During the past decade, the relatively new science of palynology has generated considerable interest in the field of petroleum exploration. Many geologists have not yet become familiar with palynology and its great potential in stratigraphic, paleogeographic, paleoecologic, and paleoclimatologic studies. After a brief sketch of the development of palynology and the amount of activity in this field at present, some of the basic principles are presented and examined in detail. During the examination of these principles, their potential value to the field of geology is illustrated. Among the important problems facing exploration geologists are the following: (1) age dating of sediments, (2) correlation of contemporaneously deposited sediments, and (3) depositional environmen of sediments. Palynology can give valuable data in all three of these areas. Emphasis is placed on some of the recent correlations established on the basis of palynological work as well as some of the recent findings concerning age determinations. In view of the fact that palynology is such a young field, some of the problems confronting palynologists are discussed as well as certain areas of this field that are relatively unexplored.

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