Jakarta06-PG-32

PROCEEDINGS, JAKARTA2006 INTERNATIONAL GEOSCIENCES

CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION
Jakarta, August 14 – 16, 2006

A REVISED SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK AND NOMENCLATURE,

EAST JAVA BASIN

Jill Stevens*
Errol M. Johnstone*
James V. White**
Geoffrey C. Geary*
Oliver P. Gross*
John G. McPherson*
Chris W. Rodda*
Agung B. Cahyono***

SUMMARY This regional sequence stratigraphic study includes

The ExxonMobil Southeast Asia Regional Database
Group undertook a genetic basin analysis of the
East Java Basin in 2002–05, following the Banyu
Urip discovery. The study provided a new,
consistently age-dated, sequence stratigraphic
interpretation of the basin. It utilised European
Stage and Sequence names, and incorporated
slightly modified Hardenbol et al. (1998) relative
sea-level curves. The study involved a consistent
evaluation of biostratigraphic data from 94 wells in
the basin, as well as new strontium isotope age-
dating of 17 wells. The product was a significantly
modified and improved stratigraphic dataset, with
consistent tops throughout.
Multiple periods of compression, uplift, and erosion
through the Tertiary history of the East Java Basin
resulted in considerable intrabasinal reworking,
which has not always been recognised in the fossil
record. Mixing of shallow- and deep-water
foraminifera has led to conflicting interpretations of
the palaeobathymmetry and age for the Tertiary
sediments. Previous stratigraphic nomenclature has
utilised lithostratigraphic terminology, which is
poorly age-constrained. This has led to
considerable confusion when trying to define key
stratigraphic surfaces in the basin, e.g., top porosity
of the carbonate reservoirs. The regional sequence
stratigraphic framework of this study avoids the use
of diachronous lithostratigraphic surfaces, whilst
providing a more reliable facies architecture.
* Esso Australia Pty Ltd
** ExxonMobil Exploration Company
*** ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia
an interpretation of the new Cepu 3D seismic
survey, as well as regional 2D seismic, plus data
from five new Cepu wells. The stratigraphy
integrates the tops database with a re-interpretation
of reworked and in situ microfossil faunas,
resulting in the mapping of seven key basin-
wide sequence surfaces, and a new
chronostratigraphic basin framework. Net
accommodation studies, using subsidence and
eustatic sea-level changes, were used to
develop the sequence stratigraphic model. Time-
synchronous, sequence stratigraphic, platform-to-
graben correlations and palaeobathymetric re-
interpretations tied to second-order sequence
stratigraphic models, resulted in a predictable
spatial facies progression. As an example, the
concomitant deposition of the Cepu carbonate
platform and the Ngimbang graben tidal carbonate
are linked in a logical, structural and depositional
history that does not require extremes of tectonic
adjustment.
METHODOLOGY
This study incorporated new 3D seismic,
reprocessed regional 2D seismic, five new Cepu
wells, extensive re-evaluated biostratigraphy,
strontium isotope age-dating and a reinterpretation
of the depositional facies (see also Johnstone, et al.,
2006). The biostratigraphic re-evaluation of East
Java Basin onshore and offshore wells was done
using cuttings data from 94 wells (PT Robertson
Utama Indonesia and PT CoreLab Indonesia).
Additional re-evaluations were undertaken by
ExxonMobil biostratigraphers. Strontium isotope
age-dating was done on conventional and sidewall
cores (17 wells), and cuttings samples (one well) by
the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO) and PT CoreLab Indonesia.
Nineteen dip-oriented log cross-sections and two
strike-oriented cross-sections were constructed to
evaluate the age-dating picks and help define the
logical proximal-to-distal progression of
depositional facies and palaeobathymmetric data.
The stratigraphic picks were refined by iteration
between the biostratigrapher and the seismic
interpreter. This resulted in regionally-consistent
horizons which reflected a consistent and
meaningful lateral facies progression and a logical
regional structural and depositional history.
CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY
A summary chronostratigraphic chart was
constructed to summarise and define the carbonates
and clastics in the East Java Basin in a sequence
stratigraphic context (Fig. 1). In an effort to
“globalise” the chart, European stage and sequence
names were used throughout. The chart was
constructed using sequence stratigraphic models,
built around second- and third-order sea-level
changes and global microfossil zones. The
sequence stratigraphic approach to play definition
has been applied across the East Java Basin as a
predictive tool.
Existing lithostratigraphic formation names, widely
referenced in the East Java literature, e.g., Kujung I,
II and III, have been added to the chart to illustrate
their broad time range and diachroneity due to poor
age-constraints. Use of this lithostratigraphic
terminology in the past has led to considerable
confusion when trying to define key stratigraphic
surfaces in the basin, e.g., top porosity of the
carbonate reservoirs. By contrast, the regional,
sequence-based chronostratigraphic framework
leads to a consistent correlation of time-
synchronous surfaces and a predictable spatial
facies progression across the basin.
CEPU PLATFORM AND NGIMBANG
GRABEN EXAMPLE
To illustrate the importance of redefining the
biostratigraphy for the East Java Basin, we will look
at a segment of the basin, namely the Cepu Platform
and the Ngimbang Graben. In this setting, it is
essential to have an understanding of the
topographic relationship of the graben and the
platform in order to correlate the on-platform
carbonates with their equivalent off-platform clastic
sediments. The inter-relationship between
stratigraphic architecture and structural control on
accommodation is key to understanding the Cepu
Platform and Ngimbang Graben.
Accurate age-dating and palaeoenvironmental
interpretations in the Cepu and Ngimbang area, as
indeed throughout the East Java Basin, have been
complicated by the issue of unrecognised reworking
and mixing of microfossil faunas associated with
the carbonates and clastics. However, new
strontium isotope ages from 17 wells, including the
new Cepu wells with conventional cores and logs,
and the new Cepu 3D and regional 2D seismic, have
all helped resolve this issue. They have helped
clarify the many ambiguities that existed with the
earlier interpretations. Not least of which, was the
necessity for rather extreme tectonics to explain the
1000+ metre accommodation changes around and
on top of shallow-water platforms in early
Oligocene to middle Miocene time (Rupelian 1 to
Langhian 1). It is now clear from the combined
evidence of this study, that from early Oligocene to
middle Miocene time the Ngimbang graben (to the
southeast of Banyu Urip) was never deeper than
about 250 m (see also Johnstone, et al., 2006). In
the light of this new work, the Oligocene to
Miocene history of the Cepu Platform and
Ngimbang Graben can be summarised as follows:
Early Oligocene (Rupelian 1 to Chattian 2)
At this time the Ngimbang Graben was well
developed. Deposition, as typified by Ngimbang 1,
consisted of repeated cycles of lowstand (third-
order), shallow-water sandstones with associated
thin coals and limestone, followed by transgressive,
tidal/sub-tidal limestones, marls and thin coals.
This cyclical succession was deposited in a setting
of low to moderate accommodation within the
graben. New strontium isotope dating of this early
Oligocene section has removed the confusion
generated where intrabasinal reworking had
introduced older, outer-shelf microfossil faunas into
the shallow-water setting. Ngimbang 1 was
inverted in late Miocene-Pliocene time.
On the Cepu platform, carbonates were repeatedly
exposed, eroded and locally karsted at successive
lowstands through the Rupelian. Highstand
deposition for this period was not preserved. The
net effect of the Rupelian lowstands, coupled with
moderate graben subsidence, resulted in low
accommodation and limited preservation of
platform carbonate. The lowstand exposure and
erosion resulted in widespread reworking of pre-
Chattian 1 faunas. Subsidence of the Cepu platform
was initiated during the Chattian 1 lowstand,
however, it resulted in only limited accommodation
on the platform because the subsidence barely
exceeded the effect of the Chattian 1 eustatic fall.
Post Chattian 1 movement of the Ngimbang fault in
the Ngimbang graben created moderate to high
accommodation and the deposition of tidal/sub-tidal
limestone/marl cycles continued.
Late Oligocene (Chattian 2 to Chattian 3)
Subsidence continued in the grabens and there was
a net sea-level rise resulting in moderate
accommodation over the Cepu platform. This
forced the platform carbonates to backstep into
localised shallow-water areas as “keep-up” build-
ups.
Early Miocene (Aquitanian 1 to Burdigalian 4)
The main sag and “keep-up” phase started during a
second-order net sea-level rise from Aquitanian 1 to
Burdigalian 4. Multiple third-order lowstand
exposure surfaces, and resultant hiatuses, took place
during this episode. However, the net eustatic sea-
level rise, with minimal subsidence of the platform,
enabled the carbonate platform at Banyu Urip to
maintain growth (“keep-up”) throughout this period.
The end came with a slight sea-level fall in
Burdigalian 4 time which exposed the platform
before finally drowning it.
Clearly, the Cepu Platform and Ngimbang Graben
areas must be interpreted differently. The
Ngimbang-1 well comprises cyclic sandstone-coal-
marl fill (now inverted) interpreted to be shallow-
water, tidal to sub-tidal graben fill of early to late
Oligocene age (from strontium isotopes). This is
very different from previous interpretations for
these deposits as outer-shelf-slope facies of possible
early Oligocene to Eocene age (Pertamina, pers.
comm., 1975, 1990).
CONCLUSIONS
This paper illustrates the value in critically
reassessing biostratigraphic data in the light of a
detailed structural and stratigraphic framework.
The reinterpretation has been supported by new
seismic and well data. Net accommodation studies
using basin subsidence and eustatic sea-level
changes were used to develop the sequence
stratigraphic model for the whole East Java Basin.
The key conclusions are as follows:
1) Sequence stratigraphic, chronostratigraphy and
palaeobathymmetric re-interpretations tied to
second-order sequence stratigraphic models,
resulted in a predictable spatial facies
progression and time-synchronous, correlatible
surfaces across the whole East Java Basin.
2) Compression and uplift in the late early
Miocene to middle Miocene (Burdigalian 4 to
Langhian 1) resulted in erosion in the Cepu area
of outer-shelf/slope microfossils, and re-
deposition within shelfal-depth grabens.
Reworking of microfossils also resulted from
the repeated episodes of exposure and erosion
of the carbonate platforms (e.g., Madura
Platform and others) during the Oligocene and
early Miocene lowstands.
3) The shallow-water Cepu carbonate platform
was not surrounded by or overtopped by
deepwater (1,000+ metres). Graben water
depths from the early Oligocene to middle
Miocene were probably less than 250 metres.
4) The carbonate platform growth on high blocks,
and concomitant tidal carbonate deposition in
the grabens, are linked in a structural and
stratigraphic framework that does not require
extremes of tectonic adjustment.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank Migas for access to seismic
and well data and for permission to publish this
material. We also thank Pertamina for permission
to publish the Cepu data, the University of
Wisconsin for access to field studies, and PT
Robertson Utama Indonesia and PT CoreLab
Indonesia and the Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for their
age-dating reports utilised by ExxonMobil. The
authors would like to acknowledge the ExxonMobil
management support of Stephen Greenlee, Dave
McBride, and David Maughan.
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Figure 1 - East Java Basin Chronostratigraphy and Comparative Lithostratigraphic Nomenclature for the
Cepu Platform area, Central Deep and North Madura Platform.