Publications

Biogenic and thermogenic hydrocarbon plays have been identified in a Miocene to Pleistocene channel and fan slope depositional environment play within the North Makassar Basin. Although previous wells in the Bala-Balakang area support an existing biogenic gas system within the Plio-Peistocene section, they did not fully test a thermogenic gas play identified within the older Miocene reservoir section. 3D broadband seismic has been acquired across the area to further high grade this system, with ongoing seismic interpretation suggesting around 11 tcf of in place gas potential within multiple Miocene to Pliocene-aged sandstone reservoirs. Geochemical data indicates that a sufficient source of biogenic gas is expected to have been generated from within the Miocene-Pleistocene sedimentary section where the average of TOC is greater than1%. These source rock sections lie within the biogenic gas window which represent the results of micro-organism activities and where sedimentation rates exceeds100m/my. A thermogenic gas/oil source; however, is expected from a series of deeper rift basins throughout the North Makassar Basin. The sensitivity of the source rock kinetic has been modelled based on the thermal history from surrounding wells by utilizing 1-D thermal and generation modelling. This indicates the onset of thermogenic hydrocarbon generation occurs at circa 8.5 ma from Paleogene-aged source rocks, and at around 5.4 ma from Neogene source rocks. Both structural and stratigraphic traps for the reservoir definition have been clearly defined from the interpretation of new 3D broadband seismic, initially acquired and processed in 2014. Additionally, AVO attributes have further high graded and enhanced the potential of these mapped prospects and leads within the Bala-Balakang area.