Geology Indonesia

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  • A Geological Overview of Indonesia

    Chapter 4

  • The Petroleum Geology of Indonesia

    Indonesia is diverse in terms of culture, geography and geology. It is a sprawlingnation of 9.5 million km2 and, with 80% of its area being water and more than17,000 islands, it is the largest archipelago in the world. It traces the path of theequator for over 5400 km east to west across three time zones and extends for over1800 km from north to south.

    I ndonesias development as a nation hasbeen strongly influenced by its geographyand geology, with the interplay between

    climate, rainfall and volcanic activity

    shaping agricultural and population patterns

    in different ways throughout the islands.

    Java and Bali, for example, are endowed

    with some of the most fertile volcanic soils

    on Earth. For this reason they are

    population and cultural centers. Out of the

    total population of over 200 million, nearly

    50% live on the relatively small island of

    Java, which represents only 7% of the total

    land area.

    Other regions, such as Kalimantan and

    Sumatra with their dense rain forests, or

    the Nusa Tenggara (Lesser Sunda) islands

    with their more arid climate, are less

    densely populated.

    In the nineteenth century the British

    botanist Sir Alfred Russell Wallace (who

    together with Darwin is credited with the

    theory of evolution) determined a precise

    line of demarcation that separates the flora

    and fauna found throughout Asia from those

    unique to Australasia. This divide is termed

    the Wallace line and passes between Bali

    and Lombok and then northward between

    Borneo and the Celebes (Sulawesi). It is no

    coincidence that the Wallace line is also a

    major geological divide. The islands to the

    west represent the tectonically disrupted

    southeastern promontory of the continental

    Asian plate (the Sunda shield or

    Sundaland), whereas those to the east are

    fragments of the ancient continental

    Australian plate (Australian craton). These

    two plates started to collide only about

    8 million years ago (mybp) towards the end

    of the Miocene epoch which, in geological

    terms, is relatively recent. Before this time,

    the flora and fauna of these two landmasses

    had developed in very different directions

    and remain distinct to this day.

    Controlled largely by the different

    geological regimes of Eastern and Western

    Indonesia, the pattern of hydrocarbon

    exploration and exploitation differs across

    the archipelago. Indonesia contains more

    than 60 sedimentary basins and inter-basin

    areas in which hydrocarbon accumulations

    are either proven or possible (Figure 1).

    This is a significant number considering that

    there are estimated to be only 600

    sedimentary basins worldwide (Pattinama

    and Samuel, 1992). Indonesia is also

    probably the most diverse nation in the

    world in terms of petroleum systems. There

    are at least 50 proven and probably more

    than 100 speculative (lightly explored or

    unexplored) petroleum systems (Howes,

    1999). These vary greatly with regard to

    their age and geological characteristics. Most

    of the proven and exploited hydrocarbon

    systems occur in Western Indonesia and are

    at a relatively mature stage of exploration.

    Eastern Indonesia remains, however,

    relatively underexplored and almost half of

    the basins have not been drilled.

    Indonesia is the fifteenth largest oil

    producer in the world and the only OPEC

    member in Southeast Asia, producing over

    80% of all oil for this region. Indonesian oil

    is in high demand on the world market

    because of its low (

  • Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 175

    0 400 800 1000km

    Producing (14)

    Discovery (10)

    No discovery (14)

    Undrilled (22)

    Tertiary petroleum

    Pre-Tertiary petroleum

    Eastern Indonesia

    Indonesian sedimentary basins

    Western Indonesia

    NEH

    EH

    SEHSW

    MOSE

    BTW/W

    CIJAK

    AR

    AKT

    W

    CAB NWS

    ZOCTI

    BD

    BUB

    F

    SS

    L

    K/MS

    AA/P

    MU

    CE

    KE

    Kalimantan

    Irian Jaya

    Java

    JF

    PEBIS/ASSF

    NSF

    NSB

    SSB

    CSB

    NWJ

    MEUK

    ENWN

    TA

    EJ

    PN

    BA

    SBL

    S/M

    B/S

    GO

    SM/NM

    Malaysia

    Malaysiaand Brunei

    Singapore

    Philippines

    SA

    TBASulawesi

    Sumatra

    Western Indonesia(22 basins)

    Eastern Indonesia(38 basins)

    38 (63.3%)

    22 (36.7%)

    Producing(50.0%)

    Producing(7.9%)

    Discoveries(Non-producing)

    (13.6%)

    Discoveries(Non-producing)

    (15.8%)Drilled(No discoveries)

    (22.7%)

    Drilled(No discoveries)

    (26.3%)

    Undrilled(13.6%)

    Undrilled(50.0%)

    Eastern Indonesia

    Western Indonesia

    Western Indonesia

    NSB - North SumatraCSB - Central SumatraSSB - South SumatraNSF - North Sumatra fore arcSSF - South Sumatra fore arc/BengkuluS/A - Sunda/AsriNWJ - Northwest JavaJF - Java fore arcEJ - East Java/Java SeaBI - BillitongPE - PembuangBA - BaritoPN - Pater Noster platformAA/P - Asem-Asem/PasirUK - Upper KuteiK/MS - Kutei/Makassar StraitsMU - MuaraTA - TarakanCE - CelebesKE - KetungauME - MelawaiWN - West NatunaEN - East Natuna

    Eastern Indonesia

    SM/NM - South/North MinahasaGO - GorontaloB/S - BanggaiSulaS/M - SalabangkaManuiBU - ButonBD - BandaB - BoneF - FloresSS - Spermonde/SelayarL - LariangSBL - South BaliLombokSA - SavuTI - TimorNWSZOC - Northwest Shelf zone

    of cooperationW - WeberSE - SeramNEH - Northeast HalmaheraEH - East HalmaheraSEH - Southeast HalmaheraSW - SalawatiBT - BintuniMO - Misool-OninTBA - Teluk BerauAjumaruKT - Kai TanimbarA - AruAK - AkmeugahAR - ArafuraCIJ - Central Irian JayaW/W - Waipoga/Waropen

    Wal

    lace

    line

    Moluccas

    TImorNusa Tenggara

    Figure 1: Simplified map of Indonesias basins and theirexploration status (after Sujanto, 1997 and Sumantriand Sjahbuddin, 1994).

  • to Japan, but also to Taiwan and Korea.

    Howes (1999) estimates ultimate discovered

    reserves of 55 BBOE (billion barrels oil

    equivalent) split approximately equally

    between oil and gas. Sujanto (1997)

    estimates current remaining reserves at

    approximately 93 BBO (billion barrels oil)

    and 123 TcfG (trillion cubic feet of gas).

    Indonesia consumes almost 140 MBO

    (million barrels of oil) each year for power

    generation alone and, until recently, the

    power demand had been increasing by 7%

    every year. The focus must obviously be on

    supplementing and replacing the

    dependence on oil-generated power with

    cleaner and/or replenishable fuels, and also

    replacing declining oil reserves to postpone

    the day when Indonesia ultimately becomes

    a net oil importer. Over the past decade, oil

    exploration has not been successful in

    replacing oil reserves. In contrast, gas

    reserves have made up for this shortfall in

    terms of BBOE and, at present, gas would

    appear to be one of the main energy sources

    of the future in Indonesia. Geothermal

    energy also holds hope for the future, with

    over 100 prospects recognized in the highly

    volcanic areas, especially Sumatra and Java,

    where energy demand is also highest.

    Geological evolution of theIndonesian archipelagoUnderstanding the geological evolution of the

    Indonesian archipelago and how the various

    sedimentary basins developed, are the keys to

    understanding the petroleum systems within

    the individual basins and for developing

    future exploration plays and strategies.

    Indonesia has a dynamic and complex

    geological history, which has resulted in an

    abundance of sedimentary basins with wide-

    ranging geological diversity. Basins and the

    nature of their sediments demonstrate close

    similarities within, and to a much lesser

    degree between, Western and Eastern

    Indonesia. This is because many of the

    regional tectonic events have extended

    similar influences across wide areas of the

    Indonesian archipelago, controlling basin

    architecture, fills and trapping mechanisms

    for hydrocarbons. Plate tectonic models for

    the region have continuously been refined

    since the first model was developed for

    Western Indonesia by Katili (1973). Recent

    notable contributions come from Longley

    (1997) who compiled and synthesized a wide

    range of geological data throughout

    Southeast Asia (Figure 2), and Hall (1995,

    1997a, b) who presents progressively refined

    computer-generated models (Figure 3). The

    work of these two authors forms the basis

    for the discussion of Indonesian tectonics

    that follows.

    Since the advent of seismic and sequence

    stratigraphy (Vail et al., 1977), eustatic sea-

    level fluctuations (e.g., Haq et al., 1988)

    have been recognized as exerting a strong

    influence on the evolution of Indonesian

    sedimentary basin fills, including the types

    and distributions of source, reservoir and

    seal lithologies. Longley (1997) argues that

    it is always possible to correlate apparent

    eustatic events between basins because of

    the large number of available correlation

    options and the often significant inaccuracy

    of geological dates. In general, however, the

    geology of Asia supports the premise that

    eustatic events have a major and observable

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology176

    0

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    40

    45

    50

    55

    60

    65

    Ma

    Global eustatic curve

    Major events

    Overallregression

    Rotation of N and Earms of Sulawesi.Northwardmovement ofBird's Head relativeto Australia

    3Ma Timor andBanda arc collide

    Transgression onto Sunda shelf.Eustatic and tectonic increased convergence alongSunda arc led to inversion andthen thermal sag

    Slow southern oceanspreading. Subductionalong west Sundalandmargin

    Slowed convergence leadsto second stage of riftingalong Sundaland margin

    Slowed convergence leadsto rifting along Sundalandmargin

    c21Ma South China Seaspreading endsc25Ma New Guinea passive margin collideswith arc system to North.Sorong fault forms.Emplacement ofSulawesi ophiolites

    c32Ma South China Seaspreading

    c43Ma Major platereorganization. India andAustralia plates combine.Subduction of Indiabeneath Eurasia ends

    c50Ma India Eurasia collisioncommences

    Increased convergencewith CCW rotation ofSumatra and developmentof Sumatra wrench fault.Sulawesi forms emplacement of continentalcrust along Sorong fault

    Middle Miocene maximum transgression

    Pale

    ocen

    eEo

    cene

    Olig

    ocen

    eM

    ioce

    nePl

    ioce

    neEp

    och

    QHol

    Terti

    ary

    Perio

    d

    Low

    erLo

    wer

    Low

    erLo

    wer

    LU

    Uppe

    rUp

    per

    Uppe

    rUp

    per

    Mid

    dle

    Mid

    dle

    2nd order sequenceboundaries

    0+100m+200m

    5Ma Luzon arc collideswith Asian plate

    10Ma Australian cratoncollides with AsianPlate inversion

    5.2(5.5)

    10.6(10.5)

    21.5(21.0)

    29.5(30.0)

    38.6(39.5)

    51.0(49.5)

    59.5(58.5)

    Figure 2: Chronostratigraphic summary of major geological events in the Cenozoic (eventstaken from Longley, 1997 and Hall, 1997. Eustatic curve modified from Haq et al., 1998).

  • effect on stratigraphy, and does not prove or

    disprove the detailed Haq et al. (1988)

    eustatic curve.

    The Indonesian archipelago is a jigsaw

    puzzle of tectonically derived pieces,

    including microplates, continental

    fragments, mini-ocean basins, accretionary

    prisms and island-arc systems, that have

    been jostled and squeezed together and, in

    some cases newly formed, as a result of the

    complex interaction of three major tectonic

    plates (Figure 4).

    The continental Eurasian/Asian plate

    (the southeast promontory of which is

    termed the Sunda shield or Sundaland)

    demonstrates a relative southeast motion

    that is accommodated by the Great

    Sumatra/Mentawai duplex, and the

    Sulawesi and Philippine transform-fault

    systems. The obliquely opposing, relative

    northward motion of the Indo-Australian

    plate is accommodated by right-lateral

    movement along the Great

    Sumatra/Mentawai fault systems, and by

    subduction of oceanic crust in the west

    and the Australian craton in the east,

    along the SumatraJavaTimorAru

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 177

    30MaMid Oligocene

    EURASIAN PLATE

    INDIAN PLATE

    Proto-SouthChina Sea

    AustraliaBird's Headmicrocontinent

    PACIFIC PLATE

    Opening ofParece Velabasin begins

    Opening ofSouth China Seanorth of Macclesfield Bank

    NorthPawalanExtension

    driven by slab-pulland Indochina extrusion

    Ophiolite approachingSulawesi west arm

    Red River fault

    Indochinaextruded to SE

    ThreePagodassystem

    50MaEnd Early Eocene

    EURASIAN PLATE

    NorthPalawan

    Mindoro

    Taiwan

    Proto-SouthChina Sea

    Malaysia

    Sumatra

    Java

    SouthBorneo

    Zamboanga

    West Sulawesi

    Oki Daitoridges

    East Philippines

    NORTH NEW GUINEA PLATE

    Indochina

    South China

    INDIANAUSTRALIAN PLATE

    South and East Sulawesi

    PHILIPPINE SEA PLATE

    PACIFIC PLATE

    40MaMiddle Eocene

    EURASIAN PLATE

    INDIANAUSTRALIAN PLATE

    Leading edge ofBird's Head microcontinent

    PACIFIC PLATE

    Izupeninsula

    CelebesSea

    WestPhilippine

    Sea

    West Philippine Seaspreading extendsto Celebes Sea

    Subduction ofProto-SCS begins

    No rotation ofPhilippine Seaplate

    Arc activity at south edgeof Philippine Sea plate

    ? ?

    ??

    10MaLate Miocene

    EURASIAN PLATE

    INDIAN PLATE

    Australia

    CAROLINE PLATE

    PACIFIC PLATE

    Subductionat Manila trench

    SuluSea

    Sulu arc activityends

    Borneorotationcomplete

    Malaya blocksrotation complete

    Andaman spreading

    Molucca Seadouble subductionestablished

    Ayu trough spreading

    N BandaSula

    PhilippineSea platerotates

    20MaEarly Miocene

    EURASIAN PLATE

    INDIAN PLATE

    Australia

    CAROLINE PLATE

    PACIFIC PLATESpreadingin Shikoku

    basinClockwise rotation

    of PhilippineSea plate

    Spreadingin Parece

    Vela basin

    Sorong faultsystem initiated

    Molucca Sea formspart of Philippine Sea plate

    Continentalcrust thrustbeneathSulawesi

    Bird's Headmicrocontinentdismembered bySorong fault splays

    Inversionin Natunabasins

    Cagayan ridgeseparates from Sulu arc

    Finalspreadingof SouthChina Sea

    Borneorotationbegins

    Figure 3: Plate tectonic reconstructions forSoutheast Asia and Indonesia region from 50 Mato 10 Ma (after Hall, 1995 and 1997).

  • (Sunda) trench system. This extensive

    subduction system (combined with the

    Great Sumatra/Mentawai transform fault

    duplex) marks the southern geological

    limit of Indonesia from the western tip of

    Sumatra, to near the eastern boundary of

    Irian Jaya. The Pacific Ocean plate

    demonstrates a westerly motion that is

    accommodated by slippage along the left-

    lateral transform Sorong fault system, and

    the trench and transform fault system of

    the eastern Philippines, which together

    define the northeastern geological limit of

    Indonesia. There is no obvious geological

    limit to northwest Indonesia, and the

    political boundary separating Malaysia and

    Indonesia passes through central Borneo,

    across the southern part of the South China

    Sea (the relatively stable Sunda shield) and

    to the northwest along the Malacca Strait

    that separates peninsular Malaysia from

    Sumatra. Although Indonesia is tectonically

    complex, convergence of the Asian plate

    (Sunda shield) with the continental part

    (Australian craton) of the Australian plate

    ultimately defined two major geological

    provinces. Western Indonesia represents

    the southeast margin of the Sunda shield

    and Eastern Indonesia represents the

    highly fragmented and tectonized northern

    margin of the Australian craton.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology178

    0 80 160 320 480m

    0 160 320 640km

    PHILIPPINE SEA PLATE

    PACIFIC PLATE

    CAROLINE PLATE

    Strikeslip fault

    Oceanic spreading axis

    Subduction zone

    Australian crust

    Transitional, attenuated or sutured

    Oceanic or island arc

    Pre-Mesozoic continental crust

    Quaternaryrecent volcano

    SUNDALAND

    EURASIAN PLATE

    AUSTRALIAN INDIAN PLATE

    AUSTRALIA CRATON

    5cm/yr

    7cm/yr

    Sunda trench system

    Mentawai fault

    Java trench

    Sumatra trench

    Great Sumatra fault system

    South China Sea

    Philippines

    Pacific Ocean

    Palau

    tren

    ch

    Mar

    iana

    tren

    ch

    Sorong fault West Melanesian trench

    Seram trough

    Aru

    troug

    h

    Timor t

    rough

    Australia

    Meratus suture,Late Cretaceouscollision

    Three Pagodas and

    Wang Chao faults

    Hain

    zee

    Saga

    ing

    faul

    t

    Red River fault

    Walanea fault

    Figure 4: Simplified tectonicelements and crustal distribution forIndonesia (after Coffield et al., 1993and Nugrahanto and Noble, 1997).

  • Tectonic evolutionThe Cenozoic geological history of Indonesia

    is divided into stages based on major

    tectonic collision events:

    1. Encroachment and collision of the Indian

    and the Asian continental plates starting

    at approximately 50 mybp and

    reorganization of the Southern, Indian and

    Pacific plates at about 43 mybp when

    there was an end to subduction along the

    Indo-Eurasian collision belt.

    2. Onset of South China Sea spreading at

    about 32 mybp, and collision of the

    northern leading edge of the Australian

    craton (New Guinea passive margin) with

    the PhilippineHalmaheraNew Guinea

    arc system at about 25 mybp (although

    arguably this was not a regional event

    according to Longley, pers. comm.).

    3. Collision of the Australian craton with the

    Asian plate starting at about 8 mybp and

    continuing until major collision at about

    3 mybp; and collision of the Luzon arc

    west of the Philippines with the Asia plate

    margin near Taiwan at about 5 mybp.

    Stage I. >5043 mybp (middle Eocene and older)Prior to 43 mybp (middle Eocene) Java,

    Sumatra, Kalimantan and western Sulawesi

    were part of the southeast Sunda shield

    continental promontory, with northward

    motion and subduction of the Indian plate

    oceanic crust beneath the southern edge of

    the Sunda shield continent along the

    northwestsoutheast trending Sunda

    trench. This trench system extended to the

    west into the Indian Ocean with an element

    of right-lateral slip. In the east it connected

    with the Pacific Ocean intra-oceanic-arc

    system. Slowing of convergence after about

    50 mybp, as the Indian subcontinent

    approached the Asian plate and continental

    collision was initiated, led to an initial stage

    of rifting along the Sundaland margin.

    Eastern Indonesia had not started to form

    at this time. The Birds Head (present-day

    western-most promontory) of Irian Jaya was

    probably a microcontinental fragment on

    the northwest edge of the Australia plate

    (Hall, 1997a, b). New Guinea represented

    the passive northern margin of the

    Australian craton, which was moving

    northward as oceanic crust was consumed

    beneath the southern edge of the oceanic

    Philippine Sea plate. The present-day

    eastern island of Halmahera was still

    thousands of kilometers to the east and part

    of the Philippine Sea plate.

    Stage II. 4325 mybp (middle Eocenelatest lateOligocene)

    In the late middle Eocene (at about

    43.5 mybp according to Longley, 1997 and

    42 mybp according to Hall, 1997a, b) there

    was final collision between the Indian plate

    subcontinent and the Asian plate. This

    slowed the rate of convergence and also

    changed the angle of subduction from an

    essentially northward to a more

    northnortheast vector along the Sunda

    trench. This was in response to a major

    reorganization of the converging Southern,

    Indian and Pacific plates.

    Subduction of India beneath Asia stopped

    and the Indian and Australian plates were

    combined. The resulting relaxation of the

    compressional forces at the edge of the

    Sunda shield produced further northsouth

    oriented rifting. Isolated rifts in a fore-arc

    setting and in East Java filled with

    transgressive and then open-marine

    sediments, being situated on the distal

    low-lying edge of the Sunda shield. Fluvio-

    lacustrine sediments developed in the

    northwest Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, west

    Sulawesi and Natuna Sea rifts, as the middle

    Eocene sea did not extend to the west onto

    the Sundaland margin (Longley, 1997).

    Towards the end of this period, starting at

    32 mybp and continuing through to

    21 mybp, there was clockwise rotation

    around a pole in the northern part of the

    Gulf of Thailand associated with the

    opening of the South China Sea. The West

    Philippine basin, Celebes Sea and Makassar

    Strait also opened as a single basin within

    the Philippine Sea plate accompanied by

    subduction of the South China Sea to the

    northeast of Borneo (Hall, 1997a, b).

    Spreading in the South China Sea, the West

    Philippine Sea, the Celebes Sea and

    Makassar Strait areas eventually stopped.

    There was a return to more rapid plate

    convergence and increased compression led

    to inversion along the Sunda arc. The

    isolated rift basins of East Kalimantan were

    filled with deltaic and marine sediments

    that were transgressed by post-rift marine

    shales due to a combination of eustatic gain

    and post-rift thermal sag.

    Stage III. 258 mybp (latest late OligocenelateMiocene)

    In the late Oligocene, at about 25 mybp, the

    leading edge of the New Guinea passive

    margin (Australian craton) collided with the

    PhilippineHalmaheraNew Guinea arc

    system. This prevented any further

    subduction at this plate boundary, which

    developed into a listric transform (the

    Sorong fault) as the Philippine Sea plate slid

    westward across the northern end of the

    Indo-Australian plate. The Birds Head

    microcontinental fragment within the Indo-

    Australian plate was close to collision with

    the margin of Sundaland near west

    Sulawesi. Ophiolites were emplaced along

    the eastern edge of this western Sulawesi

    arm. Oceanic crust trapped between

    Sulawesi and Halmahera was rotated

    clockwise and subducted beneath the

    eastern margin of Sulawesi.

    The tectonic development of the region

    was further influenced by the continued

    northward motion of the Indo-Australian

    plate following collision. Counter-clockwise

    rotation of the entire Sunda shield

    promontory including peninsular Malaysia,

    Sumatra, Java and Borneo occurred. The

    effective increase in rate of convergence

    between the Indo-Australian plate with

    respect to Sumatra stimulated magmatic

    activity that weakened the upper plate and

    led to right-lateral dislocation along the

    Great Sumatra fault system. During

    rotation, a bend and half-graben developed

    in the Sunda Straits separating South

    Sumatra from West Java.

    In northwest Borneo a delta was

    established and turbidites poured into the

    proto-South China Sea. Increased

    subsidence east of Borneo resulted in arc

    splitting and the opening of the Sulu Sea as

    a back-arc basin. Halmahera and the

    Philippine plate were carried towards the

    subduction zone below north Sulawesi, and

    fragments of the Australian continental

    crust were added to the developing

    Sulawesi along the Sorong fault system.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 179

  • Stage IV. 80 mybp (late MiocenePresent)

    In the late-middle to late Miocene (about

    8 mybp) gentle compression caused by the

    collision of the Australian craton with the

    Asian plate, accompanied by continuous

    movement along the Great Sumatra fault

    system, resulted in extensive inversion and

    the formation of compressional anticlines.

    Encroachment continued until 3 mybp when

    the main collision event happened (Longley,

    pers. comm.).

    By this time Indonesia was probably

    recognizable in its present form. At about

    5 mybp collision of the Luzon arc with the

    Asian plate near Taiwan also caused further

    changes to plate motions in the region.

    Along the Sorong fault zone accretion of the

    Tukang Besi platform to Sulawesi locked

    strands of the Sorong fault, causing new

    splays to develop south of the Sula platform

    and the collision of the Sula platform with

    Sulawesi. Rotation of the east and north

    arms of Sulawesi to their present positions

    resulted in the southward subduction of the

    Celebes Sea at the north Sulawesi trench.

    There was also continued subduction of the

    northward moving Indo-Australian plate

    along the Sunda trench system, extending

    from northwest Sumatra to Irian Jaya, and

    also subduction north of Seram and in the

    Sulu Sea.

    Eustatic effectsLongley (1997) and previous authors have

    observed a remarkable degree of correlation

    between regional collision events and the

    second-order sequence boundaries of Haq

    et al. (1988). It is, however, generally

    accepted that a major and progressive

    late Oligocene to early Miocene

    (3013 mybp) transgression occurred

    throughout the Indonesian basins, with

    maximum transgression at 15 mybp being

    marked by regionally developed marine

    shales. Similarly, middle Miocene to

    Pliocene regression is also easily recognized.

    These major eustatic cycles, along with

    regionally developed sequence boundaries

    at 29.5 mybp, 21.5 mybp, 10.5 mybp and

    5.5 mybp, have had a strong influence on

    the development of reservoir sands and

    carbonate buildups, and also source rocks

    and extensive sealing shales throughout

    Indonesia. Third- and even fourth-order

    eustatic events are often recognizable on a

    basin-wide scale. These are widely

    correlatable in both clastic sedimentary

    packages, where they may result in

    development of lowstand reservoirs, and in

    carbonates where dissolution porosity zones

    have, in some cases, developed. There are,

    however, also many examples where

    eustatic effects are not recognized because

    of over-printing by intense tectonism that

    has controlled the sedimentation in some

    Indonesian basins.

    The Indonesian basins andtheir petroleum systems

    The complex geological history of Indonesia

    has resulted in over 60 sedimentary basins

    that are the subject of petroleum

    exploration today. By the end of 1996,

    following nearly 130 years of drilling

    activity, 38 of these basins had been widely

    explored, 14 were producing oil and gas, 10

    had shown promise with subeconomic

    discoveries and 22 (over one-third)

    remained poorly explored or unexplored

    (Sujanto, 1997, see Figure 1). Of the 22

    basins in Western Indonesia, only two are

    undrilled. In Eastern Indonesia there are 38

    basins of which 20 are undrilled.

    Although large areas of Indonesia,

    particularly in the west, are considered to

    be mature with respect to hydrocarbon

    exploration, the majority of basins in the

    east remain underexplored. This reflects

    both the relatively sparse knowledge of the

    geology of Eastern Indonesia and its

    remoteness with respect to world markets.

    There are logistical difficulties and high

    costs associated with the exploration of

    sparsely populated wilderness areas with

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology180

  • little or no infrastructure and exploration in

    deep (>200 m) water.

    The majority of explorationists, therefore,

    have concentrated their efforts on the

    highly productive but more mature basins of

    Western Indonesia. These include the North

    Sumatra, Central Sumatra (the most prolific

    basin by an order of magnitude), South

    Sumatra, Sunda-Asri, Northwest Java, East

    Java, Barito, Kutei, Tarakan and East and

    West Natuna basins. All of the most prolific

    petroleum systems discovered to date are

    located in Western Indonesia, with 85% of

    all Indonesian recoverable oil reserves being

    in the hot back-arc basins of Sumatra and

    Java. Gas is more evenly distributed in fore-

    land and deltaic basins and, with the recent

    Tangguh gas project in western Irian Jaya,

    in Eastern Indonesia.

    In the east only the Salawati basin of the

    Birds Head peninsula of Irian Jaya is

    considered to be mature. As our knowledge

    of Eastern Indonesian geology improves,

    and technological and intellectual

    advancements reduce the costs of

    exploration in remote areas and deep water,

    the exploration emphasis will move away

    from the Western to the Eastern Indonesia

    basins. This is already being realized. In the

    1990s there were successful Mesozoic

    discoveries in mountainous Seram (the

    Oseil oil field); in the Bintuni basin of Irian

    Jaya (the Tangguh gas project); and in deep

    water of the Timor Gap zone of cooperation

    (ZOC the Elang oil field and a number of

    other oil, condensate and gas discoveries).

    Although in a smaller league than, for

    example, the Middle East, on the global scale

    Indonesia is still a significant hydrocarbon

    province. The Gulf area contains a blanket of

    marine source facies that is extremely

    prolific and mature over wide areas, with

    widely developed reservoir facies, large-scale

    anticlinal structures and, most importantly, a

    highly effective regional salt seal.

    Indonesia is extremely complicated

    geologically, and source rocks, kitchens and

    reservoirs are restricted in their distribution,

    occurring as pods of limited areal extent

    within numerous, structurally complex and

    isolated basins. The more prolific petroleum

    systems of Western Indonesia are products of

    extrusion tectonics and widespread

    Paleogene extension on the Sunda shield,

    modified by later inversion. In Eastern

    Indonesia the majority of petroleum systems

    are pre-Tertiary. They are related to the north

    Australian passive margin, which has been

    affected by microplate accretion, large-scale

    strike-slip faulting and collision tectonics.

    The Western and Eastern Indonesian

    petroleum systems together demonstrate

    the extreme variability of petroleum

    systems in Indonesia. Source-rock age

    varies from possible Paleozoic (Eastern

    Indonesia) to Pliocene (biogenic gas in

    Western Indonesia). Depositional settings

    include shallow- and deep-marine clastics

    and carbonates, deltaic deposits including

    coals, and lacustrine shales, which are the

    most prolific source in Western Indonesia

    and, in fact, throughout Southeast Asia.

    Hydrocarbon types are also diverse,

    including waxy lacustrine-sourced crudes,

    light marine oils, thermogenic and biogenic

    gas, asphalt deposits (e.g., Buton Island)

    and even deep-marine gas.

    Reservoirs are dominated by deltaic sands

    and large shallow-marine Tertiary carbonate

    buildups that are the main gas reservoir

    types. Less common are alluvial-fan, fluvial,

    shallow- and deep-marine fan sands, and

    more exotic types such as fractured granite

    and metamorphic basements, fractured

    volcanics and, in the East Java basin, highly

    porous, foraminiferal-sand contourites and

    diagenetically enhanced volcaniclastic

    sands. Oil and gas accumulations occur in

    strike-slip, extensional, compressional fore-

    arc, back-arc, passive and convergent

    margin settings, in both structural and

    stratigraphic traps, and may demonstrate

    elements of pressure seals and hydrodynamic

    effects (Howes, 1999). Geothermal gradients

    range from low in cool fore-arc basins to high

    in the back-arc areas, and have varied

    considerably through time, influencing the

    timing of expulsion and migration.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 181

  • 0+100m+200m

    2nd order sequenceboundariesAge

    mybp

    Quaternary

    Pliocene

    Late

    Late

    Late

    Mid

    dle

    Mid

    dle

    Early

    Early

    Mio

    cene

    Olig

    ocen

    eEo

    cene

    Pre-Tertiary basement

    Eustaticcurve after

    Haq et al., 1988.

    5

    10

    15

    20

    25

    30

    35

    4038.6

    (39.5)

    29.5

    (30.0)

    21.5

    (21.0)

    10.6(10.5)

    5.2(5.5)

    45

    North

    Alluvium Alluvium Alluvium

    Kasai

    Muara Enim

    Air Benakat

    Gumai

    PendopoUpper Talang

    Akar

    LowerTalangAkar

    Lemat

    Talang Akar(Lower Zelda)

    Banuwati

    Talang Akar(Upper Zelda)

    TAF (Gita)

    Batu Raja

    Gumai

    Air Benakat

    Parigi

    Cisubuh

    Cisubuh

    LidahKawengan Karren

    Wonocolo

    Ngrayong

    Rancak

    KUI/UK

    KUII/MK

    KUIII/LoK

    CD

    Parigi

    Pre-Parigi

    Mid main

    Unit II

    Massive

    Batu Raja(M. Cibulakan)

    Upper Talang Akar(Lower Cibulakan)

    Lower Talang Akar

    Jati Barang

    U.Cibulakan

    Lahat(Kikim Tuffs)

    Middle Kikim Sand

    Lahat

    BatuRaja

    Toba Tuffs

    Julurayeu

    Seurula

    Keutapang

    M B SandUpper Baong Shale

    Lower Baong ShaleLower Baong Sand

    Peutu(Arun)

    Belumai

    Bampo

    Parapat

    Meucampli

    Pematang

    Menggala

    Bekasap

    Duri

    Bangko

    Telisa

    (Binio)

    Petani

    Minas

    (Korinci)

    Siha

    pas

    Tampur

    NW SE SW

    Sumatra

    CentralNE NW

    South

    Java

    SE ONSH. OFFSNorthwest NortheastSunda Asri

    Sub-basin

    After Alexanders & Nellia, 1993,Fainstein, 1996,

    Riadhy et al., 1998.

    After Kelsch et al., 1998,Wain & Jackson, 1995.

    After Rashid et al., 1998,Sitompul et al., 1992,

    Tamtomo, 1997.

    After Aldrich et al., 1995. After Sukamto et al., 1995,Napitupulu et al., 1997.

    After Ardhana et al., 1993,PT Rocktech Sejahtera, 1994.

    Tuban

    Kujung

    Ngi

    mbang

    v v v v v

    v v v v

    v v v

    + + +++++++++++ + + +

    + ++ + + + + +

    v vv

    Western Indonesian basinsThe petroliferous basins of Western

    Indonesia occur mostly onshore, or else in

    shallow water (30% of basins occur offshore

    at depths 1000 km

    from the subduction) are those of East

    Kalimantan (Barito, Asem-Asem, Mahakam

    and Tarakan), West Kalimantan (Melawai and

    Ketunggau although there is little

    information for these basins) and the Natuna

    Sea (East and West Natuna basins). These

    basins still demonstrate subduction control

    and strong similarities to the more proximal

    back-arc basins, but have been affected by

    their relative proximity to more localized,

    smaller-scale plate tectonic events such as

    seafloor spreading in the Makassar Straits and

    rifting and spreading in the South China Sea.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology182

    Figure 5: Stratigraphic summary for the major basins of Western Indonesia.

  • The fore-arc basinsThe fore-arc of Western Indonesia (the

    Sunda trench system) extends from the

    Andaman Sea northwest of Sumatra,

    southeastward along the west coast of

    Sumatra to the Sunda Straits. It then bends

    eastward along the south coast of Java and

    Bali, where it continues as the TimorAru

    trench system all the way to Irian Jaya (see

    Figure 4). The fore-arc basins represent the

    subsiding, down-dragged leading edge of

    the Sunda shield between the inner volcanic

    arc and the outer-arc melange or

    subduction-wedge (the emergent Mentawai

    Islands in West Sumatra). The inner

    volcanic arc is represented by the volcanic

    mountain chain that extends the full length

    of both Sumatra (Barisan Mountains) and

    Java, and continues further eastwards

    through the Lesser Sunda Islands (Figure

    4). The fore-arc basins in places contain

    over 6000 m of sedimentary fill. The

    bounding volcanic arc and accretionary

    wedge in the Sumatra fore-arc system are

    characterized by a regional-scale, right-

    lateral, duplex transform system comprising

    the Great Sumatra and the Mentawai fault

    zones. The accretionary wedge itself has

    been studied on the Mentawai Islands of

    Nias and Simeuleu (e.g., Moore and Karig,

    1980; Situmorang et al., 1987; Situmorang

    and Yulihanto, 1992). It consists of Eocene

    and younger shallow marine sands and

    shales, reefal carbonates, younger turbidites

    interpreted as accreted trench fill, and

    ophiolitic gabbros and ultramafic rocks

    (harzburgites). Oil seeps are known from

    the accretionary prism on Nias Island but do

    not necessarily indicate the presence of oil

    in the fore-arc basin to the east. The

    accretionary wedge and fore-arc basins,

    although closely related and situated next

    to each other, are known to be very

    different from seismic studies. A highly

    thrusted, accreted wedge becomes a steep

    monocline entering the fore arc, which is

    more typically defined by strike-slip faults

    rather than thrusts.

    Fore-arc basins have traditionally been

    considered poorly prospective for

    hydrocarbons for three main reasons:

    It was thought that source-rock facies

    were unlikely to develop in these

    essentially shallow, oxygenated, open-

    marine basins, and limited onshore space

    between coast and mountains was not

    conducive to a sufficient supply of non-

    marine terrestrial plant material.

    Reservoir quality was assumed to be a

    problem because nearby volcanic arcs

    should, in theory, have supplied a

    predominance of poor reservoir-quality,

    volcaniclastic sediments dominated by

    labile volcanic lithic fragments and

    swelling smectitic clays.

    Geothermal gradients in fore-arc basins

    are relatively low.

    Exploration wells have been drilled in five

    segments of the Western Indonesian fore-

    arc system. These are south of Central Java,

    the Southwest Java basin, the Bengkulu

    basin (southwest Sumatra fore-arc), the

    Mentawai basin (central Sumatra fore-arc)

    and the Sibolga basin (west of Nias in the

    northwest Sumatra fore-arc). There is little

    available information regarding Central Java

    fore-arc exploration, but limited material

    has been published on Sumatra and

    Southwest Java. This information in some

    ways fuels optimism for the existence of

    economic petroleum reserves in the

    Western Indonesian fore-arc.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 183

    Alluvial Mahakam Bunyu

    Tarakan

    Domaring

    Tabul

    MeliatMeliatSS

    Latih

    NaintupoTaballar

    Tempilan

    Mesaloi

    Gabus SSGabus

    Belut

    Barat Shale Barat

    Udang

    Arang SS

    Upper Arang

    Upper Arang

    Lower Arang

    Terumbu

    MudaMuda

    Seilok

    Sujau Mang Kabua

    Sembakung

    Danau

    Kampung Baru

    Balikpapan

    Landasan

    PuluBalang

    Lamaku

    Bebulu

    Marah

    Kedango

    BeriunKihamHaloq

    Mangkupa

    Pamalusan

    Dahor

    U. Warukin

    Middle Warukin

    L. Warukin

    Upper Berai

    Middle Berai

    Upper Tanjung

    Lower Berai

    Kalimantan Natuna

    West EastBarito

    West EastKutai

    West EastTarakan

    South NorthEast West

    After Satyana, 1995,Satyana & Silitonga, 1994,

    Heriyanto et al., 1996.

    After Courntey et al., 1991,Kadar et al., 1996.

    After Courtney et al., 1991,Lentini & Darman, 1996.

    After Fainstein &Meyer, 1998.

    After Fainstein & Meyer, 1998,Michael & Adrian, 1996,

    Phillips et al., 1997.

    L.Tanjung

    Antan

    Ujoh

    Bilang

    Sembulu

    (

    (

    BatuHidup

    Lst.

    + + ++ + ++

    vv v v v vv

    Cratonic

    Coal

    Shales and claystones

    Volcanics/volcaniclasticsReefal and platform carbonates (and dolomites)Sandstones

    Conglomerates

    Argillaceous

    Volcanic input

    Gas

    Oil and gas

    Oil

    v vvv

    East Natuna

    West Natuna

    NorthSumatra

    CentralSumatra

    SouthSumatra

    SundaNorth WestJava

    North EastJava

    Barito

    Kutai

    Tarakan

    0 500km

  • Bengkulu basin (including theMentawai and Sibolga basins)The Bengkulu basin is the most widely

    explored fore-arc basin in Indonesia. In the

    1970s a total of 10 wells were drilled by

    Amin Oil, Jenny Oil and Marathon Oil,

    targeting biogenic gas in large Miocene

    carbonate buildups a similar play to those

    drilled by Unocal at about the same time to

    the north in the Sibolga basin. Biogenic gas

    in carbonates was also targeted by the 1972

    Jenny Oil Mentawai A-1 and Mentawai C-1

    exploration wells in the southern sector of

    the central Sumatra fore-arc, the Mentawai

    basin. These wells contained biogenic

    methane shows (Yulihanto and Wiyanto,

    1999) but all the Bengulu basin carbonate

    targets proved to be water-filled. Oil shows,

    however, were encountered in the Jenny Oil

    well Bengkulu 1 (Howles, 1986). This well is

    also close to an onshore oil seep, and good

    oil shows were also described in the Arwana

    1 well drilled by Fina in 1992 that also

    penetrated good marine source rocks. Hall

    et al. (1993) notes that in Arwana 1

    OligoceneMiocene shales are within the oil

    window and the geothermal gradient is

    between 4.5 and 5C/100 m, which is

    significantly higher than would normally be

    expected in this tectonic setting. The origin

    of the Bengkulu basin is not strictly fore-

    arc, however, which may explain these

    unexpected but favorable findings.

    Stage I. Syn-rift (Eocenelate Oligocene)An early stage of Paleogene rifting is

    recognized from onshore fieldwork and

    offshore seismic and gravity surveys

    (Howles, 1986; Mulhadiono and Asikin,

    1989; Hall et al., 1993; Yulihanto et al.,

    1995). It is feasible that these grabens,

    which strike northeastsouthwest,

    represent an extension of the early South

    Sumatra basin rift system prior to the

    development of the more recent volcanic

    arc. Mulhadiono and Asikin (1989) note a

    similar orientation to the South Sumatra

    basin Jambi-Bengkalis graben, a pull-apart

    basin related to westnorthwesteastsoutheast,

    right-lateral movement along the Lematang

    fault trend. Howles (1986) suggest that these

    two graben systems are offset by

    approximately 100 km along the Great

    Sumatra fault system.

    It has been speculated that the Bengkulu

    basin may originally have been in a back-arc

    setting and that a Paleogene graben fill could

    include the same prolific lacustrine source

    rocks that occur in the Central and South

    Sumatra basins and also possible fluvio-

    lacustrine reservoirs. Such source and

    reservoir facies have not been penetrated in

    the Bengkulu basin wells. The lower 60 m of

    sediments penetrated in the Arwana 1 well

    are late Eocene and comprise shallow marine

    volcaniclastics and shales (Hall et al., 1993).

    Stage II. Syn-rift (late Oligoceneearly Miocene) A second stage of rifting took place in the

    late Oligocene to early Miocene and marks a

    change from orthogonal extension to

    oblique northwestsoutheast slip.

    Northsouth oriented pull-apart graben sub-

    basins developed and are also recognized in

    the Bose and Sipora grabens of the

    Mentawai basin, and the Pini and Singkel

    grabens in the Sibolga basin to the north

    (Figure 6). Although it is thought that

    movement on the Great Sumatra fault did

    not start until middle Miocene times, it is

    likely that the Sumatra fore-arc has

    experienced transtensional stresses as a

    result of continuous oblique subduction

    since the initial development of the Sunda

    arc in the pre-Tertiary.

    Fieldwork in the outer-arc ridge

    (Mentawai Islands) and regional seismic

    demonstrate that the marine Oligocene

    graben fill in the Mentawai basin has source

    potential. Basin modeling suggests that

    these sediments may have entered the oil

    window as early as the middle Miocene

    (Yulihanto and Wiyanto, 1999). These

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology184

    Figure 6: Simplified map of structural elements and hydrocarbon occurrencein the Sumatra fore arc (modified from Yulihanto et al., 1995).

    0 100

    5cm/year

    200km

    North Sumatrabasin

    Central Sumatrabasin

    Sibolga basin

    Simeulue

    Nias

    Siberut

    South Sumatrabasin

    Pinigraben

    Singapore

    Singkelgraben

    Sundatrench

    Sumatra forearc basin

    Sumatra

    fault zone

    Pagar Jatigraben

    Bengkulubasin

    Mentawai fault zone

    12 3 4

    56

    Keduranggraben

    Arwana #1(Fina)

    Mentawai A#1(Jenny)

    Mentawai C#1(Jenny)

    Pagar Jatigraben

    Bengkulu X#2(Jenny)

    Bengkulu X#1(Jenny)

    Bengkulu A#2x(Amin Oil)

    Bengkulu A#1x(Amin Oil)

    Malaysia

    1. Palembak 1 Union Oil2. Singkel 1 Union Oil3. Telaga 1 Union Oil4. Lakota 1 Union Oil5. Suma 1 Union Oil6. IbuSuma 1 Caltex

    WellsOil seeps

    Volcanoes

    Volcanics

  • authors also recognize an early to middle

    Miocene potential marine source.

    Shallow marine conditions continued

    through the early Miocene in the Bengkulu

    basin. In Arwana 1, lower Miocene Batu

    Raja formation-equivalent dolomites (see

    Figure 5 South Sumatra, Sunda-Asri and

    Northwest Java basin stratigraphies) are

    overlain by lower Miocene clays and sands

    of volcaniclastic origin. The entire

    OligoceneMiocene section contains oil

    shows. Mulhadiono and Asikin (1989)

    describe the upper Oligocenelower

    Miocene graben fill as sandstones,

    conglomerates and a few limestones, and

    Yulihanto et al. (1995) note a close

    stratigraphic similarity to the South

    Sumatra basin. Early Miocene buildups are

    considered a potential reservoir target in

    the Mentawai basin (Yulihanto and Wiyanto,

    1999), although earlier drilled carbonate

    buildups in the Bengkulu and Sibolga basins

    are of middle Miocene age.

    Stage III. Post-rift (middle MiocenePliocene)The middle to late Miocene saw the onset of

    open-marine deposition within a unified fore-

    arc, and sediments comprise marine shales,

    silts and limestones, including some major

    buildups equivalent to the Parigi formation (see

    Figure 5). Such large-scale carbonate buildups

    have been targeted as potential biogenic gas

    reservoirs in both the Bengkulu and the Sibolga

    basins. The Bengkulu basin wells were all dry

    but Union Oils Suma 1 and Singkel 1 wells and,

    the more recent Caltex Ibu Suma 1 well

    (Figure 7), encountered subeconomic

    quantities of biogenic gas (e.g. Dobson et al.,

    1998). As may be expected with such large

    carbonate buildups, top seal shales were

    probably not deposited until after much of the

    gas had been generated and escaped. Biogenic

    gas was not encountered in the Bengkulu

    wells possibly because of the higher

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 185

    2km

    Inline 1515L-6036

    Ibusuma prospect

    Back lagoonal fill

    Back reef stormand talus deposits

    Wave-resistantreef facies

    200

    400

    600

    800

    1000120014001600180020002200240026002800300032003400

    0

    Figure 7: Seismic section and interpretation of the middle Miocene Ibu Suma buildup, Sibolga basin, north Sumatra fore-arc (Dobson et al., 1998).

  • SumatraSunda basin

    Serib

    u plat

    form

    Tangeranghigh

    West Java

    WestMalimping

    low

    Honjehigh

    UjungKulonhigh

    UjungKulonlow

    Pull-aparthalf-graben

    UjungKulon 1a

    Bayahhigh

    Bayah

    Ciletuhhigh

    DDH-2

    DDH-1Fig.9a

    Fig.9b

    Sund

    a stra

    it

    Malimping block

    Krakatau

    0 50km

    Cimand

    iri fault

    (>4.5C/100 m) geothermal gradient. In the

    Mentawai basin Yulihanto and Wiyanto (1999)

    consider middle Miocene lowstand fans to be

    potential reservoirs.

    Yulihanto et al. (1995) recognized the

    rejuvenation of pre-existing tensional faults

    in the Bengkulu basin during this period,

    with accompanying deposition of shallow

    marine and lagoonal sands and clays, and

    coaly intercalations of potential source

    rock (Lemau formation) occurring in

    outcrop. During the late Miocene to

    Pliocene, basin subsidence continued with

    deposition of littoral sands of the

    Simpangaur formation. In the Mentawai

    basin southerly prograding deltaics may

    provide reservoir opportunities (Yulihanto

    and Wiyanto, 1999).

    Stage IV. Uplift(PliocenePleistocene)Starting in the early Pliocene and

    continuing through to the Present-day,

    basin uplift and volcanism have been

    prevalent accompanying the development of

    the Barisan Mountain chain.

    Southwest Java basinThere is very little published on the

    Southwest Java basin and it was only lightly

    explored by Amoco in the 1970s (Ujung

    Kulon 1) and very recently by British Gas

    (Malimping 1). Both wells were plugged and

    abandoned as dry holes.

    According to Keetley et al. (1997) the

    basin comprises a series of roughly

    northsouth-trending half-grabens. These

    developed during Eocene to Oligocene

    times and extend northward into the Sunda

    Strait (Figure 8), with beds thickening to

    the east in one of the half-grabens. Coastal

    outcrops of middle to late Eocene Bayah

    formation thick-deltaic sands (Figure 9a)

    and a coaly potential source facies occur in

    the Bayah area in the eastern part of the

    basin. Schiller et al. (1991) describe the

    thick section of middle to late Eocene

    Ciletuh formation, which crops-out on the

    eastern extremity of the basin, as a sand-

    dominated turbidite-fan system (Figure 9b).

    They speculate that in Eocene times the

    left-lateral Cimandiri fault represented the

    extreme limit of the Sunda shield and, that

    the Bayah formation deltaic system supplied

    sediment to the deeper-marine setting on

    the downthrown side of the fault. The

    Bayah formation and the Ciletuh formation

    arenites (with some leached feldspar)

    demonstrate excellent reservoir quality but,

    the upper section of the Ciletuh sands

    displays a change in current direction and a

    new volcanic provenance with a reduction

    in reservoir quality.

    Keetley et al. (1997) suggest that early

    Miocene post-rift sag resulted in subsidence

    of the offshore area and vitrinite reflectance

    results of Eocene sediments adjacent to the

    Honje high indicates heating to 180C and

    then uplift in the early Miocene from about

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology186

    Figure 9: Potential reservoir facies in the Southwest Java basin. Eocene Bayah formation cross-bedded, fluvio-deltaic channelsands exposed on the Bayah high (a). Eocene Ciletuh formation deep marine fan sands exposed on the Ciletuh high (b).

    (a) (b)

    Figure 8: Simplifiedmap of structuralelements in theSouthwest Javabasin (after Keetleyet al., 1997).

  • 4 km depth. The younger middle Miocene

    sediments on the Honje high consequently

    indicate negligible heating.

    A middle to late Miocene second rifting

    phase is also proposed by Keetley et al.

    (1997). Apatite fission track analyses of

    Eocene and Miocene sands in the eastern

    part of the Southwest Java basin

    (Soenandar, 1997), indicate a maximum

    burial temperature of only 70 to 95C.

    Significant cooling occurred in the late

    Miocene to early Pliocene, with an

    indication of over 3 km of inversion in the

    Ciletuh area east of the Cimandiri fault,

    caused by deformation of an accretionary

    complex when subduction was blocked by

    an old magmatic arc. Soenandar (1997)

    recognizes a rapid increase in geothermal

    gradient in the PliocenePleistocene, which

    he also recognizes in the Sunda, Asri and

    Northwest Java basins.

    Fore-arc basins of Western Indonesia are

    poorly understood but their hydrocarbon

    potential is considered to be moderate to

    high. It would appear that the Bengkulu and

    Southwest Java basins experienced a

    history similar to that of the back-arc basins

    of Western Indonesia. Rifting was initiated

    in the Paleogene, structural modification

    occurred in the Miocene, and inversion and

    raised heat flow (the main maturation and

    structuring event in the back-arc basins) in

    PliocenePleistocene times. The Bengkulu

    basin demonstrates mature source potential

    for oil in Arwana 1, sufficient heat flow for

    oil generation, and convincing oil shows in

    two wells. There is also potential for the

    development of early rift-fill Eocene

    lacustrine source rocks and associated

    reservoirs if the similarities between the

    Bengkulu basin and the South Sumatra

    basin are considered.

    Although not of lacustrine affinity, the

    Bayah formations deltaic deposits in the

    Southwest Java basin provide evidence for

    the development of reservoir and source

    facies in the syn-rift stage of fore-arc

    development. Turbidite fan sands in the

    Southwest Java basin also demonstrate

    excellent reservoir potential.

    There is less known about the Sibolga

    basin, but the presence of biogenic gas and

    a low geothermal gradient still support the

    tested biogenic gas play. Thick Miocene

    carbonates are, however, considered too

    problematical with regard to sealing.

    Interbedded sand and shale units provide a

    more prospective biogenic gas play

    alternative, although small footprint and

    focusing may limit their potential.

    The back-arc basinsThere are 17 Tertiary back-arc basins (and

    inter-basins) in Western Indonesia and the

    majority are considered submature or

    mature with respect to hydrocarbon

    exploration. Basins considered to be

    underexplored (but probably of low

    prospectivity) include the Billitong basin in

    the Java Sea and the Pembuang, Asem-

    Asem-Pater Noster, Muriah, Melawai and

    Ketunggau basins of Kalimantan. Of all the

    back-arc basins only the Pembuang basin in

    southernmost Kalimantan (see Figure 1)

    remains undrilled.

    These back-arc basins are spread across

    the southeast promontory of ancient

    Sundaland and contain more than 85% of

    Indonesias hydrocarbon reserves. They

    demonstrate similar tectonic controls on

    their evolution and their fills reveal similar,

    cyclic patterns of sedimentation due to

    transgression and regression throughout the

    Cenozoic a feature common to the entire

    Sunda shelf of Southeast Asia.

    Lacustrine shales and coals are abundant

    in the Eocene and Oligocene syn-rift

    sequences of Southeast Asia and are

    demonstrably important source rocks (e.g.

    Sladen 1997). Syn-rift lacustrine shales are

    often assumed to be the major source of oil

    in Western Indonesia back-arc basins. In

    terms of billions of barrels of oil generated,

    this is true because of the extremely prolific

    nature of these source rocks. The Central

    Sumatra basin contains the vast majority of

    Indonesias oil reserves sourced almost

    exclusively from this facies, the Minas and

    Duri oil fields alone accounting for

    15 BBOIP. Robinson (1987) developed the

    first comprehensive source rock and oil-

    type classification and distribution for

    Indonesias petroleum basins and this has

    since been refined by Ten Haven and

    Schiefelbein (1995). These works indicate a

    range of important organic source facies for

    the Western Indonesia basins (Figure 10)

    including marine, terrigenous (fluvio-deltaic

    of Robinson, 1987) and lacustrine.

    The major reservoirs in the Indonesian

    back-arc basins are Miocene transgressive

    and regressive fluvio-deltaic and shallow-

    marine sands with trapping by structural

    closure and in pinch-outs, and carbonate

    buildups. Deeper marine sand-dominated

    depositional systems are, however,

    becoming a focus for the industry. The main

    phase of inversion and structural

    development took place in the Pliocene.

    Back-arc basins are also known to be areas

    of high heat flow and the Central Sumatra

    basin demonstrates the highest heat flow of

    any basin in Southeast Asia (Thamrin,

    1987). The main phase of hydrocarbon

    expulsion and migration occurred during

    the PliocenePleistocene inversion event.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 187

    LegendMarine (Cenozoic)

    Marine (Mesozoic)

    Lacustrine (Cenozoic)

    Terrigenous (Cenozoic)

    Figure 10: Oil sourcecharacteristics forIndonesiaspetroleum systems(Ten Haven andSchiefelbein, 1995).

  • North Sumatra basinThe North Sumatra basin is extremely large

    and extends from just north of Medan in

    North Sumatra, northward for several

    hundred kilometers into the Andaman Sea

    and across the ThailandIndonesia border.

    The Indonesian sector of the basin is

    bordered to the west by the Barisan Mountain

    thrust system and to the east by the stable

    Malacca platform (Figure 11). Only about

    20% of the total basin area is onshore, and in

    the north, towards Thailand, water depths are

    over 1000 m in the basinal deeps. The basin is

    notable for the first commercial oil field in

    Indonesia the Telaga Said field discovered

    in 1885 and the giant Arun gas field. This

    was, with about 14 TcfG and 700 MBC

    (million barrels condensate), the largest gas

    field in Southeast Asia until it was superseded

    by the supergiant Natuna Alpha gas field.

    Stage I. Early Syn-rift(Eocenelate Oligocene)Direct structural evidence to support

    Eocene rifting is not recognized in North

    Sumatra, but the presence of late Eocene

    clastics (Meucampli formation) and marine

    carbonates (Tampur formation) suggest that

    an Eocene basin did exist. This is further

    supported by quartzites drilled offshore from

    North Aceh which are assigned a middle to

    late Eocene age by Tsukada et al. (1996).

    Stage II. Late Syn-rift(late Oligoceneearly Miocene)In the late Oligocene a second stage of

    rifting was characterized by a northsouth

    trending series of grabens and half-grabens,

    accompanied by structurally controlled

    deposition of coarse-grained clastic, alluvial

    and fluvial sandstones of the Parapat

    formation. Kirby et al. (1994) have

    suggested the existence of a lacustrine

    source facies in these rift basins. This is not

    supported by geochemical work (Robinson,

    1987; Kjellgren and Sugiharto, 1989;

    Subroto et al., 1992; Fuse et al., 1996; Ten

    Haven and Schiefelbein, 1995), which

    supports a mainly marine hydrocarbon

    source. Parapat formation sands were

    transgressed by latest Oligocene bathyal

    lower Bampo formation shale, often

    considered to be the main source for Peutu

    formation reservoired Arun and nearby gas

    fields, although Bampo shales at outcrop

    and in the few subsurface penetrations are

    poor in quality (Caughey, pers. comm.).

    Caughey and Wahyudi (1993) consider the

    thicker and richer subjacent Baong

    formation shales to be a more likely source,

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology188

    Sumatran fault systemSumatra

    BarisanM

    ountainthrust front

    Batumandi

    Wampu

    NSO

    Kambuna

    Glag

    ah lo

    w

    Pusu

    ng h

    ighP

    akol

    low

    Yang

    Bes

    ar h

    igh

    Glagah-1

    Gebang

    Rantau

    KualaSimpang

    Darat

    Pako

    l hor

    st

    Asahan

    arch

    NSBJ-1

    NSBA-1

    NSBC-1

    Duyung 1

    Julu RayeuSouth

    LhoSukon

    Arun

    Salamangadeep

    Centralridge

    E1 ridge

    Topazdeep

    NWsub-basin

    Thailand

    Rano

    ng ri

    dge

    Jau r

    idge

    Indonesia

    Malaysia

    Indonesia

    Thailand

    Malaysia

    Pase

    AlursiwahPeulalu

    KualaLangsa

    Lho Sukon deep

    Jawa east deep

    Arun high

    Malaccaplatform

    Peusangan high

    EAO

    Ridg

    e

    Mer

    gui r

    idge

    Rano

    ngtr

    ough

    TAMIANG

    DEEP

    TAMPUR

    PLATFORM

    Figure 12: 3D seismic profile across a South Lho Sukon Peutu limestonepatch-reef, onshore North Sumatra basin. The middle horizon on the reefcrest is the base of a collapsed cave zone (Sunaryo et al., 1998).

    SW

    1.7

    2.0

    Two-

    way

    tim

    e, s

    ec

    2.4

    0 1 2km

    NESLS A-3 SLS A-11 ST2

    Figure 11: Generalized physiography and productive hydrocarbon discoveriesof the North Sumatra basin (modified from Andreason et al., 1977, Fuse etal., 1996 and Kjellgren and Sugiharto, 1989).

  • particularly as a pressure gradient from the

    highly overpressured Baong into the

    normally pressured Peutu is an ideal

    source-reservoir arrangement commonly

    associated with giant fields.

    Stage III. Uplift and post-rift sag(early Miocenemiddle Miocene)Uplift occurred at the Oligocene-Miocene

    boundary with erosion of the Bampo

    shales, followed by thin basal transgressive

    sands. This was succeeded by the deep

    marine Belumai shales, which may be a

    secondary source for gas in the Arun field.

    In the western part of the basin the

    Belumai shales are age equivalent to large

    early Miocene Peutu formation carbonate

    buildups that grew on the northsouth

    trending-basement horsts (e.g., Arun,

    Pase, South Lho Sukon, Alursiwah, and

    Kuala Langsa gas fields Caughey and

    Wahyudi, 1993; Sunaryo et al., 1998;

    Barliana et al., 1999) and, to the east on

    the edge of the Malacca platform, are

    equivalent to Belumai formation

    carbonates (e.g., NSB gas field). Peutu and

    Belumai formation carbonates represent

    the main play type in the North Sumatra

    basin and the Peutu is volumetrically the

    most important reservoir facies in the

    basin. Porosity was enhanced during latest

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 189

    Figure 13: Log offractured Peutulimestone reservoir inthe Pase A Field, wellPase A6, onshore NorthSumatra basin.Fractures are definedusing the DSI* DipoleShear Sonic Imagerand FMI* FullboreFormation MicroImagertools (Musgrove andSunaryo, 1998).

    Gamma ray

    Quartz

    ELAN

    Deg

    Deviation

    Volume

    DNS T

    SWF1 .FIL . Int

    DSIwaveform

    (us) 204400Deg

    Conductive fractureTrue dip

    Fractureorientation

    FMIimage

    Conductive fracture(sinusoid)

    Orientation north

    900Ener

    8450

    8500

    8550

    8600

    8650

    8700

    (dB/m)-15 0

    (V/V)

    0

    0

    50

    1Hole shape

    Peutu limestone

    Belumai formation

    Bruksah formation

    Meta formation

    Clay 1

    Bound water Fractureenergy

    early Miocene uplift and extensive karst

    systems have been identified by 3D seismic

    surveys (Figure 12). Belumai buildups are

    abundant and clearly visible on seismic

    shot over the Malacca platform. The

    buildups are, however, generally small

    (significantly less than the 300500 m of

    relief developed on subsiding blocks at

    Arun, Alur Siwah and Kuala Langsa) and

    the overlying Baong is much sandier on the

    shelf and thief zones limit fill-up of the

    buildups (Caughey, pers. comm.).

    Younger Baong shales most probably

    source gas on the Malacca platform to the

    east, and oil in the string of fields that

    parallel the Barisan thrust front on the

    Tampur platform (see Figure 11).

  • Stage IV. Episodic uplift(latemiddle and latest Miocene)

    The remainder of the Miocene was

    characterized by yo-yo tectonics.

    Latestmiddle to late Miocene encroachment

    of the Australian craton and the Asian plate

    resulted in activation of the Great Sumatra

    fault and compressional uplift of the Barisan

    Mountains with a change in clastic

    provenance. Sediment supply switched from

    an eastern Sunda shield source to a more

    southern Barisan source. Compression

    resulted in pressure solution and cementation

    of Peutu carbonates near the Barisan thrust

    front, but also created fracture porosity at

    these locations (e.g., the Pase gas field see

    Figure 13). Lower Baong formation sands

    were rapidly transgressed by lower Baong

    marine shales that represent another gas-

    prone source facies and an extensive seal

    over Peutu carbonate and lower Baong sand

    reservoirs. The Baong shales possibly

    matured in the late MiocenePliocene and

    sourced both oil and gas on the Tampur

    platform. In the middle Miocene, regressive

    middle Baong sands were transgressed by

    fine-marine clastics, the upper Baong shales.

    Stage V. Uplift(latest MiocenePleistocene)Increased compression and major uplift in

    the latest Miocene and through the

    Pliocene produced the coarse clastic

    Keutapang, Seurula and Julu Rayeu

    formations that, along with older Baong

    formation sandstones, represent the oil

    reservoirs on the Tampur platform. This

    compressional episode was also the main

    structural event producing thrusts, flower

    structures, shale diapirs and a series of

    northnorthwest southsoutheast folds

    above the now reactivated northsouth-

    oriented, strike-slip basement faults. Late

    stage faulting also created vertical

    migration pathways to supply the younger

    sand reservoirs.

    Although the onshore sector of the

    North Sumatra basin has been extensively

    explored, it is possible that moderate-sized

    and maybe even large, early Miocene, gas-

    filled Peutu carbonate buildups sealed by

    Baong shales remain. These large

    buildups, however, appear to have an

    associated high carbon dioxide risk

    (Reaves and Sulaeman, 1994) as

    illustrated by the potential giant Kuala

    Langsa gas field (Caughey and Wahyudi,

    1993). Smaller-scale, Peutu age-

    equivalent, Belumai buildups represent a

    potentially less rewarding play on the

    Malacca shelf. Stratigraphic plays for the

    Baong and Keutapang reservoirs have not

    been made but the risk is high.

    New or underdeveloped play concepts

    could include lowstand turbidite-fan systems

    associated with middle Miocene lowstand

    (Tsukada et al., 1996; Nuraini et al., 1999),

    and latest Oligocene Bampo fan systems

    recognized elsewhere in the basin. Syn-rift

    Parapat formation alluvial and fluvial sands

    could represent an attractive reservoir target

    in graben deeps where they are proximal to a

    generating Bampo source. Lack of seal,

    however, may be an issue. The Eocene

    Tampur formation carbonates have also been

    recognized as having reservoir potential and

    have already tested gas beneath early Miocene

    Peutu reservoirs in Alur Siwah, Peulala and on

    the Malacca platform (Ryacudu and

    Sjahbuddin, 1994).

    The relatively underexplored northern

    deepwater (>1000 m) sector of the basin

    merits further investigation as deepwater

    drilling technology improves.

    Central Sumatra basinThe Central Sumatra basin is the most

    prolific oil basin in Southeast Asia, producing

    approximately 750,000 BOPD, roughly half of

    Indonesias production. Sujanto (1997)

    provides reserves estimates for the basin of

    13 BBOE ultimately recoverable, of which

    95% is oil, and 2.5 BBO remain to be

    recovered. In terms of both petroleum

    systems and logistics, this basin has been

    relatively simple to explore. It extends over

    500 km in a northwestsoutheast direction

    and, at its widest point, measures about

    400 km between the Barisan Mountain front

    and the Malacca shelf.

    In contrast to the North Sumatra basin,

    only 20% of the Central Sumatra basin is

    offshore and water depth is generally less

    than 200 m. The basin is considered to be

    mature with respect to hydrocarbon

    exploration and, with a simple and

    essentially single petroleum system

    operating, new ideas are required if further

    large fields are to be discovered and the

    trend of declining production is to be halted.

    The basin demonstrates dominant

    conjugate northwest-trending thrust faults

    and northsouth-trending, right-lateral

    strike-slip faults (Figure 14) which follow

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology190

    0 400 800km

    Malacca Strait

    Malaysia

    Kotabatak

    Minas

    Duri

    Zamrud

    Coastalplainsblock

    Berukhigh

    Lirik trend

    Bengkalis trough

    Kulin

    Petani

    Bangko

    Libo

    Balam trough

    Central deep

    Paleogenedepocenters

    Oil field

    Gas field

    Sumatra

    Jakarta

    Java

    Central Sumatra Basin

    Figure 14: Paleogene depocenters, generalized structure and oilfielddistribution for the Central Sumatra basin (Praptono et al., 1991).

  • older basement fractures. The strike-slip

    faults often sole-out into the thrusts and,

    with right and left doglegs, have produced

    pull-apart and pop-up basins (Figure 15),

    respectively. These can be the sites of large

    oil accumulations.

    Large northwestsoutheast trending

    anticlines (e.g., the Kempas-Beruk uplift and

    the Sembilan uplift Figure 15) reflect

    ancient basement arches. At the surface,

    locally occurring northeastsouthwest-

    oriented fracture swarms represent Riedel

    shears that are associated with the

    northwestsoutheast-oriented, right-lateral

    Great Sumatra fault system.

    Oil is concentrated in two principal areas. In

    the west the MinasDuriBangko trend

    parallels the central deep and Balam trough in

    the center of the basin. In the east the

    Bengkalis trough hosts the coastal plains and

    shallow offshore oil fields. These are grouped

    on the Beruk high, and along the southernmost

    Lirik trend. In the far north of the basin there is

    reduced seal capacity and there are no oil

    fields. This is due to coarsening of clastics near

    the paleo-sediment source.

    Stage I. Syn-rift(middle Eocenelate Oligocene)Rifting was initiated during middle to late

    Eocene collision between the Indian and

    Asian plates, and deep, northsouth- and

    northwestsoutheast-oriented graben

    developed, following pre-existing Mesozoic

    shear lineaments (e.g., the Tapung half-

    graben Soeryowibowo et al., 1999). These

    grabens filled with Tertiary sediments

    through the late Oligocene.

    Initially the Pematang group clastics were

    deposited in isolated grabens (e.g., Central

    deep, Balam trough, Bengkalis trough).

    Graben margin coarse fluvial and alluvial

    clastics are secondary reservoir targets.

    These pass laterally into a shallow, lake-

    margin and coaly facies, a secondary source

    rock. The prolific, deep, lacustrine Brown

    Shale formation algal-rich laminites of the

    graben center are thought to have been the

    source of almost all the oil in the Central

    Sumatra basin (Williams et al., 1985). The

    kerogen assemblage of this source facies is

    dominated by the highly oil-prone,

    freshwater algae (Figure 16) Botryococcus,

    which is responsible for the high-wax

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 191

    BengkalisIsland

    PadangIsland

    Melibur

    Lalang

    GatamSabak

    Pedada

    Benua

    Butun

    Nilam

    Zamrud

    Idris

    Bungsu

    Beruk

    UpliftOil field

    0 25km

    Pop-upPull-apart

    BerukNE

    D

    D

    U

    U

    Pusaka

    Dusun

    Hudbay

    Caltex

    Coastalplainsblock

    Otak fold faultKempasBeruk uplift

    Sembilan upliftSiak Kecil syncline

    Bengkalisdepression

    MetasKutupfault

    Mengkapen

    Figure 15: Fielddistribution alongregional,northsouthtrending dextraltranscurrent faultsin the coastal plainsblock of CentralSumatra (Heidrickand Aulia, 1993).

    AA

    FWA

    A

    A

    Figure 16: Kerogen assemblage dominated by fluorescent amorphinite (A) anddegraded, freshwater Botryococcus algae (FWA) in the Brown Shale formation,Central Sumatra basin (photo courtesy of S. Noon).

  • crudes of the Central Sumatra basin and

    Cenozoic-sourced, waxy, lacustrine crudes

    that are so common elsewhere in South

    Asia. The Brown Shale formation also acts

    as an internal seal for the limited Pematang

    group reservoirs. Although it is accepted

    that the Brown Shale unit is essentially the

    only source rock in the Central Sumatra

    basin, Schiefelbein and Cameron (1997)

    note a minor contribution from type III,

    fluvio-deltaic organic matter.

    Stage II. Uplift and Sag(late Oligocenemiddle Miocene)Middle to late Oligocene arc collisions

    (Longley, 1997) caused mild inversion and a

    major erosional hiatus at 25.5 mybp (e.g.,

    Soeryowibowo, 1999). This is recognized as

    a basin-wide event separating the Pematang

    group syn-rift fill from the overlying Sihapas

    group. Early to middle Miocene sag and

    eustatic gain resulted in deposition of the

    strongly transgressive Sihapas group,

    representing a large tide-dominated delta

    system that prograded from the north,

    supplying the main reservoir sands from the

    granitic Malacca platform.

    The Sihapas group opens with the

    superior reservoir quality Menggala

    formation (Figure 17), consisting of fluvial

    channel sands deposited in structural lows

    and incised valleys on the truncated surface

    of the Pematang group. Sediments become

    progressively more marine and reservoir

    quality tends to decrease as fluvial sands

    are replaced by estuarine, shore-face and,

    finally shaly shallow-marine sands of the

    Telisa formation during the maximum

    middle Miocene trangression. Reservoir

    packages are demonstrably associated with

    third- and fourth-order (including possibly

    tectonically controlled) lowstand events on

    a field to basin-wide scale, but also include

    transgressive shallow-marine sheet sands.

    The Sihapas contains highstand intra-

    formational sealing shales, and the shale

    dominated Telisa formation also acts as a

    regional seal. Interestingly, the fine-grained

    Sihapas group clastics were considered to

    be the main source rock in the Central

    Sumatra basin until 1985 when Williams et

    al. identified the Pematang Brown Shale

    source. Even though Sihapas deposition is

    considered to have occurred during a period

    of relative quiescence, northsouth right-

    lateral faulting was active throughout and

    produced early Miocene pull-apart basins.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology192

    M

    M

    M

    M

    M

    K

    KI

    I

    I

    I

    O

    O

    O

    O

    I

    F

    F

    M

    Figure 17: Photomicrograph of the lower Sihapas (Menggala) reservoir sandstone, Kurau field, CentralSumatra basin showing partly leached feldspars (F), quartz overgrowth cement (O), authigenic kaolinite (K) andexcellent primary intergranular (I) and secondary moldic (M) porosity. (Photomicrographs from Murphy, 1993.

    Stage III. Uplift(middlelate Miocene)

    Westerly sourced, volcanic sediments

    deposited after 16 mybp are associated with

    the development of the Barisan arc and

    movement along the Great Sumatra fault.

    This reflects increased plate convergence

    and vectoral change (counter-clockwise

    rotation in Western Indonesia) at the Sunda

    trench. Compression led to deposition of the

    regressive, fine-grained Petani formation

    that locally contains reservoir facies.

    Stage IV. Uplift(late MiocenePleistocene)During the late Miocene, compressional

    forces intensified as subduction rates and

    orientation changed again due to

    encroachment of the Australian craton and

    the Asian plate. Intense structural

    development continued through the

    Pliocene. Heat flow increased rapidly in the

    PliocenePleistocene, possibly reflecting

    the emplacement of shallow intrusives

    (Eubank and Makki, 1981). Maturation of

    the syn-rift Brown Shale oil source took

    place and migration followed Eocene syn-

    rift sand tracts, graben-bounding faults and

    Sihapas sands.

    In terms of exploration, the Central

    Sumatra basin is considered to be mature.

    Recent efforts by Caltex, the main

    production sharing contract operator in the

    basin, have concentrated on tertiary

    recovery projects. These include large-scale

    waterflood of the Minas and other oil fields

    and steamflood of the Duri oil field, the

    largest operation of its kind in the world

    (e.g. Sulistyo et al., 1998). Recent

    technological advancements in sequence

    stratigraphy and 3D-seismic studies are

    being applied in the hope of identifying

    bypassed oil. Exploration has not ceased,

    however, and smaller-scale Pematang and

    fault-controlled traps are still being targeted

    to help offset the declining production from

    the basin.

    Pematang group gas accumulations are

    being sought to fuel the Duri steamflood,

    since nearly one-third of produced Duri oil

    is used for steam generation. Presently the

    nearest gas is in the South Sumatra basin,

    supplied by Gulf Oil in a gas-for-oil

    exchange deal.

    It would appear that there are few new

    play types in the Central Sumatra basin.

    Exploration of the Pematang groups coarse

    clastics is considered to hold promise

    although oil potential is limited by poor

    reservoir quality. There is minor production

    from fractured basement in the Beruk

    Northeast field but this is not considered to

    hold sufficient reserves to be of interest as a

    primary target.

  • South Sumatra basinThe South Sumatra basin lies almost entirely

    onshore and extends about 450 km from

    northwest to southeast. It is separated from

    the Central Sumatra basin by the Tiga Puluh

    Mountains in the north, and from the basins

    of the Sunda Strait by the Lampung high in

    the south. At its widest point it extends

    approximately 250 km from the Barisan

    thrust front to the Malacca Strait in the

    East, where Tertiary cover passively onlaps

    basement. It comprises three main sub-

    basins (Figure 18) the Jambi graben, the

    central Palembang graben, and the South

    Palembang or Lematang graben. The Jambi

    and Lematang grabens are highly productive

    with the former producing mainly oil and

    the latter, being deeper and hotter, being

    richer in gas.

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology 193

    Lampunggraben

    Lampunghigh

    Lematang/South Palembang graben

    (sub-basin)

    Palembang/North Palembang graben

    (sub-basin)

    Jambi graben(sub-basin)

    Dun BelasMountains

    Ipuhgraben

    Pagar Jatigraben

    Keduranggraben

    50 100km0

    Muaraduagraben

    Kikimhigh

    Central Palembang

    sub-basin

    Bangk

    o high

    Ketalin

    g high

    Lematang fault

    Sumatra fault zone

    Approximate extent of SouthSum

    atrabasin

    Figure 18:Generalizedstructural pattern ofthe SouthernSumatra region (afterYulihanto andSosrowidjoyo, 1996).

  • The South Sumatra basin contains diverse

    petroleum systems, with both oil and gas

    being sourced from lacustrine and fluvio-

    deltaic terrestrial facies (Figure 19). Marine

    facies of the Gumai formation have been

    suspected of contributing to reserves,

    especially gas, and there is even speculation

    of a local carbonate or calcareous shale

    source (Davis, pers. comm.).

    Reservoirs include fractured basement

    granites (Figure 20) and metamorphics,

    granite-wash, OligoceneMiocene fluvio-

    deltaics (Lemat, Talang Akar, Muara Enim

    and Air Benakat formations) and lower

    Miocene leached and fractured carbonate

    buildups (Batu Raja formation). In the

    Tempino oil field one of the reservoirs is a

    fractured sill (Caughey, pers. comm.),

    although this is not of economic significance.

    Although not strictly part of the South

    Sumatra basin small intra-montane basins in

    the Barisan range (e.g., the Pasemah Block

    operated by Stanvac Kamal, 1999),

    demonstrate a similar history and origin to

    the nearby South Sumatra basin with good

    Talang Akar and Batu Raja formation

    reservoirs at outcrop and oil and gas seeps

    with a lacustrine source indicated.

    Stage I. Syn-rift(late Cretaceouslate Oligocene)Rifting is considered to have commenced as

    early as the late Cretaceous and continued

    through to the late Oligocene. Northsouth

    normal faults and a northwestsoutheast-

    oriented horst and graben developed in

    response to tensional shear as subduction

    slowed at the Sunda trench. The graben

    developed along pre-existing Mesozoic

    transform fractures as in the Central

    Sumatra basin.

    Syn-rift fill includes the Eocene Lahat

    formation granite-wash, volcaniclastics, and

    conglomerates and sandstones that appear

    to have developed as alluvial fans and river

    systems within the deep graben. These

    coarse clastics fine-up into the Lemat

    formation, subordinate and commonly over-

    mature source facies, which include

    lacustrine Botryococcus- and Pediastrum-

    rich shales, and lake-margin, coaly, organic

    facies. Lemat fluvial sands are also locally a

    reservoir. In the Puyuh field, Lemat channel

    sands host oil and are interbedded with

    intra-formational, lacustrine source rocks

    (Maulana et al., 1999).

    Overview of Indonesias oil and gas industry Geology194

    C

    A

    A

    A

    A

    C

    Figure 19: Kerogensextracted from sourcefacies in the SouthSumatra basin. Topphotograph showsterrestrial oil-pronesource faciesdominated by cutinite(C) and other land plantmaterial. Bottomphotograph showslacustrine oil-pronesource faciesdominated byBotryococcus algae (A).(Photos courtesy of S. Noon.)

    X0.5

    X1.0

    X1.5

    X2.0X7.5

    X7.0

    X6.5

    X6.0

    S

    E

    N

    Major fractures -strike

    Minor fractures -strike

    W

    S

    E

    N

    W

    Figure 20: FormationMicroScanner* images from afractured granitebasement reservoir,South Sumatra basin.

  • Stage II. Sag(late Oligoceneearly Miocene)The late Oligocene to early Miocene was

    marked by transgression as a result of

    thermal sag and eustatic gain. Late

    Oligocene Talang Akar alluvial and braided

    fluvial deposits, the main reservoir sands in

    the basin, were deposited in basinal lows,

    and are either sealed internally or by the

    overlying marine Gumai shale in

    stratigraphic and anticlinal traps.

    Extensive Talang Akar shallow-marine and

    deltaic coals and shales are considered to

    be the major source rocks in the basin.

    They are dominated by mixed oil- and gas-

    prone type III terrestrial kerogen

    (Schiefelbein and Cameron, 1995) and,

    where buried deeply enough adjacent to

    basement highs, have charged fractured

    basement reservoirs. This can be seen in

    the Rayun, Sumpal, Dayung, Bungkal,

    Bungin, Hari and Suban deep gas fields.

    With continued transgression into the

    early Miocene, large Batu Raja formation

    carbonate buildups developed on structural

    highs and are important reservoirs,

    particularly where they have been solution-

    enhanced (Figure 21). Bulk reservoir

    properties are highly variable but often good

    (e.g., Ramba, Rawa and Suban with average

    permeabilities in the 500750 mD range).

    These buildups are thought to have

    developed as low-relief, low-energy,

    carbonate-mud-dominated banks

    (Situmeang et al., 1993; Longman et al.,

    1993) in a restricted seaway.

    The Gumai shales were developed off-

    bank in deeper water and, as transgression

    progressed, formed a top seal to the Batu

    Raja formation buildups. The Gumai shales

    may also locally contribute to gas

    generation where mature in basin deeps.

    Overview