Publications

The exploration activities in North Sumatra Basin are still immature but still have a giant potential within it. The aim of this paper is to apply regional tectonics, paleogeography, and geochemistry within the basin. The Paleogene sediments which role as important source rock become the subject to discuss in this paper. Prior the Barisan Uplift, the majority of sediment was sourced from Malacca Shelf and Mergui Shelf. Therefore, it is important to understand the distribution of Paleogene sediment along Mergui and North Sumatra Basin, since they are correlated. Gravity inversion from Andaman, Mergui, and North Sumatra Basins is also used to obtain the regional depth to basement map. However, there are some similarities and dissimilarities between Mergui and North Sumatra Basins. The presence of Paleogene aged of marine source rock with terrestrial organic matter is preserved in Mergui and North Sumatra Basin. Although the Lower Miocene Carbonate is present in both Mergui and North Sumatra Basin, some big gas discoveries have been found in Lower Miocene Carbonate in North Sumatra Basin, but not in Mergui Basin. Therefore, the understanding of source rock maturity and hydrocarbon migration are very important. In this paper, the importance of Rayeu Hinge to basin subsidence is also discussed. The Rayeu Hinge may contribute to an older structure of Ranong and Khlong Marui Fault Zone, and became the shelf edge of Eocene Tampur Limestone. The Rayeu Hinge may also contribute to the variation of subsidence and the structural distinction between northern and southern part of the North Sumatra Basin. The difference of subsidence rate between the areas became important since it is controlling the hydrocarbon migration distance between potential source rock into the reservoir.