Geology, Geophysics Method, and Petroleum of Arun Gas Field

A. GEOLOGY Figure 1. Regional geology map of Arun

Environmental conditions were
This research is located in Arun Gas also ideal for the development of reefs
Field, Aceh Province, North Sumatra, and other biogenic limestones (Arun
Indonesia. Arun Gas Field (Figure 1) is Limestone). The period of quiescence
one of the hydrocarbon fields in North continued through the Middle Miocene
Sumatra Basin. The North Sumatra with the deposition of shales (Baong
Basin is a back-arc basin of Tertiary age Formation). These shales became the
bounded to the east by onlap onto the
Malacca Platform and to the southwest
by Barisan Mountain uplift. The North
Sumatra Basin was initially subject to
Late Eocene rifting that formed the seal of the Arun Reef and contributed
north-south horsts and grabens. A most, if not all, hydrocarbons found in
quiescent phase of basin sag, with this area.
widespread carbonate deposition and
reef growth during the Late Oligocene The object of this research is Arun
and Early Miocene, followed the rifting Limestone. Arun Limestone is time-
(Barber et al., 2005). Fauzi et al. (2017) stratigraphically to the Peutu Formation.
stated that during Oligocene time a thick Arun Limestone is mainly Lower to
transgressive sequence of black Middle Miocene in age. Arun
claystone (Bampo Formation) was Limestone overlain by Baong
deposited, particularly in the Formation is responsible for sourcing
topographic lows. The Lower Miocene and sealing the hydrocarbon in Arun
was a time of maximum marine Limestone.
ingression. However, rapid subsidence A NSO ‘B’Blo Blo Show Regional
had ceased and the rate of deposition ge
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Tertia 2. Stratigraphy of Arun Gas Field
ry
centre
Lithological Characteristics
Seureula

Formation

Keutapang

Formation
TmbBaong
Formation

Bampo
 Study area

The result of previous study from matrix of skeletal packstone and

Arun-A2 shows that Arun Carbonate commonly rich in large benthic
Reservoir consists of coral skeletal foraminifera.
limestone 47.8%, foraminiferal skeletal
limestone 16.7%, calcarenitic limestone Lagoon Facies
13.7%, micrictic limestone 16.7%, and The deposit comprises foraminifera
dolomite 5.3% (Soeparjadi, 1983). The skeletal packstones characterized by
result of this study from sixteen cored moderately deep water sedimentation
wells shows that Arun Carbonate occurring between patch reefs.
Reservoir dominantly consists of 92%
limestone, 5% dolomite, and 3% However, only two of them which
dolomitic limestone (or other). can be categorized as productive facies
based on their porosity and permeability,
Based on core description and those are Reef Facies and Lagoon
petrographic analysis, the lithology of Facies. The potential gas resource
Arun Carbonate Reservoir can be zonation in Arun Carbonate Reservoir is
divided into four major rock types: coral derived from Reef Facies zones and
boundstones and coral encrusting-red- Lagoon Facies zones. The significant
algae boundstones, mixed skeletal variable distinguishing productivity of
packstones, benthon- ic foram mixed Reef Facies zones and Lagoon Facies
skeletal packstones to wackstones, and zones are microporosity, macroporosity,
benthonic-planktonic foram packstones. and permeability.
Facies Characteristics of Arun Petroleum System
Carbonate Reservoir
1. Characteristics of the reservoir
The Arun Carbonate Reservoir
comprises three main lithofacies which Formation: Arun Limestone
are interpreted with regard to
Ages: Lower and Middle Miocene
depositional environments those are
Reef Facies, Near Reef Facies, and Depth to tops of reservoirs: 10,000 ft
Lagoon Facies. (3050 m) avg
Reef Facies Gross Thickness : 500 ft avg & 1100 ft
Reef Facies include various types of max
boundstones, most of which are coral
Net Thickness : 500 ft avg & 1000 ft
boundstones and coral encrusting-red-
algae boundstones. These formed in max
shallow water by the growth and Lithology: Coral encrusting-red-algal
accretion of various types of coral and boundstones and foraminiferal mixed-
red algae to create a wave-resistant skeletal packstones
bathymetric fea- ture that affected
sedimentation on and around it. Avg Porosity: 16%
Near Reef Facies Avg Permeability: 13.5 md
The characteristics of Near Reef 2. Seals (Cap Rock)
Facies are coarse, poorly sorted deposits
of skeletal packstone, and mixed with Upper Formation: Baong shale
branches and plates of corals. Basically,
this rock type consists of coral Upper Lithology: Shale
fragments floating in a muddy sand
Lower Formation: Baong and Bampo be received vibrating the receiver. The
shales result is a cross-section of the subsurface
rock layers useful for finding potential
Lower Lithology: Shales
sources of oil and gas reserves. Seismic
3. Source survey activities not easy, this activity
requires cooperation and good
Formation and age: Middle and upper communication between the company is
miocene baong shales and upper a party that gives work to the main
oligocene bampo shale contractor.
Lithology:Shale Total
Organic Carbon: 1.9% avg and 3.8% Seismic waves are also called
max Time of Hydrocarbon elastic waves because of the oscillations
Expulsion: Pliocene of particles medium occurs due to the
Current Depth to top of source: 8300 ft interaction between the interference
forces (stress gradient) of the Malawan
Thickness: 1600 ft forces elastic. From this interaction
4. Trap emerged longitudinal waves, transverse
waves and a combination of the two. If
Trap type: Stratigraphic trap (a shale- the medium only raises waves
encased reef). longitudinally only (for example in
fluid) then in this condition seismic
A. GEOPHYSICS waves often considered an acoustic
wave. In oil and gas exploration,
Discovery of oil and gas in Miocene Seismic reflection is more commonly
reefs during the 1950s in Irian Jaya used than seismic
(Visser and Hermes, 1962) provided the
impetus for exploration in the early
1970s in several basins across Indonesia,
including the North Sumatra basin. refraction. That is caused because
Basement highs, recognized both by seismic reflection has the advantage of
reflection seismic and gravity surveys, being able to provide more information
were drilled as likely foundations for complete and good regarding the state of
thick reef sequences. A marked velocity subsurface structures.
contrast between the Arun reef and the
shales that encase it enabled seismic The seismic investigation is carried
definition of the reef in the first out by making vibrations from a source
reflection surveys. shakes. The vibration will propagate in
all directions below the surface as a
A seismic survey is one of oil and vibrational wave. The waves that come
gas exploration activities using in contact with the layers of rock will
geophysical methods with the use of experience reflection, refraction, and
wave propagation below the surface uses absorption. Rock response to waves
the vibratory source and vibratory incoming will vary depending on the
receiver laid out above ground level. physical properties of the rock which
The source of vibrations produces includes density, porosity, rock age,
reflected waves in the ground and density, and rock depth. Reflected
reflected the surface by layers of rock to Galombang will be captured by the
geophone on the surface and forwarded then transported to the location where
to the instrument to be recorded. The the gravity is to be measured. They
recording will get a seismic cross- measure the ratio of the gravity at the
section. two points.

Reflection seismology (or seismic Seismic Phase

reflection) is a method of exploration
geophysics that uses the principles of First, This data acquisition is
seismology to estimate the properties of intended to map the geological structure
the Earth's subsurface from reflected below the surface by using geophysical
seismic waves. The method requires a tools. For on-land equipment used to
controlled seismic source of energy, capture the signal from a vibrating
such as dynamite or Tovex blast, a source called the geophone, while for
specialized air gun or a seismic vibrator, the sea named hydrophone. To get good
commonly known by the trademark seismic measurement results, it is
name Vibroseis. Reflection seismology needed a good knowledge of the
is similar to sonar and echolocation. recording system and field parameters.
This article is about surface seismic
surveys; for vertical seismic profiles, see Second, Seismic data processing is
VSP. to obtain a picture of that representing
the layers beneath the surface of the
Gravity surveys are carried out to earth. Some stages are usually passed in
map subsurface density contrasts caused the seismic data processing
by geological structures. A gravimeter
is an instrument used for measuring the Last, From seismic data processing,
local gravitational field of the Earth. It is the results in the form of a seismic
a type of accelerometer, specialized for cross-section are then
measuring the constant downward interpreted/interpreted. Seismic
acceleration of gravity, which varies by interpretation aims to explore and
about 0.5% over the surface of the Earth. process various subsurface geological
Gravimeters are designed to be highly information from seismic sections. In oil
sensitive in order to measure very tiny and gas exploration, interpretation is
fractional changes within the Earth's intended to determine the location of
gravity of 1 g, caused by nearby subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs.
geologic structures or rock types.
Gravimeters display their measurements
in units of gals, milligals or microgals
instead of ordinary units of acceleration.

There are two types of gravimeters:

relative and absolute. Absolute
gravimeters measure the local gravity in
absolute units (gals). Relative
gravimeters compare the value of Figure 3. Northwest-southeast "B" Block
gravity at one point with another. They seismic. (From Graves and Weegar, 15
must be calibrated at a location where across the Arun field. The location of the
line is 1973.)
the gravity is known accurately, and
 south trend with 18.5 km long by 5 km
width, comprising an area of 21,400
acres. To the east, it is bounded by a
fault-steep-reef edge, to the north and
northwest was a structural deep, and
gas-water contact in the south and west
direction. Gas-watercontact was tilted
down towards thesouthern part of Arun
Field. Basiccaly there are two theories
for explanation, (1) it is attributed to
reservoir properties such as porosity
Figure 4. Northeast-southwest "B" Block and permeability distribution; (2) it is
seismic line 17-extension across the Arun associated to faulted block concept.
field. (From Graves and Weegar, 1973.)
The Arun reservoir is lying
After the interpretation is based on at10,000 ft depth with 7115 psia initial
the results of the data seismic, it can be pressure and temperature of 354 degree
interpreted that there is a fault in the Fahrenheit. It mainly consists of reefal
Arun gas field and supports the carbonate with permeability ranges
statement that Arun is located in the from 2 – 200 md. The reservoir has
North Sumatra Basin. 16.2% average porosity and initial
water saturation (Swi) of 17%. Based
on material balance analysis, fluid
expansion and gas injection are two
main drive mechanisms.
According to Soeparjadi, 1983,
porosity distribution of Arun field can
be agglomerated into three groups (Fig.
5). Northern part mostly contains fair
porosity; the middle part is dominated
by good and fair porosity while the
southern part getting more poor
porosity proportion. Cluster II and III
which arelocated at the middle part
B. PETROLEUM contribute more cumulative gas

Reservoir

Arun reservoirs located on North

Sumatra Basin. Arun formation is production and condensate comparedto
carbonate reef whichwas bornduring cluster I and IV. Thus, better reservoir
early and middle Miocene age on top properties and parameters are
of Arun high basement. It lies between contributing to better production. The
two thick shale layers, Bampo shale produced gas contains methane
lies in the bottom and Baong shale on (68.60%), ethane (5%), propane
top of it. Bampoformation is identified (2.5%), butane, pentane, other heavier
as source rock with Baongshale as a components (5.2%) and 14.29% of
cap rock. It goes relatively north – CO2.
Figure 5. Porosity Distribution Arun
(Soeparjadi, 1983)

Drilling

The problems of high temperatures

and abnormal pressure encountered
during the discovery and delineation
drilling phase given sufficient
experience in planning drilling programs
to overcome these problems during the
cluster development drilling phase.
Although lignosulfonate mud permitted
successful drilling in the high-
temperature and high-pressure formation
of the Keutapang, Baong, and Arun
limestone, the high mud weights and
high temperatures required constant
treatment of the mud system to maintain
adequate mud properties. It was found to
invert oil emulsion mud withstood the
high temperatures and maintained better Figure 6. Wellbore diagram, Arun field
development well.
properties with less treatment, and was
used exclusively on the last two wells
The objectives of these
below the intermediate casing points in
developments are (1) to upgrade the
the high temperature and pressure
production tubing string against erosion
section of the Wells.
and corrosion at the seating nipple when
a safety valve is in place, (2) to provide
a means of running the tubing in a clear
The directional development fluid and land it in the PBR using a
drilling program was planned from the heavyweight clear packer fluid, and (3)
experience gained in drilling appmisal to avoid sticking the tubing with settled-
wells to avoid the problems encountered out weighting material, making it easier
during that phase. A Wellsite, computer- to retrieve the tubing for repair when
equipped, mud-logging laboratory unit necessary.
is used to monitor the drilling and
formation parameters to ensure optimal
drilling procedures and the proper
selection of casing seats. All cement Production
slurry compositions are tested in a
cement laboratory located in the Arun
field. Samples to be tested are taken Gas cyclingis process of injecting
from well-site bins before cementation is some portion or all produced
performed. hydrocarbon gas back into the reservoir.
Initial hydrocarbon gas reinjection below dew point pressure (Fig. 8). Thus,
officially started from 1978. The it can be concluded that gas cycling
intention is to produce more condensate indeed improves the condensate yields
whilemaintainthe reservoir pressure and delays producing water in gas
above the dew point. 14 gas downdip reservoirs. It can be observed as well
producers were converted into injector. from Fig. 9 that cluster II and III which
Most of them were originally drilled as are located in the relatively higher
outstep producer then being converted position got higher CGR therefore
into gas injectors. Total injection rate benefit more from gas injection.
ranges from 40 MMSCFD to 0.9BSCFD Condensate yield was decreasing after
at peak with composition gas injections ceased.
The main result of gas cycling can Arun field is a good example of a
be observed both from condensate yield successful gas cycling application. Big
and water-to-gas ratio (WGR). During and thick reservoirs with good properties
gas cycling, condensate yield is kept and no significant aquifer movement are
between 50 to 65 BBL per MMSCF some factors that contribute to the high
produced gas in clusters 2 and 3. WGR recovery of hydrocarbon in Arun field.
was kept as low as 20 BBL per Good reservoir management through gas
MMSCF. On the contrary, when gas cycling, intensive infill drilling and
cycling stopped, it jumped up to 100 lowering wellhead pressure program are
BBL/MMSCF. The indication of additional works that embrace the
increasing WGR can even be traced ultimate recovery of gas in Arun.
back right after reservoir pressure is

REFERENCE

Soeparjadi, R.A., 1983, Geology of the Arun Field, JPT June 1983, pp. 1163 –
1172.

Suhendro, S. (2017, October 17). Review of 20 Years Hydrocarbon Gas Cycling

in the Arun Gas Field. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
doi:10.2118/186280-MS

Bolt, L. H., Soepardi, M., & Suherman, D. (1984, May 1). Drilling of Arun Gas
Field. Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi:10.2118/10482-PA

R.M. Riza Atmadibrata, Dicky Muslim, R. Febri Hirnawan, and

Abdurrokhim. (2019, August 5). The Characteristics of Arun Carbonate
Reservoir and Its Implication To Optimize the Most Potential Gas Resource
Zones In the Arun Gas Field, Aceh, Indonesia. Sumedang : Indonesian
Journal on Geoscience

Jordan, C. F.,Jr., 1978, Tropical lagoonal sedimentation, in R. W. Fairbridge and

J. Bourgeois, eds., The encyclopedia of sedimentology: Stroudsburg,
Dowden, Hutchinson, and Ross, p. 821-828.
 Jordan, C. F., Jr., 1985, A shorthand notation for carbonate fades— Dunham
revisited (abs.): AAPG Bulletin, v. 69, p. 88.

Jordan, C. F., Jr., R. J. Wharton, and R. E. Cook, 1985; Holocene carbonate

facies of Pulau Seribu Patch Reef Complex, West Java Sea (abs.): AAPG
Bulletin, v. 69, p. 270-271.

Jordan, C. F., Jr., M. W. Colgan, S. H. Frost, E. C. Glenn, D. Bosence, and M.

Esteban, 1990, An overview of Miocene reefs (abs.): AAPG Bulletin, v. 74,
p. 688-689.