Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description

KONDISI GEOLOGI
 Tectonic Setting
The North Sumatera Basin occupies an area of cross-border among 3 Countries :
Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. North Sumatera Basin is located in the Southern
part of the larger Mergui –North Sumatera basin as shown in Figure 1.
North Sumatera basin is a back-arc basin that occupies an area of 60,0000 sq. km in
the offshore and onshore area of the Northwestern part of Sumatera island.
The Mergui –North Sumatera basin is bounded by convergence of Mergui Ridge with
continental crust of Sunda Craton to the north, Asahan Arch to the east, Barisan
Mountain to the south and the Mergui ridge to the west.
The main tectonic elements dominated by relatively N-S and NW-SE trending highs
and deeps and these highs and deeps divide the larger basin into several sub-basins
(Figure 2).
This basin is known as prolific hydrocarbon bearing basin in western Indonesia and
produces oil and gas. Hydrocarbon Exploration history began in the late 19th century.
The first oilfield in the North Sumatera Basin is Telaga Said oilfield (1885). The
discovery was followed by Darat oil field (1889), Perlak (1900), Serang Jaya (1926),
Rantau (1929), Gebang (1936 and Palu Tabuhan (1937). The most significant field in
the basin today is Arun gas field which was discovered in 1971.
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 1. Location of North Sumatera Basin (Andreason, et.al., 1997).

Three tectonic events occurred in the basin : Initial extension phase in the Late Eocene
–Early Oligocene; Wrench tectonism in Mid Miocene; and Compressional tectonism
during Plio-Pleistocene. The N-S trends represent Pre-Miocene Structure, and the NW-
SE are Post Miocene structures.
Tectonically, the field rests on a basement ridge trending NNW--SSE (Figure 2) in a
back-arc setting north of the Java Trench, a major zone of subduction paralleling the
southern coast of Java and Sumatra. Seven million years ago strong structural
movement along the bounding fault between the Barisan Mountains and the North
Sumatra Basin occurred as the slab overlying the plate approaching from the south
passed through three distinct tectonic phases.
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 2. Tectonic Elements of North Sumatera Basin (Andreason, et.al., 1997).

The Arun Field is located in the North Sumatra Basin in Aceh Province, Indonesia. It is
situated three miles from the shore of the Malacca Straits and, because of the rich
farm land, is drilled directionally from four main pads or well clusters. Figure 3 shows
the position of the Arun Field in a back-arc basin, north of one of the earth's longest
subduction zones, the Java Trench.
 Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 3. Tectonic setting of the Arun Field

 Stratigraphy
The first sediments to be laid down on the basement were thin, localized Oligocene
sandstones of the Parapat Formation, followed by shales of the Bampo Formation
(Figures 4-7). Microfossils from the Bampo indicate normal marine conditions of a
transgressive sequence which draped over the basement ridge and thickened into the
adjacent basins. The average thickness of the Bampo and the Parapat Formations
ranges from about 300-600 feet over the basement ridge and becomes several
hundred feet thicker off the high into either flanking basin. New paleontologic
information indicates the presence of a Late Oligocene to Early Miocene unconformity
at the top of the Bampo Shale (Rodgers, 1986 and Percival, 1986).
Deposition of the Arun Limestone began in the Early Miocene on top of the Bampo
Shale. At this time, a period of regional tectonic quiescence occurred, with calcareous
shales rich in planktonics (i.e., the Peutu Formation) being deposited in deep off reef
shelf areas; meanwhile, reef growth flourished in clear shallow waters over
topographic highs in the North Sumatra Basin.
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Other carbonate bodies, such as the Pase Field, also grew along the axis of the
basement ridge underlying the Arun Field demonstrating the strong relationships
between Miocene tectonics and carbonate deposition.
A major unconformity occurs at the top of the Arun Limestone, following which a 1200
feet-thick sequence of marine shales, the Baong Shale, was deposited on top of the
Arun Limestone. The surrounding of the Arun Reef by shales on all sides, as well as the
top and bottom, provides an effective seal for the over-pressured limestone, Basically,
the Arun Reef is encased in sealing shales and is a classic stratigraphic trap.
The overlying Keutapang, Lower Seurula, Upper Seurula, and unnamed Quaternary
units represent a coarsening-upward megacycle of clastic deposition that fills in this
Tertiary basin with some 8000 feet of terrigenous sediments in just nine million years.
Shales dominate in the lower to middle part of the Keutapang Formation where the
top of the geopressured zone occurs. Conversely, conglomerate beds are common in
the Upper Seurula through Quaternary beds. Major phases of Tertiary sedimentation
and tectonics are summarized in Figure 7.
Maximum sedimentary rocks thickness is up to 6.000 m in the deepest part of the
basin. During paleogene Time, sediment deposition in the North Sumatera Basin
occurred within some N-S trending Rift basin. Sedimentation widely spread during
Neogene Time . Thick sedimentary sequence and basin outline were formed during
this period.
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 4. General Stratigraphy column of North Sumatera Basin

Figure 5. General Stratigraphy column and temperature/pressure at the Arun Field

Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 6. Tertiary Sedimentation over the Arun Field
 Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 7. Major phases of sedimentation and tectonics

 Petroleum System
 Source Rock
In the Arun area, North Sumatera Basin, the identified source rock is Bampo and Baong
Formation (organically rich shales and mudstone units) which was deposited in deep water
environment in Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene. A pattern emerges in which organically
rich shales occur only in offreef locations, and organically lean shales occur over the paleo-
high that the Arun Reef is founded upon. Deep, anoxic off reef waters surrounding the reef
contrast with shallow, oxygenated waters associated with the position of the reef. Data
from conventional TOC analyses are summarized as follows:
1) the Keutapang Formation averages 1.44 off the reef but is only 0.31 above it;
2) the Baong Shale averages 1.89 off the reef but is only 0.27 over it; and
3) the Bampo Shale averages 1.90 off the reef but is only 0.38 below it

 Reservoir
In North Sumatera Basin, Miocene limestone was proven to be major oil reservoirs. The
oldest reservoir rock can be identified is Parapat Formation which overlying the basement,
followed by shales of Bampo Formation. Microfossils from the Bampo indicate normal
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
marine conditions of a transgressive sequence which draped over the basement ridge and
thickened into the adjacent basins. The average thickness of the Bampo and the Parapat
Formations ranges from about 300-600 feet over the basement ridge and becomes several
hundred feet thicker off the high into either flanking basin. New paleontologic information
indicates the presence of a Late Oligocene to Early Miocene unconformity at the top of the
Bampo Shale.
Deposition of the Arun Limestone began in the Early Miocene on top of the Bampo Shale.
At this time, a period of regional tectonic quiescence occurred, with calcareous shales rich
in planktonics (i.e., the Peutu Formation) being deposited in deep off reef shelf areas;
meanwhile, reef growth flourished in clear shallow waters over topographic highs in the
North Sumatra Basin. Other reservoirs potential other than Peutu/Arun limestone are
Early Miocene Belumai sandstone, Miocene turbidites of Baong sandstone, Upper Miocene
to Pliocene Keutapang sandstone and Pliocene Seurula sandstone.

 Seal
A major unconformity occurs at the top of the Arun Limestone, following which a 1200 feet-
thick sequence of marine shales, the Baong Shale, was deposited on top of the Arun
Limestone. The surrounding of the Arun Reef by shales on all sides, as well as the top and
bottom, provides an effective seal for the over-pressured limestone, Basically, the Arun Reef
is encased in sealing shales and is a classic stratigraphic trap. Other seal potential include
impermeable shales of Belumai and Keutapang Formations.

 Trap
The major hydrocarbon trap can be identified in the area are stratigraphic trap (carbonate
build up) and structural trap. Both are strongly connected to Keutapang-Seurula’s clastic
reservoir rock and Peutu’s reefal limestone.

 Maturation and Migration

First Hydrocarbon generation was suggested at Middle Miocene Time. Critical moment
occurred around Plio-Pliocene then followed by migration pathway occurred through up-
dip and vertical faults (Figure 8).
Regional Geology of North Sumatera – A Brief Description
Figure 8. Major Hydrocarbon generation and migration (Buck&Mc.Culloh, 1994)