IPA, 2006 - 26th Annual Convention Proceedings, 1998

Disc Contents

PA98
Contents

- 1 - 113

Search

PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Twenty-Sixth Annual Convention, May 1998

STRATIGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN MEMBER OF THE UPPFR

CIBULAKAN FORMATION AT E FIELD, OFFSHORE NORTHWEST JAVA, INDONESIA
Henry W. Posamentiee
Wayne Suyenaga"
Diah Rufaida"*
Robelt Meyrick***
S. George Pembelton"* * *

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Seismic, well-log, and core data, illustrate the

presence of deltaic as well as shelfal depositional
systems within the Main Member of the Upper
Cibulakan Formation at the E Field, offshore
northwest Java. Seismic amplitude extractions as well
as other reflection attributes clearly show the presence
of a well-developed channel, likely deltaic in origin,
trending east - w e s t . B i o stratigraphic and
sedimentologic data from cores indicate that the
depositional environment of the sediments filling the
channel was open marine. Seismic facies analysis
using CGG Petrosystem's Stratimagic,,
neural
network-based algorithm suggests a heterolithic facies
distribution influenced by the presence of faults.

The Main Member of the Upper Cibulakan Formation

comprises a shallow marine siliciclastic succession of
mid to upper-Miocene age (Arpandi and
Patmosukismo, 1975; Ponto et al., 1987; Reksalegora,
1993; Reksalegora et al., 1996). It has been estimated
that sandstone reservoirs within this stratigraphic unit
contain approximately 75% of all the hydrocarbons
discovered to date in ARC0 Indonesia's offshore
northwest Java PSC (Atkinson et al., 1993) within a
section up to 700 m thick. Over 700 MMBO and 0.7
TCF have been produced from this unit to date.

Also w i t h tlie Main Member, seismic imaging

reveals the presence of interpreted sand fields or
patches. These features are characterized by a sharply
defined linear edge on their western side and by a
gradational margin on the remaining sides. Well-log
and core data suggest the presence of a ravinement
surface at the base of these sand patches. The
sediments above this surface contain fine to medium
grained sandstones with abundant shell fragments.
We interpret that these sand fields-are comprised of
sand waves migrating across a possible transgressive
surface of erosion. The direction of migration appears
to be in the direction of the sharply defined edges to
these fields.
*:

**
***
****

Atlantic Richfield Indonesia, ins.

CGG Petrosystems
P.T. Geoservices Ltd.
University of Alberta - Canada

The objective of this paper is to focus on a small part

of the Main Member within the confines of the E
Field, offshore northwest Jaya (Fig. 1) and present a
depositional model based on the integration of
seismic, well-log, biostratigraphic, and ichnologic
data. This analysis provides potential insight to the
style of deposition within the rest of the Main
Member, improving chances for finding and
exploiting stratigraphic traps in the Main Member in
other parts of the basins offshore northwest Java.
The E Field lies approximately 120 km east-northeast
of Jakarta, approximately 50 km north of the Java
coast (Fig. 1). This field is associated with a basement
high and has produced 236 MMBO and 243 BCF to
date (including production from the smaller
neighboring EZ Field). E Field was discovered in
1968 and the first production occurred in 1971. A 95
km2 3-D seismic survey was acquired in 1996. The
study area comprises part of the 3D survey and
includes 88 exploration and development wells.

130

GEOLOGIC SETTING

Seismic Ohsenations

The E Field lies within the southwest-northeast

trending Tertiary Offshore Northwest Java Basin.
Purantoro et al. (1994) and Reksalegora et al. (1996)
document an overall north-northeast to southsouthwest direction of progradation. Approximately
60 km to the south-southeast of E Field the section
thickens into the CipunegardE15 trough (Noble et al.,
1997) and sandstones are less common. The Main
Member of the Upper Cibulakan Formation has been
subdivided into 15 high-resolution stratigraphic units
in a comprehensive regional study by Reksalegora et
al. (1996); the bounding surfaces for these
stratigraphic units appear to be regional flooding
surfaces. The section upon which the present study
focuses on, lies between the UCR3C and UCR4 of
Reksalegora et al. (1996).

This study focuses on a seismic reflection (A) (Fig. 3)

that is characterized by a pronounced east-west
oriented ribbon-like amplitude anomaly (Fig. 4). This
amplitude anomaly is part of an amplitude extraction
from a regionally mappable seismic reflection. The
anomaly has a consistent width of 0.75 km. The plan
view pattern is characterized by low sinuosity, and the
edges of the feature are sharp. In cross section, this
anomaly is coLicident with a 10-15 msec sag in the
.
seismic reflection (Fig. 4).

Reksalegora et al. (1996) identified two principal

types of reservoir bodies within the Main Member: the
first is a sharp-based bioturbated glauconitic
sandstone, and the second is a cleaning-upward,
burrowed sandstone with a sharp upper contact. The
sharp-based sandstone is commonly mapped as an
elongate feature 1-2 km' wide and 5-8 km long. The
orientation of these sandstone bodies is predominantly
north-south. The'second type of sandstone body tends
to be more extensive than the first, and is mappable
over 10's of kilometers.
The structure that underlies E Field comprises
basement involved normal faulting oriented northnortheast to south-southwest. These faults were active
throughout Cibulakan time. Extensive well-log
correlations suggest that significant thinning onto
basement highs can be observed within the Main
Member (Fig. 2).

E FIELD OBSERVATIONS
In the area of E Field, the upper p& of the Main
Member of the Upper Cibulakan Formation comprises
the focus of this study. This section, characterized by
the presence of interpreted channels as well as shelf
sand patches; was analyzed using 3-D seismic, welllog, and core data. The following discussion
documents first the observations and subsequently the
interpretations based on these observations.

To investigate the lithologic heterogeneity of the

section cbntaining this anomaly, seismic facies
analysis was conducted using the neural network
algorithm of CGG Petrosystems Stratimagic,, seismic
interpretation software (Gurney, 1997).
The
procedure involves identification of a seismic volume
(designed to capture a narrowly defined section of
interest) within which traces are analyzed according to
their shape so that the range of trace shapes can be
subdivided into "c)asses" or "families". For this
analysis aieismic volume was defined plus and minus
30 msec and restricted in areal distribution to the
anomaly "ribbon" or corridor. Ten reflection families
were ,specified (Fig. 5a), and the results showed
pronounced heterogeneity and marked apparent
influence by transverse faulting (Fig. 5b).
A second type of anomaly also is present along
reflection A. In contrast with the well-defined ribbonshaped anomaly discussed above, this second anomaly
type is more patch-like, comprising two and possibly
three discrete high amplitude areas. The two betterdefined patches are elongate, almost oval shaped, with
their long axes oriented north-northeast southsouthwest. The maximum width of both of these
patches approaches 1.5-2.0 km and their length
approaches 6.0-7.0 km. The more westerly of the two
well-defined patches is sharply delineated on its west
side where it ends abruptly along a straight lineoriented north-northeast by south-southwest (Figs. 4
and 6).
Other similar seismic anomalies are observed within
the Main Member but will not be discussed here.
Both ribbon as well as. patch anomalies can be
observed, suggesting that the section that is the focus
of this study may be typical of much of the Main
Member geology.

131

Well-Log Observations
The ribbon-shaped anomaly observed along reflection
A is penetrated by five wells (Fig. 4). Figure 7
illustrates an axial well-log cross section along this
linear feature. Note the varied nature of the section
corresponding to the anomaly, ranging from a uniform
or "blocky" log response, as in well EZC-2, to a
"spikey" log response as in well EB-2. Figure 8
illustrates a transverse well-log cross section across
the seismic anomaly. Note the truncated log markers
that are associated with the anomaly. The section that
likely is associated with the seismic anomaly is up to
40 ft thick (well EZC-3). This somewhat variable (i.e.,
with regard to log expression) sandstone body does
not seem to correspond directly to either type of
principal producing Main Member sandstones
identified by Reksalegora et al. (1996), though it bears
some affinity to their "blocky" type of sandstone
body.
The patch anomalies along reflection A (Fig. 4) are
also penetrated by several wells. The brightest part of
the amplitude anomaly is associated with blocky to
gradationally-based sandstones up to 33 ft thick (well
EC-3). At this same level, away from the seismic
anomaly, thinner sharp-based sandstones are present.
This sandstone corresponds to the sharp-based
bioturbated glauconitic sandstone type of Reksalegora
et al. (1996). These sandstones, associated with the
patch anomalies, lie above the sandstones associated
with the ribbon-shaped anomaly discussed above. On
the east side af the study area, in the structurally
lower area, the two sandstones are separated by a
shale unit 40-45 ft thick, whereas on the west side of
the study area the separating shale in places is less
than 3 ft thick (Fig. 73.

with the patch anomaly elsewhere also has been cored

(3236-3260 ft); core #4 penetrates the mid to lower
part, as well as the base of this section.

a.

Ribbon Anomaly

Figure 10 comprises core descriptions of cores #6 and

#7. The section is characterized by interlaminated
sandstones and siltstones, with a significant
depositional contact present at 3326.5 ft (3324 ft log
depth).
The section below this contact is
characterized by 'scattered very-fine to fine-grained
starved ripples; sandstone laminae commonly are less
than 1 cm thick and are predominantly horizontally
laminated. Burrowing intensity appears to diminish
upwards through this lower part of core #7. Common
burrows observed in this section include Planolites,
Thalassinoides, Helm inthopsis, A nconichnus,
Asterosoma, and Chondntes. Also present in this
section are isolated carbonaceous laminae (i.e., "coffee
grounds"). The contact at 3326.5 ft corresponds to an
abrupt change in GR log character from gradually
decreasing GR values going upwards (i.e., "cleaning"
upwards), to uniform or "blocky" GR log response
above' this contact (Fig. 9). A 24-cm fine-grained
sandstone bed immediately overlies this contact, a
surface characterized by a Glossifungites ichnofacies
(Fig. 11). Above the contact, the trace fossil
assemblage is characterized by the presence of
Planolites, Palaeophycus, Teichichnus, Thalmsinoides,
Subphyllochorda, and Chondrites (?) burrows.
Abundant starved ripples .as well as abundant
carbonaceous materials are present in %his section
especially towards the basal contact. Isolated possible
rhythmite bedding and clay drapes also are present
here. Overall, the section overlying the contact at
3326.5 ft is somewhat sandier than that which
underlies the contact.

Cons Sedimentology Observations

Extensive conventional core from the Main Member
was collected in well EZC-2. This well penetrates the
ribbon but not the patch anomaly. Of the 11 cores
collected, cores 3-7 are of particular interest (Fig. 9)
insofar as they sample the sections that correspond to
both seismic anomalies (although the patch anomaly
is not actually present at this well location). The
ribbon seismic anomaly corresponds to the section
from 3286-3324 ft. Core #7 penetrates the base of
this section, whereas core #6 samples the middle to
lower part of this section. The section that correlates

b. Patch Anomaly
Cores #4 and #5 from well EZC-2 are described in
Figure 12. A significant surface at 3262.5 ft (3260.5
ft log depth) subdivides this section into'two discrete
units. The surface itself is characterized by a marked
grain size change from a sandy siltstone below to a
fine to medium grained sandstone above. This
surface is also characterized by the presence of a
Glossifungites ichnofacies %(Fig. 13). The section
below 3262.5 ft is predominantly mudstone with thin

132
(<1 cm thick) sandstone laminations. Isolated starved
current ripple laminae as well as very thin skeletal
debris laminae are present. Burrow traces observed in
this section include Planolites, Teichichnus,
A sterosom a, and Thalmsinoides. There is an abrupt
increase in grain size above the contact at 3262.5 ft.
This section is characterized by massive-bedded,
bioturbated to fine to medium grained sandstone, with
local cross stratification. Abundant gastropod and
bivalve shell fragments are scattered through this
section. The trace fossils in this section are limited to
isolated Palaeophycus burrows.

Biostmtigraphic Observations
Cores from both sections of interest (ie., the upper
section: cores #4 and #5, and the lower section: cores
#6 and #7) were sampled for biostratigraphic analysis.
The section below 3326.5 ft (log depth 3324 ft) is
characterized by consistent presence of mangrove
pollen and dinocysts typical of marine, inner
sublittoral environments close to a delta. The section
above 3326.5 ft within core #6 is characterized by a
somewhat more open marine assemblage, containing
a diverse assemblage of marine, inner (?) to middle
sublittoral foraminifera, in association with marine
dinocysts. Mangrove taxa are less common than below
3326.5 ft suggesting a more distal depositional setting.
Within the upper section, the samples taken from a
mudstone section below 3262 ft contain a
foraminifera1 fauna characteristic of a lower estuarine
regime and a palynomorph assemblage showing strong
influence from a back-mangrove environment. Rare
calcareous nannofossils in this section point to the
proximity of open sea.

INTERPRETATIONS - DEPOSITIONAL MODEL

Seismic, wireline log, core sedimentology, and
biostratigraphic data suggest the presence of channels
and sand waveslpatches in the E Field area during
Late Cibu'akan time. These depositional elements are
inferred to be part of a tide and fluvial dominated
delta that subsequently has been transgressed. The
following discussion focuses on a) the interpretation
of the depositional environment of the channel, b) the
interpretation of the depositional environment of the
sand patcheslwaves, and c) the implication of these
interpretations on regional exploration within the Main
Member .

Channel Depositional Environment

The ribbon-like pattern of the seismic anomaly
associated with reflection A (Fig. 4) in addition to the
cross sectional trough geometry is strongly suggestive
of the presence of a channel. A channel interpretation
also is supported by the sharp-based nature of the
associated lithologic succession as observed, for
example, in borehole EZC-2 (Figs. 9, 10, and 11).
The fill of this channel likely occurred after its
abandonment insofar as the channel fill is
characterized by the most open-marine biostratigraphic
assemblage of all the samples from all the cores in
well EZC-2. This, plus the open marine ichnofacies,
supports the interpretation of fill subsequent to
abandonment and moreover subsequent to at least
local marine transgression. The correlatability of this
surface across the E Field area suggests that this
transgression may have been a regional event. The
relatively low sinuosity of this interpreted channel, the
absence of any fluvial sediment within the channel,
and association with an underlying coarsening upward
marine succession suggests a possible distributary
channel origin. The style of deltaic sedimentation
may have been fluvial dominated based on the
absence of any apparent waveform structures in any
of the deposits observed in core, both inside and
outside the channel. In addition, the. presence of
rhythmic bedding within the channel suggests at least
some tidal influence in this part of the section.
Figure 14 summarizes the depositional model. Stage
1 comprises fluvial-dominated deltaic progradation
with associated distributary channels. Stage 2
corresponds to the time of abandonment of this
distributary channel and possible regional
transgression. Initially after transgression, the
distributaw channel was present on the sea floor as an
unfilled trough. At this time the rate of sedimentation
on the sea floor would have been quite low insofar as
sediments from the hinterlands would have been
trapped landward of this location within the flooded
upper reaches of channels (or incised valleys) or in
back-barrier locations. Stage 3 follows quickly after
Stage 2 and is characterized by little Or no new
sediments being supplied to this area from the
hinterlands. Rather, the only mobile sediments during
this time are those being swept along the interfluves
on either side of the former distributary channel, by
currents of various origin (e.g., tidal, geostrophic,
etc.). These sediments would have been preferentially

133
deposited within the relatively deeper, relatively
protected former distributary channel. This process
would have resulted in deposition of sediments
cannibalized from the former delta plain, including
sands as well as organic-rich material within the
channel fill. These delta plain derived materials
would have been intercalated with pelagic and
hemipelagic materials as well. However, during the
time of active transgression, the hemipelagic content
would have been relatively
impoverished.
Consequently, the open marine signature associated
with the relatively sediment-free water column would
contain a greater concentration of open marine fauna
within the silty laminae. Eventually, the channel fills
with sediment and the whole area is subsequently
blanketed by mud-prone hinterland derived sediments
that comprise sediments associated with the next
period of regression (Stage 4).

Sand WavedPatches Depositional Environment

The blanket of sediments that overlie the channel are
shale prone and correspond to a time when shelf
sedimentation resumed following transgression (Stage
5). It is likely that sedimentation resumed because of
1) continued relative sea-level rise resulted in lifting
of storm wave base sufficiently above the sea floor so
as to create accommodation into which fine-grained
delta-sourced sediment could fill, and/or 2) shoreline
transgression could have given way to regression
resulting in greater sediment flux into this region. The
thinning of this shale section, which can be described
as a shale blanket of variable thickness, onto the
basement high, however, seems to support the former
interpret ation.
The shale blanket is sharply overlain by the
sandstones that comprise shelf sand patches. The
sharp basal contact is characterized by a
Glossfingites ichnofacies. The presence of this
ichnofacies suggests that a process of erosion has
acted upon this surface, exhuming a partially indurated
substrate that was then colonized by burrowing
organisms. The presence of abundant shell fragments
as well as a slightly fining upward grain-size trend
suggests a lag process of sedimentation. We interpret
this interface to be a ravinement surface produced by
the landward retreat (i.e., transgression) of a shoreline
with associated current or wave related erosional
processes across this area. It should be noted that
Glossifingites ichnofacies suggest only that erosion of

the substrate has occurred. Such erosion could be

associated with a variety of erosive forces (e.g.,
waves, tidal currents, geostrophic currents, storm
generated currents, etc.). We favor an interpretation
of shoreline transgression-related processes because of
the apparent marine signature and the relatively coarse
grained texture of the overlying material. It would
have been unlikely that such grain size material could
have been transported 10's of kilometers or more
across the shelf from a coeval shoreface environment
(Scheihing and Gaynor, 1991). More likely, the
material that comprises the sand patches was derived
by cannibalization of an earlier-deposited sandy
substrate by currents or waves associated with a
transgressive shoreface environment. Interpretation of
this surface as a transgressive ravinement surface does
not preclude the possibility that other forces (e.g.,
fluvial-related) may have earlier acted at this same
interface; however, evidence for the possibility that
other forces may have acted on this surface has not
been preserved. As is common, a surface simply
records the last erosive surface that acted upon it,
which in this instance is interpreted as bottom current
or wave energy.
At least one of the sand patches observed as a seismic
anomaly (Fig. 4) is characterized by a sharply defined
western edge. We interpret this sharply-defined limit
as representing the leading edge of a west
northwesterly migrating shelfal sand field, in contrast
with the gradational limit defining the interpreted
trailing edge of this shelfal sand body. The sharp
edge has been preserved by rapid burial as a result of
resumed sedimentation of hinterland derived (in
contrast with substrate-cannibalization derived) shelfal
sands and muds. This rapid burial could have been
associated with turnaround from transgression to
regression.
Regional Explontion Implications
The implication of interpreting the surface at the base
of the sand wavedpatches as a transgressive
ravinement surface is that a shoreface environment at
one time must have existed farther seaward of the E
Field location at this stratigraphic level. Moreover,
the absence of any preserved coastahlluvial plain
sediments that may have been associated with such a
seaward-located shoreline suggests that these
shoreface sediments may have been deposited during
a lower stand of sea level (i.e., such deposits would

134
comprise a Lowstand Systems Tract). These deposits,
should they have been preserved, may be of interest
from an exploration perspective. As is the case for
other similar isolated lowstand shoreface deposits
(e.g., the Cardium Formation in the western Canadian
sedimentary basin, Plint and Walker, 1987), such
deposits may comprise potential exploration targets
isolated seaward of any linked coastal/alluvial plain
deposits (Fig. 15).

The authors gratefully acknowledge the management

of PERTAMINA and Atlantic Richfield Indonesia,
Inc., for permission to .publish this paper. This paper
has benefited greatly from 'an insightful review by
J.V.C. Howes. However, ultimate responsibility for
interpretations contained herein rests solely with the
authors.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

A geologic model has been developed for a section of

the Main Member of the Upper Cibulakan Formation
in the area of E Field offshore northwest Java. This
model suggests the presence of prograding fluvial and
tide dominated deltas as well as 'transgressively
reworked shelfal sand waves/patches. Focusing on a
limited stratigraphic section, an integrated analysis of
seismic, wireline log, core sedimentologic and
biostratigraphic data, suggests the following sequence
of events :

Arpandi, D., and Patmosukismo, S., 1975. The

Cibulakan Formation as one of the most prospective
stratigraphic units in the north-west Java basinal area.
Proceedings of the Indonesian Petroleum A ssociation,
4/1, 181-210.

progradation of a fluvial and tide dominated delta

with the shoreline likely oriented north-northeast
to south-southwest locally. A prominent east-west
oriented, relatively straight channel is observed in
the middle of the study area.
Subsequently, the delta was transgressed and the
channel filled with transgressive open marine
sediments.
A shale blanket, which thins over the basement
high that underlies E Field, ultimately covered the
study area.
The shale is abruptly overlain by fine to medium
grained sandstone, separated from the underlying
shale by a transgressive ravinement surface.
This sandstone is interpreted to have been distributed
across the shelf in the form of sand waves or patches.
Migration of these sand wavedpatches appears to have
been towards the west-northwest. The presence of a
transgressive ravinement surface underlying the sand
wavedpatches suggests that there may exist farther
seaward, isolated shoreface/deltaic deposits along this
surface. These deposits can contain reservoir bodies
with significant exploration potential.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Atkinson, C.D., Gaynor, G.C., and Vavra, C.L., 1993.

Sedimentological and reservoir characteristics of the
Upper Cibulakan sandstone (Main Interval) in cores
from the B-Field, offshore northwest Java. In: C.D.
Atkinson, J. Scott, and R. Young, eds., Clastic Rocks
and Reservoirs of Indonesia; a Core Workshop,
In don esi an Pet roleum A sso ciation Workshop Notes,
59-90.
Gurney, K., 1997. An Introduction to Neural
Networks. University College of London Press, 234
PPNoble, R.A., Pratomo, K.H., Nugrahanto, K., Ibrahim,
A.M.T., Prasetya, I., Mujahadin, N., Wu, C.H., and
Howes, J.V.C., 1997. Petroleum systems of northwest
Java. In: J.V.C. Howes and R.A. Noble, eds.,
International Conference on Petroleum Systems of
Southemt A sia and A ustralia, Proceedings, Jakarta,
Indonesia, 585-600.
Plint, A.G., and Walker, R.G., 1987. Cardium
Formation 8 . Facies and environments of the Cardium
shoreline and coastal plain in the Kakwa Field and
adjacent areas, northwestern Alberta. Bulletin of
Canadian Petroleum Geology, v. 35, 48-64.
Ponto, C.V., Wu, C.H., Pranoto, A,, and .Stinson,
W.H., 1987. Controls on hydrocarbon accumulation
in the Main, Massive sandstones of the Upper
Cibulakan Formation, Offshore Northwest Java Basin.
In: Sixth Regional Congress on Geology, Mineral and

135
Hydrocarbon Resources of Southeast Asia (GEOSEA),
Ikatan A hli Geologi Indonesia, Jakarta, 35 pp.
Purantoro, R., Butterworth, P.J., Kaldi, J.G., and
Atkinson, C.D., 1994. A sequence stratigraphic model
of the Upper Cibulakan sandstones (Main Interval),
Offshore Northwest Java Basin: insights from U-11
well. Proceedings of the Indonesian Petroleum
Association, 2311, 289-306.
Reksalegora, S.W., 1993. Reservoir distribution of the
Upper Cibulakan Formation in the Seribu Shelf MMM
area, ARII ONWJ contract area : the search for

additional reserves. Annual Convention of the

Indonesian A ssociation of Geologists Proceedings,
832-846.
Reksalegora, S.W., Kusumanegara, Y., and Lowry, P.;
1996. A depositional model for the "Main" Interval,
Upper Cibulakan Formation: its implications for
reservoir distribution and prediction, ARII ONWJ.
Proceedings of the Indonesian Petroleum A ssociation,
2 5/ 1,163- 173.
Scheihing and Gaynor, 1991. The shelf sand-plume
model: a critique. Sedimentology, v. 38, 433-444.

136

-u-~.-.~.~"

!-----I
.. ---. .

......... /.%."..,
....-* .............E,

7-3
i
.
;

137

Southeast

Northwest
EJ-4

E41-ST!

EA6-ST1

E- 1

EQ-4

EZC-2

EZ-3

Basement High

FIGURE 2 - Well log cross section from northwest to southeast showing thtnning of the Upper Cibulakan
Formation in the area of the basement higli at E Field.

FIGURE 3

Reflection A

Distributary Channel

one krn

North

Seismic cross section with seismic reflection A identified. Note the 10-15 msec sag associated with the interpreted channel. Wells from
well log cross section shown in Figure 8 are projected onto this seismic section.

South

139

FIGURE 4

A) Color and B) black and white amplitude extraction of seismic reflection A), and C) line
drawing interpretation showing a 0.75 km-wide channel extending from west to east across the
south-central part of the E Field. Note the three sand wavedpatches identified. The eastern-most
sand waverpatch seems to be most poorly developed. Wells, well-log cross sections, and seismic
sections used in this study are projected onto this map.

140

B)

C)

EPdlbl

E.4e
e;aL ,,~."

coal6 ',

:" o n e km
:: , i

Figul

Wa
~ano wave/l-'atcn

FIGURE 4 - A) Color and B) black and white amplitude extraction of seismic reflection A), and C) line
drawing interpretation showing a 0.75 km-wide channel extending from west to east across the
south-central part of the E Field. Note the three sand waves/patches identified. The eastern-most
sand wave/patch seems to be most poorly developed. Wells, well-log cross sections, and seismic
sections used in this study are projected onto this map:

FIGURE 5 - Results of seismic facies analysis of channel deposits using neural network algorithms of CGG Petrosystems Stratimagic,, application.
Seismic traces over a section 60 msec thick, centered on Reflection A, within the confines of the interpreted channel, were subdivided
into 10 trace "families" (A). Map of distribution of se'ismic families within confines of the interpreted channel (B). Note the abrupt change
of seismic signature across the major north-south fault.

142

o
0

I
I-,

I
~t"
D~
0

0
~.~

(D

,\o
o

..~

.,,=i

~_.__..4._J .-~

.~

\
!

I
I

<

oosm OOT

143

o
o

0
-+~

I
I

r~
l-q

i
'

I
I

,
I
I

!
i

I
i

.v..4

!
0

l-q

o,,.~
o1.=q

/
o

O~

Channel

EZE-2
EZC-2
EZC-3
EZC-4

Sand WavdPatch

EZC- 1

EQSB-3

North

FIGURE 8 - Well-log cross section oriented at right angles to the channel illustrated in Figure 4 (see Fig. 4C for cross-section location). Note the
truncated log markers on either side of the channel.

EZE-3

South

145

1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0,2400tlSFL(UHtltl){

.......
.......
........

----

, . . . ......

.........

. . . . . .

FIGURE 9 - Wireline well log from borehole EZC-2 with cored sections identified. Note that the units for this
deviated borehole are in measured depth; in order to convert to true vertical depth multiply by a
factor of 0.73 (see Fig. 4C for well location).

FIGURE 10

Carbonaceous Material
Burrows

b3

Current-Ripple Laminations

. . .
. . .
. . .

[ '. . .' . .' _. '

. .

3340

3335

3330

3325

3320

3315

3310

3305

3300

Sedimentological description of cores #6 and #7 from borehole EZC-2 (see Fig. 4 for well location). This section corresponds with
the ribbon seismic anomaly shown on Figure 4. Note, the significant contact at 3326.5 ft (3324 ft log depth) is characterized by a
Glossfungites ichnofacies present at the base of an abandoned channel fill.

-\

1
-

Rhythmic Laminations

Glossfungites Suite

&?

Depth (ft)

147

FIGURE 11

Core photograph of significant surface at 3326.5 ft (3324 ft log depth) from core #7, well
EZC-2 (see Fig. 4C for well location) interpreted as a channel base. A) is a detailed view of
this surface within the context of the longer section, B). Note the sand-filled burrows
(Glossifungites ichnofacies) extending downward from this surface into .the sandy siltstone
substrate.

148

TF
N
M

3z $

ss

auId

Ala*

&

ev! g

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. ... ... ... ... ... ...
. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
..............................................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. ..
. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . ... . .. . . .. . . .. .. ... ... ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .I.:.::: . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

223
m 8

.9
c4

v1

a,

a
3 9
a,rj

s z0 3
s:3

a,

w .2:.

O % $

ZF:
, w bn
2 $ 2
0

ss ""!Paw

a,

a9 8
Eo +;+ o
&

lnz+
a b'
.: ,
xk

i
q

* L.zA0
d

E & j

gal;:
in

2
a

:;3 %2

41

.i
.3

P *
E

G
d

23 .
m $ $

a.2

&

.i!E"$

m 9 4 i
2':
0 2
9
Q =
8g 2 . rSj A2
;a . 2 Y
rj

Oa

$ 9 .g

a
=Q

149
m

150

s
&

42

Stage 4
Mudstone Blanket Deposition

Channel
Fill and Possible
d WaveiPatch Deposition

Stage 3

152

.A

.m
A

&

rc(
0

.i
i