IPA03-G-085

PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Twenty-Ninth Annual Convention & Exhibition, October 2003

THE COLLISION OF THE EAST JAVA MICROPLATE AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR
HYDROCARBON OCCURRENCES IN THE EAST JAVA BASIN

Sribudiyani* Indra Prasetya *

Nanang Muchsin* Benyamin Sapiie**
Rudy Ryacudu* Sukendar Asikin**
Triwidiyo Kunto* Agus H. Harsolumakso**
Puji Astono* Ivan Yulianto**

ABSTRACT the Sakala Fault Zone). Another type of basin

configuration developed at the collision zone oriented
The East Java basin is one of the major petroliferous NE-SW, parallel to the direction of the collisional
basins in Indonesia. However, understanding of the suture along Lok Ulo – Meratus Complexes. As a
tectonic development of the area is still subject to result, it is proposed that the Muria Trough in the
ongoing debate. Detailed regional geologic north is a foreland basin which probably can be traced
investigation was carried out to study and evaluate further south through Kendal Sub-basin to Kebumen
tectonic history and basin development in relation to Sub-basin. The result of this study reveals a new
hydrocarbon potential of the area. Recently acquired target for hydrocarbon exploration in the area.
seismic data and hydrocarbon discovery in the
sandstone unit of the Ngimbang Fm. in the EJ-1 well
at East Java triggered a new interpretation of INTRODUCTION
tectonism and basin development, especially during
Paleogene time. The complex processes resulting in basin formation of
Indonesia owe their origin to the interaction of plate
From the end of Cretaceous to Early Eocene, a movements between the Indian, Eurasian, Australian
continental fragment, possibly detached from the and Pacific plates (Audley-Charles, 1988; Hamilton,
Gondwana super-continent to the south, drifted north- 1979; Hall, 2002). Within the framework of these
eastward approaching the Late Cretaceous to early major plate movements, a large number of rigid
Tertiary subduction complex (Lok Ulo-Meratus belt). microplates may be incorporated, the boundaries of
The collision of this micro-continent with the eastern which influence basin formation and deformation.
margin of the Sunda Microplate caused the Eocene Such basins should not be considered as existing in a
magmatic activity to cease and uplifted the tectonically steady state, but they evolve and change
subduction complex, creating the Meratus Mountains complexly in response to the speed and direction of
in the eastern part of Kalimantan and The Lok Ulo plate movement and type of interactions (Hall, 2002).
mélange complex in the central Java. The grain of the
continental basement influenced basin trends. In A better understanding of the characteristics of a
eastern part of East Java Basin the dominant basin is most important before the execution of
basement grain is E-W, as can be particularly well intensive exploration programs (Dickinson, 1974).
observed controlling the Kendeng and Madura This is generally true for exploration conducted in
Troughs. At the very close of this period, areas where data are limited, or in frontier areas.
compressional tectonism due to the northward However, the same situation may also be applicable
convergence between the Australian plate and the to mature basins, in which case re-evaluation of
Sundaland margin reactivated these pre-existing E-W existing data by applying new theories and concepts
basement faults into strike-slip movement (e.g. along may highlight new plays and new targets. This is the
case in the East Java Sea basin. Re-interpretation of
* Pertamina
old data (surface and sub-surface), and assessment of
** Institute Technology Bandung hydrocarbon plays using newly developed concepts,
may result in a new understanding of the geologic interpretation of the tectonic evolution of Java and its
history of the basin and previously unrecognized surrounds (Figure 1A, B, C and D).
hydrocarbon systems can be deduced. Hence, new
leads and prospect areas previously overlooked may Late Cretaceous – Early Tertiary (70 – 35 Ma)
be exposed. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate
the tectonic development of Java Island, particularly During this period, the contemporaneous
in the east basinal area. northeastward movement of the Australian plate
resulted in its subduction under the Sunda Microplate
METHOD OF STUDY along Java-Meratus suture. Late Cretaceous magmatic
activity can be traced continuously from northeast
The present tectonic development and framework of Sumatra through Java to southeast Kalimantan
Java Island cannot be considered in isolation, as they (Figure 2). In West Java the Jatibarang Formation
are the product of the tectonic history of Southeast represents a volcanic series deposited in a north-south
Asia, extending from Late Mesozoic and Tertiary. oriented graben-like depression associated with an
Therefore, the main portion of the study focused on extensional regime within the uplifted magmatic arc.
the understanding of the complex plate tectonic Constructive fore-arc basins developed in the
history of Southeast Asia. Understanding the tectonic southern part of west Java and the South Serayu
history of this region is critical to the acceptance of Mountains in Central Java. Ciletuh and
the concept of geodynamic evolution of all Tertiary Karangsambung Formations in the Lok – Ulo
basins in Indonesia. complex represent sediments deposited within this
unstable fore-arc basin (Figure 3). Basin fill consists
The geologic setting of the region is created by forces of tightly folded mudstone with intercalation of
acting on the crust, which is controlled by relative sandstone, conglomeratic sandstone and limestone.
motion between interacting plates. This will lead to Turbidites and mass-flow deposits are common
the conclusion that to understand the tectonic (Martodjojo, 1998).
evolution of a region, it is critical to define the timing
and condition of plates (type of plate interaction), Based on field work in Central Java, middle to upper
which has taken place during the deformation. It is Eocene quartz clastic sandstones named Nanggulan
necessary to use the principles and characteristics of Fm. are found scattered in the southeast and west
plate movements since the tectonic setting of a parts of Luk-Ulo complex. In both onshore and
particular area is the product of plate interaction offshore of east Java, a similar age quartz clastic unit
whether it was convergent, divergent or transform. known as Ngimbang Fm. is found in both NE-SW
The resulting tectonic process, which is responsible (along Meratus trend) and E-W graben known as the
for the formation and deformation of the basins, is Sakala trend. Ngimbang Fm. is distributed further
ultimately dependent on the behavior and mechanical east in the East Kangean-Pagerungan area. This
properties of plates involved. Geologic maps, formation was penetrated near TD of EJ-1 well.
geophysical data (seismic, gravity and magnetic) and Seismic section in the vicinity of the well shows
wells penetrating basement provide information to strong reflector below Ngimbang Fm., suggesting the
estimate these mechanical properties. presence of deeper sedimentary units grouped as Pre-
Ngimbang Fm. It has been reported that Pre-
In this study, the evaluation was conducted using Ngimbang Fm. was penetrated in several wells in East
existing published data and newly acquired Kangean area. From limited data, this formation
exploration data such as 3D and 2D seismic data, occurs along E-W trending depression and is
wireline log and well data. In addition, selected unconformably overlain by Ngimbang Fm. This
detailed surface geological data were used to verify evidence suggests the most likely presence of a paleo-
the subsurface interpretation and model. high consisting of continental source at least during
Cretaceous – Eocene time. This continental fragment
RESULTS would have to extend to the west as far as central Java
and to the east as far as East Kangean area.
In this study, identification of the successive plate
interactions which resulted in the tectonic events Close to the end of Cretaceous – Early Eocene, a
affecting the Sunda Microplate allowed analysis and continental fragment, possibly detached from
Gondwana super-continent to the south, drifted Oligocene – Early Miocene period (35 – 20 Ma)
northeastward approaching the subduction zone. The
presence of allochthonous micro-continents in It is generally accepted that at the beginning of
Southeast Asian region has been observed and Oligocene a widespread rapid reduction of plate
reported by many authors (e.g. Audley-Charles, et movement took place (Hall, 2002). The northward
al., 1988; Bergman, et al., 1996; Metcalfe, 1994; Australian Plate slowed from 18 cm/year to only 3
Parkinson, et al., 1998). Continental basement located cm. A direct consequence of this reduction of plate
east of the subduction zone underlying Makassar movement will have been an increase in the angle of
Strait has been identified in well Rubah-1 drilled by dip of subduction. It is proposed that during this
Conoco in January 1977, which encountered granitic period, due to the deceleration of plate movement, a
basement at 5056 ft, overlain by sandstone containing general uplift took place within the whole southeast
fragments of granitic rocks. The sandstone is region of Sundaland. Erosion and local subsidence
calcareous, angular, poorly sorted, granule to fine along existing fault traces resulted in deposition of
sand sized, in a carbonate matrix. The terrigenous terrestrial and transitional marine deposits (Figure 4).
constituents are most likely derived from granitic
basement. The Taka-talu well, located further During this period, the South China Sea became an
southeast, penetrated basement consisting of diorite. active sea-floor spreading centre. Northward
However, no radio metric dating is available. The convergence of the Indian Plate resulted in
docking of this micro-continent with the eastern compressional tectonic regime in Sumatra and Java
margin of the Sunda Microplate caused Eocene "Fore-Arc" region causing basin inversion. The
magmatic activity to cease and uplifted the convergence rate of the Indian Plate with Sunda
subduction zone, creating the Meratus complex (see Microplate had now stabilized at 5 to 6 cm/year
Figure 1B). (Hall, 2002). On the contrary, the back-arc basins
were subject to dominantly north-south strike-slip
movements along existing north-south faults
Rifting took place away from the plate boundary and (Figure 5).
extension was associated with movement along the
pre-existing regional faults within the continental Middle Miocene – Late Miocene period
fragment. The grain of the continental basement (20 – 5 Ma)
influenced basin trends. Global plate reorganizations
in Southeast Asia region occurred in middle to late A southward shift of Indian-Australian Plate
Eocene, including the collision of greater India with boundary took place, followed by continuous
Asia and the change in velocity of Pacific plate magmatic activities occupying almost the whole of
motion (Tapponnier, et. al., 1986). The collision of the island of Java. In the northern part, back-arc
India with Asia resulted in east and southeast basins developed, subdivided into several sub-basins,
extrusion of eastern Eurasian margin along large which were separated by basement highs, controlled
strike-slip faults. Strike-slip and block faulting by basement block faulting. In northern West Java the
during this time resulted in the development of the orientation of basement faulting remains north-south,
Thai, Malay and West Natuna basins. The basin whereas in the Southwest and Central Java a
systems of Sumatra and Java were also initiated significant NE-SW and NW-SE fault system seems
during this period (see Figure 1A, B). more pronounced (Figure 6). These patterns may have
been initiated as strike-slip pair faulting during the
Basin formation commenced with the transtensional process of northward subduction along the southern
phase along strike-slip movements (Red River Fault part of Java.
Zone, Thai-Burma Shear, Bangka Shear and Sumatra
Fault Zone) in which predominantly north-south It is here suggested that basement grain strongly
extensional troughs, grabens and half-grabens were controlled the basement configuration of the basin,
formed. Continental clastics were then deposited in and consequently also the Miocene sedimentation.
these basins as the initial fill. Major strike-slip Cimandiri Trough, Citanduy Sub-basin and Western
movements along large shear zones might have been Deep are considered to be examples of this type.
compensated by counter-clockwise rotation of the Reactivation along those faults resulted in
Sunda Microplate (Tapponnier, et. al., 1986). transtension and transpression mechanisms associated
with turbidite sedimentation in the subsiding part. In most prolific hydrocarbon potential areas in Indonesia
easternmost of East Java, however, the dominant since the early exploration history from 1887.
basement grain is east-west, as can be particularly However, the major exploration activities in the
well observed controlling the Kendeng and Madura onshore and offshore area just have taken for the last
Troughs. E-W grain forms part of the underlying 20 years. Recent discoveries include Banyu Urip in
continental fragment previously transported from the the Cepu area and Wunut gas field in the Madura
south and which collided wit h Sundaland along the Strait Sub-basin. From an exploration standpoint, the
Meratus Suture (NE-SW structural grain). At the very East Java Basin is considered as a mature basin.
close of this period, compressional tectonism due to Hydrocarbons occur and are produced from different
the northward subduction has changed these E-W stratigraphic levels, and widely distributed from west
basement faults into a strike-slip movement to east. Several good sources are present within the
(Manur and Barraclough, 1994). east Java area are largely restricted to organic rich of
shales and coals of the Ngimbang and Kujung Fms.
Another type of basin configuration developed at the and Cepu Member of Tawun Fm. In the Northern
collision zone oriented NE-SW, parallel to the Platform they can be found in western part of the
direction of the suture. This orientation is dominant platform inclu ding Muria Trough, East Bawean
structural grain at the western half of East Java. It is Trough, Tuban-Camar Central Depression,
proposed that the Muria Trough in the north is a Masalembo Basin and to the east of this platform
foreland basin of this type, which probably can be including Pagerungan; in the Central High they cover
traced further south through Kendal Sub-basin to most of the area which was previously a depocenter;
Kebumen Sub-basin. Basins in the north of Central in the Southern Basin they cover the whole southern
Java are considered to be transitional between NW- basinal area. It is likely that the East Java Basin
SE and NE-SW grain (Figure 6). Figure 7 comprises multiple source rocks and each local area
summarizes the relationship between tectonics and shows distinct source rock characteristics. The Pre-
stratigraphy units in East Java Basin. Ngimbang Clastics consist of interbedded thin sand
Many previous models have been proposed to explain and shales, with minor coal, the thickness varies from
118 to 445 ft. Results from integrated geological and
the geological complexity of the East Java Basin.
geochemical study of the Northern Platform and
However, most of them are regional models and they
Central High indicates that hydrocarbons in these
do not incorporate actual geologic field evidence such
areas originated from the Pre-Eocene to Eocene age
as stratigraphic ages and local structures. The
source rocks, as it is observed in the JS-53 well and in
proposed model is aimed to answer some of the
uncertain geologic evidence observed in the field at the Pagerungan gas and condensate field. The Cepu
East Java. The model was developed based on actual Area contains the major produc ing oil fields in the
geologic data from both subsurface and surface East Java Basin. The producing horizons range in age
from Oligocene to Miocene. In the offshore Madura
mapping. However, this model is not the only answer
Island, the producing horizons range in age from
for the geologic complexity found in the East Java
Eocene to Pliocene. In the Pagerungan Field, the
Basin. Two main proposed ideas resulted from this
producing horizons are from Eocene limestone and
study. The first: most of basement at the East Java
sandstone. The hydrocarbon occurrence and
Basin including onshore is made of continental crust,
namely East Java micro-continent. The second: distribution of major oil fields in East Java Basin are
distribution of Ngimbang Fm. is controlled by both presented in Figure 8.
NE-SW and E-W depressions. This evidence could
One of the new concepts arising from this study is the
suggest the possibility of two facies of Ngimbang
presence of the proposed East Java micro-continent.
Fm., deposited in two different environmental
This new concept allows a very different
systems. These results will lead new thinking in
interpretation of the tectonic evolution of Java,
designing hydrocarbon exploration program in East
Java Basin. particularly the East Java basin. This proposed
tectonic concept also gives us greater opportunity to
IMPLICATION FOR HYDROCARBON develop new play concepts in this block.
PROSPECTIVITY OF EAST JAVA Traditionally, the Ngimbang Formation has been
considered as both source and reservoir rocks in this
The East Java Basin area is well known as one of the region. Carbonates of the Kujung Formation are
another target for reservoir in most East Java following the Cretaceous – Tertiary suture zone
prospects. However, geologic information is scarce (trend of Meratus complex).
and understanding of the Ngimbang Formation is
poorly developed. This is partly because there are no CONCLUSIONS
Ngimbang outcrops present anywhere in East Java. In
addition, both seismic and well data are limited. The regional tectonic study of East Java supports
Therefore, it is very difficult to study this formation evidence of the collision between a micro-plate
in more detail. With the new tectonic concept from (drifted continent) and Sundaland, starting
this study, we can have a better understanding of the approximately at late Cretaceous to middle Eocene.
facies distributions of Ngimbang Formation. Two major structural trends are found in the East Java
area: the E-W Sakala trend and the NE-SW Meratus
Our tectonic model suggests that Ngimbang trend. Based on the stratigraphy and age of the oldest
Formation was deposited at the margin of the East sedimentary unit deposited in the basin, the Sakala
Java micro-continent and its depositional history can structural trend is slightly older than the Meratus
be divided into pre-, syn- and post-collision. The trend. The oldest sediment fill in the Sakala trend in
Ngimbang Formation section in EJ-1 well includes a the EJ-1 is dated Eocene in age. The unit consists of
very well-rounded polymict conglomeratic layer conglomerate with as interbedded quartz sandstone,
composed mostly of quartz fragments. This evidence limestone and shale, and is known as the Pre-
suggests initiation of collisional event and this Ngimbang Fm. Thus far the evidence shows that this
conglomerate is interpreted as a molasse deposit. unit is only found along the E-W trends. This
Therefore, the stratigraphic unit below the evidence supports the interpretation in which the E-W
conglomerate should be considered as pre-collision or trend is inherited from the pre-existing structural
pre-Ngimbang Formation. This unit is unexplored trend of the micro-continent. This model creates
and it may be important as source or reservoir. Based significant exploration opportunity in the eastern part
on seismic interpretation at EJ-1 well, these pre- of the East Java Basin particularly to the south of the
collisional units are present and very thick. Sakala Fault Zone. Further studies will have to
concentrate on conducting subsurface and surface
Pre-collisional structures (e.g. E-W Sakala Fault mapping in the southern part of the East Java
Zone) can play very important role in hydrocarbon province and continuing toward the eastern part of the
migration and trapping, and also in controlling the island, particularly along the southern part of Sakala
distribution of post-collision Ngimbang Fm. Fault Zone.
Intersection of these older features with younger
structures such as Meratus trend can generate a very ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
complex structural pattern which may control the
distribution of Ngimbang Fm. (Figure 9). In addition, This study is part of the tectonic study of Java
the distribution of the E-W structural trend to the supported by a grant from PERTAMINA Directorate
south is unknown. Therefore, this play is mostly Hulu. We would like to give thanks for the support
unexplored in the southern part of East Java, and its and help from all geologic staff at the PERTAMINA
potential is unknown. Kwarnas office. We also thank the faculty and staff
of the Geodynamic laboratory for their help and
Based on our new tectonic concept, two main new support during the study. A lot of others are not
play types can be explored in the eastern part of Java, listed and they have contributed in some way to our
particularly in the East Java Basin area, these are: knowledge and ideas although they may not share the
same views. A challenging review of an earlier
1. Looking for pre-collision structures and lithology version of the manuscript by Colin Ford stimulated
(pre-Ngimbang Fm.) in the eastern part of the revision of the text to give better explanation and
East Java Basin (e.g. NE Madura and South clarification.
Madura). This can be done by re-interpretation of
subsurface data using new objectives. REFERENCES

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Figure 1 - Tectonic evolution of western Indonesia.
 Figure 2 - Tectonic framework of Java Island at 70 – 35 Ma.

Figure 3 - Schematic cross-section of Java Island at 70 – 35 Ma.

 Figure 4 - Tectonic framework of Java Island at 35 – 20 Ma.

Figure 5 - Schematic cross-section of Java Island at 35 – 20 Ma.

 Figure 6 - Tectonic framework of Java Island at 20 – 5 Ma.

Figure 7 - Chonostratigraphic chart of tectonic evolution and distribution of known hydrocarbon

occurrences at East Java Basin.
Figure 8 - Tectonic elements and the distribution of known hydrocarbon occurrences at East Java Basin.
Figure 9 - Block diagram showing schematic model of deposition of the Ngimbang Fm. in East Java.