ABSTRACT
Coal is one of the most important fossil fuels, which nature has produced and deposited in the sedimentary rocks in different parts of the world. A variety of microfossils such as pollen grains of pteridosperms, other types of gymnosperms, ptederophytic spores, different types of fungal remains including spores occur in coal. Petroleum is one very precious fossil fuel which nature has taken millions of years to produce. Paleopalynology is a branch of palynology, which deals with the study of fossil microorganisms such as pollen grains, spores, marine and fresh water algae, Foraminifera and other planktonic forms. The fossil pollen and spores recovered from rock samples are immensely useful in the reconstruction of the palaeoenvironment favourable for the formation and accumulation of oil. A variety of microfossils belonging to different groups of plants, animals and intermediate types occurs abundantly in the oil-bearing sediments of different geological ages.
