas in Kogi, Benue and Enugu States have low amplitude anomalies indicative of a sedimentary basin but only Ikem area in Enugu state and Aba in Abia state are likely to have potential for hydrocarbon due to its depth and low lineament density