Durable microscopic fossils have a wide distribution in time and space, and their rapid and irreversible evolution and morphologically distinctive evolutionary stages make them excellent tools for measuring relative geologic time. They are particularly useful in hydrocarbon exploration because they can be recovered from both cuttings and cores. Microfossil groups that are too rare in most sedimentary rocks, too limited in overall stratigraphic or paleoenvironmental range, or too poorly understood to be broadly useful in industrial application are not considered in this section.
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Durable microscopic fossils have a wide distribution in time and space, and their rapid and irreversible evolution and morphologically distinctive evolutionary stages make them excellent tools for measuring relative geologic time. They are particularly useful in hydrocarbon exploration because they can be recovered from both [[Mudlogging: drill cuttings analysis|cuttings]] and [[Core description|cores]]. Microfossil groups that are too rare in most sedimentary rocks, too limited in overall [[Stratigraphic and geographic distribution of fossils|stratigraphic]] or [[Paleoenvironmental analysis|paleoenvironmental]] range, or too poorly understood to be broadly useful in industrial application are not considered in this section.