EXPLORATION GEOTHERMAL

RESOURE IN SARULLA,
SARULLA BLOCK, NORTH
SUMATERA, INDONESIA
Wira Novita1

Department of Geological Engineering, Universitas Pertamina

ABSTTRACT

There are so many geothermal systems along the active Sumatran Arc that have at least
30 high-temperature systems (> 200 0C). The system is controlled by the Sumatra Fault Zone
which has eleven active volcanoes, five degassing volcanoes, and one caldera (Lake Toba).
Between 1993 and 1998, Pertamina with the Joint Operation Contract has an extensive
exploration program that designs and evaluates commercial geothermal systems in the Sarulla
Block of North Sumatra, Indonesia. This exploration has 13 wells with geological, geochemical
and geophysical survey steps first. The geothermal exploration sites are located in four wells in
Sibualbuali Timur geothermal field, five wells in Silangkita field, and four wells in Namora-I-
Langit field located several kilometers from the Great Sumatra Fault. If all three geothermal
systems are combined it will generate 330 MW of proven reserves for 30 years. In Namora-I-Sky
has geothermal fluid systems dominated with a maximum temperature of 2600C. The geothermal
power plant will have a capacity of up to 220 MW. To develop the first numerical information
model based on geological, geochemical, geophysical, and well data and using TOUGH2
software. The numerical model gives us information to mark the reservoirs that include area,
thickness, pressure, temperature, permeability distribution, and to determine the geothermal
energy reserves from the numerical model of Namora-I-Sky System of Geothermal by
probabilistic method.

Key : geothermal, sarulla, exploration, geothermal system, north sumatra, indonesia

INTRODUCTION

Geothermal energy becomes one of the renewable energy sources that are believed to
be abundant and environmentally friendly, including geothermal energy in Indonesia.
Geothermal energy as renewable and environmentally friendly, the potential for this enormous
contribution needs to be increased to meet domestic energy needs, thereby reducing Indonesia's
dependence on fossil energy resources. Unfortunately, geothermal reserves in Indonesia have not
been fully utilized. and still rely on fossil energy sources. Speaking of potential, according to data
PT. Pertamina Geothermal Enery (pge.pertamina.com), Indonesia has 40% of the world's
geothermal potential. The sources are spread in 251 locations such as Sumatra, Java, Nusa
Tenggara, Maluku, to the western tip of Papua. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources
(2013) estimates that all geothermal reserves and geothermal resources in Indonesia reach 28,994
MWe (Megawatt Listrik). The largest geothermal reserves are located in the western regions of
Indonesia, namely Sumatra, Java and Bali.

Examples are the sarulla

geothermal field, northern sumatera,
indodesia. Heat transfer by intermittent
volcanism, however, is only a small
component of total shell heat transfer
along the Sumatra Arc. Much of the heat
is transferred by a high-temperature
geothermal system where sweeping inner
meteoric water wipes heat from hot-
skinned rock and cooling intrusion to the
surface. Sumatra Island Sarulla is located
in Pahae Jae district, North Tapanuli
regency, North Sumatra province. In this
area there are geothermal resources with
considerable geothermal potential. In
February 1993, PLN and Pertamina
signed a cooperation contract that aims to
explore and develop geothermal fields to
generate 1000 MW with an initial phase
of 330 MW. Contract stages contain
geological and geochemical methods.
These include lithology mapping,
alteration, and geological structure as
figure 1 : map of sarulla geothermal field well as site determination, sampling, and
fluid analysis of all surface thermal
features within the block (Gunderson et
al., 1995). geophysical programs that use gravity surveys, electromagnetic time-domain surveys
(TDEMs) and magnetotelluric (MT). Both phases are used to determine the electrical resistivity
structure of the lower surface of the survey area and to determine the area to be fused. The final
stage is drilling 13 deep wells at the prospect with the highest priority.
 SOURCE OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY AND CHARACTERISTICS

According to Budihardi (1998) there are three interacting plates in Indonesia namely the
Pacific Plate, the Indian Plate of Australia, and the Eurasian Plate. The collision between the
three plates provides an important role in the formation of geothermal energy sources in
Indonesia. The collision between the Indian-Australian plate to the south and the Eurasian Plate
in the north produces a zone of sunduction at a depth of 160-210 km beneath Java-Nusatenggara
Island and within 100 km below Sumatra Island (Rocks et al., 1982). Because of the different
types of magma produced by eating at a greater depth it will be alkaline, liquid, and high magma
content resulting in a strong volcano eruption and will result in thicker and wider volcanic
deposits. Therefore, geothermal reservoirs on Java Island are generally deeper and are present in
vulcanic rocks, while geothermal reservoirs in Sumatra are present in sedimentary rocks and
found in shallower depths.

Most of the exploration

wells were designed as hybrid
wells: to be drilled using
standard rotary drilling
technology down into the
geothermal reservoir, and then
continuously cored below that
(if necessary) using diamond
coring technology (Furry et al,
1996). These wells were
designed to be capable of
production and yet to also be
capable of reliably attaining
targeted depths to prove
sufficient reservoir thickness.
Information regarding reservoir
porosity, permeability, and
structure could also be retrieved
through analysis of the deep
continuous cores (Moore et al.,
1998).

This exploration have

13 deep wells target with a
geological, geochemical, and
geophysical surveys first. The
location of the geothermal
figure 2 : map of sarulla geothermal area system exploration are 4 wells
in Eastern Sibualbuali
geothermal field, Five wells in Silangkita field, and four wells in the Namora-I-Langit field which
are located on several kilometres of the Great Sumatra Fault.
 EASTERN SIBUALBUALI

There are 4 wells on the eastern side of sibualbuali, 3 of which have been drilled
through a massive fault string and have thickness of andesitic rock surfactant. these three wells
are productive and have geothermal systems with temperature and permeability controlled by the
great sumatra fault. the maximum temperature measured at east sibual wells reaches 2670C while
in the production zone is only around 218-2480C. The thermal and chemical properties of the
geothermal system are a reflection of the mineralogical changes occurring in these three wells.

figure 3 : Schematic cross section through the eastern

figure 4 : Sketch map showing elements of the Sibualbuali Sibualbuali geothermal field

SILANGKITANG

There is a series of hot springs and fumaroles located in the Sarulla graben area near
the village of Silangkitang at the center of the Sarulla contract block (Figure 1). There were 5
wells in the Silangkitang during the period 1994-1998, just like The Sibualbuali, these wells have
temperature and permeability controlled by the Great Sumatra fault. The first drilled well
vertically drilled well / rock subvolcano through tuff to the underlying sedimentary rock and two
other well-targeted wells found very strong current flows significantly depressed with respect to
a normal hydrostatic gradient having a fluid temperature exceeding 310 degrees Celsius. Similar
to Sibualbuali, the caldron undergoes mineralogy changes reflecting the thermal and chemical
conditions of the reservoir.
figure 6 : Map showing the main elements of the figure 5 : Schematic cross section through the
Silangkitang geothermal field Silangkitang geothermal field.

NAMORA-I-LANGIT

The volcanic complex of the Namora-I-Langit is composed of two vast volcanoes and
comprising andesite to rhyolite and tuff lava. This location also has fumarole springs and acid
sulfates but also includes a neutral source of Cl-sulfate-bicarbonate water, gas seepage. Fumarole
temperature reached 117 0C. The volcanic complex of the sky is composed of two vast volcanoes
and comprising andesite to rhyolite and tuff lava. This location also has fumarole springs and
acid sulfates but also includes a neutral source of Cl-sulfate-bicarbonate water, gas seepage.
Fumarole temperature reached 117 degrees Celsius. There are 4 wells in this location. The four
have large geothermal systems and their temperatures and permeabilities are different from those
of the samurai and sibualbuali that are unmanageable by the great sumatra fault, having very low
vertical and lateral temperature gradients in reservoirs with temperatures of 260 degrees Celsius.
The fourth well indicates a neutral pH and a high geothermal system, while the other three wells
under alteration of mineralogy.
figure 7 : Map showing the main elements of the Namora-I- figure 8: Schematic cross section through the Namora-I-
Langit geothermal field Langit geothermal field.

CONCLUSIONS

Geothermal exploration in the north sumatra sarulla block of Indonesia proves that the
existence of large geothermal reserves and can be utilized its potential as renewable energy
replacement oil and gas and capable of supplying 330 MW for 30 years. The methodology used
is geological and geochemical. This is include mapping of lithologies, alteration, and geologic
structure as well as locating, sampling, and analyzing fluid from all surface thermal features
within the block , geophysical programs utilizing gravity, time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM)
and magnetotelluric (MT) surveys and exploration phases.
The exploration program discovers and assesses three new geothermal systems with
varying thermal permeability and permeability characteristics. The two smaller ones of the
geothermal system found in Sarulla have very controlled permeability and temperature
distributions by the Great Sumatra Fault, while the largest are not. The hottest and most
permeable parts of the Sibualbuali East and Silangkitang geothermal fields are found in the fault
zone itself. During the period 1994-1998, thirteen wells drilled in Sarulla discovered three new
geothermal fields with reserves of at least 330 MW. This reserve is now proven and awaiting
development as the economic climate in Indonesia improves. Significant additional potentials
remain in the Sarulla block in the unfilled fields of Sibualbuali and Namora-I-Langit.
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