IPA17-719-G

PROCEEDINGS, INDONESIAN PEROLEUM ASSOCIATION

Forty-First Annual Convention and Exhibition, May 2017

NORTH SUMATRA BASIN: A NEW PERSPECTIVE IN TECTONIC SETTINGS AND

PALEOGENE SEDIMENTATION

Ahmad Syauqi Hidayatillah*

Ricky Andrian Tampubolon**
Tsania Ozza***
Muhammad Tajul Arifin***
Raden Mohammad Aviandito Prasetio***
Terry Alfa Furqan***
Herman Darman***

ABSTRACT into four regions. Area 1 to Area 3 structural

lineaments cover the same area with Eocene paleo–
Paleogene sediments of the North Sumatra Basin highs and lows. The N-S trend is only well
(NSB) contain important source rocks. The current preserved in the low areas, as in Area-2. This
widely understood paleogeographic model signifies the Eocene structure had experienced
delineates that the sediments originated from the structural overprinting and rotation due to the
Malacca Platform. Meucampli Formation is one of Sumatran Strike-slip Fault.
the Paleogene Sediments derived from the Sumatra
continent and was widely distributed within the It is believed that the initiation of North Sumatra
basin prior to the uplift of Barisan Mountains. This grabens was greatly affected by the pre-existing N-
phenomenon is contrary to the current model and S trending basement structure. During the Eocene
implies that the Sumatra continent was the sediment roll-back of the Sumatran Trench, the rifting phase
provenance since its occurrence in the Mesozoic. of the North Sumatra Basin was aligned with the
Besides paleogeographic models, the complex pre-existing N-S structures (Khlong Marui &
geological setting of the NSB is characterized by Ranong Fault). It is also concluded that Eocene
north-south trending grabens that were formed rifting occurred without involving strike-slip faults.
during the Eocene. The initiated extensional force
however, remains uncertain. In this study, the In this paper, we propose some new underexplored
evolution of NSB since Paleogene is analyzed based plays, such as: Transgressive sandstone of Bampo
on a systematic review of publications, outcrop and Belumai Formation, Middle Baong and
study, free-air gravity data, and detailed structural Keutapang Sandstone pinching to mud diapir,
lineaments from geological maps, subsurface maps, Tampur Carbonate, and Pre-Tertiary Play.
and ALOS PALSAR satellite images.
INTRODUCTION
From geological map, overall normal faults at
northern part of the basin are observed to show two The North Sumatra Basin is located at the northern
trends of lineament: NW-SE in the onshore and N-S part of Sumatra Island and extends offshore toward
in the offshore. The southern part of the basin has the Thai International Boundary. With over 100
NNW-SSE trend in the onshore and N-S trend in years of production, North Sumatra Basin is one of
the subsurface. Fold structures in the southern part Indonesia’s most prolific sedimentary basins. As
exhibit NW-SE trend, while the northern part is stated by Meckel (2012), 25 trillion cubic feet
dominated by E-W trend. It is difficult to trace the (TCF) of discovered gas reserves (equal to 4.5
diapiric anticline in the north. This implies the billion barrels of oil equivalent, BBOE) and
insignificant role of strike-slip fault in northern part approximately 1.5 BBOE of oil and condensate
of the basin. reserves confirm this basin as the third largest
hydrocarbon-producing basin in Indonesia after
Analysis of structural lineament using ALOS Central Sumatra and Kutei Basins, respectively.
PALSAR Images reveal that NSB can be divided However, the exploration in NSB, particularly
* University of Diponegoro
** PPPTMGB “LEMIGAS”
*** Indogeo Social Enterprise
offshore, is still immature due to the volatile Sumatra that created a strike-slip pair.
geopolitical situation in Aceh. NSB Paleogene and Sosromihardjo (1988) proposed Sumatra and
Pre-Tertiary rocks are still underexplored. The Mallaca Faults as the strike slip pairs. Nonetheless,
creaming curve of the basin can be seen in Figure 1. only the Sumatran Fault seems to be proven to exist.
There is still uncertainty that Sumatra Fault had
REGIONAL GEOLOGY developed prior Mid-Miocene (McCarthy and
Elders, 1997). The Sumatra Fault is strongly
The North Sumatra Basin is situated on the edge of proven to exist since Mid-Miocene, following the
Sunda Shelf, with North-South trending grabens initiation of seafloor spreading in Andaman Basin
(Figure 2). The Tertiary sediment lies (Mccarthy and Elders, 1997; Morley and Alvey,
unconformably above Carboniferous-Permian age 2015). The opening of Andaman Sea in Middle
low-grade metasediment that was intruded by Miocene created a maximum displacement of
granite (Barber et al. 2005). The stratigraphic approximately 460 Km (Curray, 2004). In
column of North Sumatra Basin can be seen in northernmost Sumatra, Page et al. (1979) observed
Figure 3. Prior Tertiary subduction and collision lithium geochemical provinces had apparently been
resulted in a highly heterogeneous crust with offset by more than 200 km. If the rifting in North
structural imprinting expressed in the form of Sumatra is during the Eocene, then this contradicts
mylonitic, shear zone, and thrust. This anisotropic with the idea of a strike slip pair as the NSB rifting
crust, with a substantial assembly of potentially initiation. This is simply because the time of rifting
weak structures was likely to respond to later is not coincident with the Sumatran Fault System.
extensional deformation by a certain amount of
reactivation. One example of intensive shearing Curray (2004) stated that Sumatran Strike-slip was
and mylonitization can be found in the outcrop of accompanied by the opening of Andaman Sea (13
Alas Formation, which will be discussed later. Ma) yet, there are very scarce reports about earlier
initiation. Wajzer et al. (1991) reported NW-SE
During the Eocene, Sumatra land was lying on a strike-slip fault in the Woyla Group in the Natal
stable craton that was sloping into the North Area (North Sumatra), which was cut by Late
Sumatra Basin (Barber et al. 2005). Consequently, Cretaceous Batolith and Diorite. Barber et al.
the northern part of North Sumatra Basin was (2005) confirmed a NW-SE foliated syntectonic
covered by marine and Tampur Formation granitic and basaltic intrusion by K-Ar method
deposited on the Eocene shelf edge. To the western rock-dating at 89±3 Ma (mid-Late Cretaceous) in
part of the basin the widespread Meucampli South Sumatra. It implies strike-slip movement
Formation contains volcanic clast implying that occured compatible with Sumatran Fault during
volcanic activity had occurred in this region at that Late Mesozoic. An interpretation by Pulunggono et
time (Bachtiar et al. 2014). In the Eocene, “proto- al. (1992) of basement strike-slip fault traces with
Barisan Mountain” was not formed like the present WNW-ESE orientation were developed in Sumatra
day topographic feature because the sedimentation during Mesozoic.
of Meucampli Formation was continuous from
fluvial to restricted marine (Barber et al. 2005). The Sumatran Fault extends from Sunda Strait to
Therefore, paleogeography indicates that the North Andaman Sea and has great variety in
Sumatra Basin sediments were derived from the deformational style, width, and geometry
Sumatra land mass since Eocene age. This is very (McCarthy and Elders, 1997). Ductile and brittle
different with the Andreason et al. (1997) model. deformations along this fault show a NW-SE trend
(McCarthy and Elders, 1997). In addition to the
It is still debatable whether the basin was created by record of complex deformation history, the
pull-apart or by rifting of Eocene extensional force. granitoid bodies that lie along or close to the
The variety of depth and structural style in sub- Sumatran Fault System display evidence of long
basins imply different mechanisms of basin and complex intrusive histories. They are ranging in
formation. On a larger scale, among a series of age from Permian to late Tertiary with activity main
back-arc basins in Sumatra, North Sumatra Basin phases: the Mid-Late Permian (264-256Ma),
has distinctive north-south trending grabens, which Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (203-130Ma), Mid-
do not exist in the Central Sumatra Basin (CSB) and Late Cretaceous (117-80 Ma), Early Eocene (57-
the South Sumatra Basin (SSB). This signifies a 53Ma) and Miocene (20-SMa) (McCourt et al. 1996
distinct mechanism of basin formation for NSB. in McCarthy and Elders, 1997).
Several authors considered and favored strike-slip The NW-SE trend of Mallaca Fault proposed by
originated basin due to the oblique subduction of Sosromihardjo (1988), is very hard to delineate
from free-air gravity map. Likewise, the term structural fabric had been an important control in
“Malacca Fault” is misleading and as it is likely to basin formation and deformation. Watkinson et al.
express a continental slope (Mallaca Shelf) rather (2008) stated that current Ranong Fault dies out
than fault from the seismic. west of the Ranong Trough or the Mergui Basin
eastern-most graben.
Several quaternary basins indicate clear evidence
that Sumatran Fault zone initiated pull-apart basins As acknowledged by Pubelier and Morley (2013),
and duplex geometry, such as in Lubuksikaping, subduction pull and crustal thickening are the key
Lake Singkarak, and Lake Ranau. Still, there is a major factors of basin development in Sundaland.
doubt that this fault triggered an extension along the Moreover, Hall and Morley (2004) addressed the
present-day back-arc basin in Sumatra. In order to principal driving mechanisms are rifting, lower
create a large basin such as North Sumatra, Central crustal flow, and plate edge forces. Heterogeneites
Sumatra, and South Sumatra Basins, the Sumatra of the crust, such as suture zone, created a broad
Fault zone should have a large displacement to weakness zone that influenced the location of the
accomodate such extension in Eo-Oligocene. It is rift. Examples of basins that followed the suture
doubtful that the Sumatra Fault has such large zone in SE Asia are Central Thailand and Gulf of
displacement in Eo-Oligocene due to lack of Thailand rift, Yinggehai-Phu Khan basin, and
evidence of displacement. Makassar Strait (Pubelier and Morley, 2013).

This study is proposing the N-S oriented Paleogene The Medial Sumatra Zone (MSZ) model suggested
faults were influenced by pre-existing weak zones by Hutchison (2014) is a major strike-slip in the
in the basement before rifting because of a series of Cenozoic that is parallel to Main Sumatran Fault
strike-slip faults that had existed since Cretaceous (Figure 4). As a consequence, Alas and Kluet
(e.g Khlong Marui and Ranong Faults), as stated by Formations were brought into juxtaposition with
Watkinson et al (2008). In their detailed study, Bohorok Formation. MSZ strike-slip was a suture
Watkinson et al (2008) mentioned four deformation zone of two plates, which are Sibumasu
stages: D1, D2, D3, and D4. Watkinson et al (2008) (Gondwana) and West Sumatra prior to the mid-
explained that D1 is a low grade ductile shear zone Triassic. Structural lineament interpretation from
completed before 87 Ma, D2 is a medium to high satellite and geological maps show a clear shearing
grade ductile dextral strike-slip shear after 72 Ma zone in Alas and Bohorok Formations (Figure 5).
and before 56 Ma, D3 is a brittle sinistral and MSZ strike-slip grows as a border of West Sumatra
sinistral reverse oblique strike-slip shear after 52 block and Sibumasu..An Early Triassic model by
Ma, and D4 is a brittle dextral strike-slip shear at Barber et al. (2005) illustrates a large translation
about 23 Ma. The onset of D3 deformation was block that displaced westward of West Sumatra
marked by pre-kinematic granite. This occured in from far eastern Cathaysia block (now East
the Early Eocene and was coincident with Kalimantan) into present day position. This
development of numerous basins in the east of the translation was driven by Meso-Tethys sea floor
Peninsula (Gulf of Thailand) and west of Andaman spreading and was accommodated by the Medial
Sea. Watkinson et al. (2008) also added that the Sumatra Fault.
Ranong and Khlong Marui faults are kinematically
compatible with the Late Eocene-Oligocene onset METHODS
of syn-kinematic sedimentation in N-S trending
This study addresses new perspectives in mature
basins.
North Sumatra Basin. The data that used to compile
this paper originate from a systematic review of
Major strike-slip faults along Sumatra were a suture publications, geological maps, published subsurface
zone and terrane boundary in the pre-Cenozoic, data, gravity map, and ALOS PALSAR structural
(Hutchison, 2014). During the Eocene the rollback lineament study.
of the Indian Plate subduction, rifting trend in
present day “back-arc basins” followed the N-S STRUCTURAL LINEAMENT
weak zone. Consequently, it is seen in the North
Sumatra Basin as N-S trending grabens. A This study divided structural lineament analysis into
speculative analysis of the north-south trending three parts: structural analysis based on onshore
grabens in North Sumatra Basin has been made data, offshore and subsurface data, and satellite
through the above explanations and need further images of ALOS PALSAR. All structural
study. Still, it is certain that the Pre-Tertiary lineaments can be seen in Figure 5.
Onshore structural lineaments are compiled from has NW-SE trend dominancy with minor N-S and
the North Sumatra geological map provided by NE-SW trends. Area-3 (yellow) is mostly composed
Indonesian Geological Survey and later digitized for by NNW-SSE trend and lack of NE-SW trend. Area
its structural geology (Bennet et.al., 1981a; Bennet 4 (violet) has a distinct dominant NE-SW trend with
et.al., 1981b; Keats et.al., 1981; Cameron et.al., minor NW-SE trend.
1981a; Cameron et.al., 1981b; Cameron et.al.,
1982a; Cameron et.al., 1982b; Cameron et.al., Area 1 to Area 3 agree with structural delineation
1983). made by Bachtiar et.al. (2014). Area-1 corresponds
to Sigli High, Area-2 relates to the “Deep Restricted
From the geological map, overall normal faults at Basin” (lowest gravity data), and Area-3 features
the northern part of the basin are observed to show the “Shallow Carbonate Shelf” of the Tampur
two trends of lineament: NW-SE in the onshore and Formation. Area 1 to Area 3 represent Eocene
N-S in the offshore. The southern part of the basin paleo-highs and lows. Morley and Alvey (2015)
has NNW-SSE trend in the onshore and N-S trend came up with a basement model that measures its
in the subsurface (Figure 6 and 7). thickness by gravity inversion. This shows the
northern part of NSB has extreme continental crust
NW-SE and N-S trend at the southern part of the thinning, approximately 20 km thick. Therefore, the
basin is interpreted as normal faults that were northern part “Deep Restricted Basin” was greatly
created by a strike slip system, and proven to have subsided and filled by very thick sediment.
wrench components as stated also by Situmorang
and Yulihanto (1985) interpretation. NW-SSE N-S trend in Area-2 cannot be seen clearly in Area
trend, or almost N-S trend of normal faults in the 1 and Area 3. It signifies the Eocene structure had
northern part is described as a resemble of normal experienced structural overprinting and rotation due
faults that were created due to Oligocene basin to the Sumatran Strike-slip Fault. The N-S trend is
formation. However, the northern part of the basin only well preserved in low areas, as in Area-2. In
was formed due to crustal thinning, probably by Area- 4, the NE-SW trend favors the alignment
subduction slab and/or by density difference of the developed by antithetic faults that were created by
crust. Northern part of NSB consitutes a deep the occurence of the Sumatra Strike-slip Fault.
graben with wide geometry, while in the south
composes a narrow and shallower graben geometry. UNDEREXPLORED PLAY IN NORTH
It implies that the northern part of the basin has SUMATRA BASIN
recorded more rapid subsidence history than in the
southern part. Summary of petroleum system in the North Sumatra
Basin can be seen in Figure 10.
Fold structures in the southern part comprises NW-
SE trend, while the northern part is dominated by E- There are some new underexplored play proposed
W trend (Figure 8). It is clear that the foldings were by this paper, such as:
cutting an older trend as Mid Miocene and Plio-
Pleistocene inversion products. Diapiric anticlines 1. Transgressive sandstone of Bampo and
of Baong Formation were formed due to strike-slip Belumai Formation.
faults. They inhabit the southern part of NSB
(Bahesti et al., 2013). Yet, the diapiric anticline is During the Oligocene, amongst the back arc basins
difficult to trace in the north. It implies the in Sumatra, it is only in the North Sumatra Basin
insignificant role of strike-slip fault in northern part that the marine incursion was strongest. The syn-rift
of the basin. sediment was filled by thick marine sediment of
Bampo Formation. Some marine sandstone with a
Analysis of structural lineament using ALOS good reservoir quality, marked by transgressive
PALSAR Image of Northern Sumatra is provided onlap surface with a sharp boundary of a coastal to
by JAXA. Structural alignments were picked on the neritic bathyal was recorded in P21 SB (Tsukada et
satellite image, delineated, and divided into several al, 1996).
regions based on interpretation of structural trends
and rosette diagrams. As seen in Figure 9, structural The Early Miocene Carbonate of Peutu was
lineament of northern Sumatra can be grouped into extensively explored after the large discovery of
four structural regions. Peutu/Arun Formation. However the Belumai
sandstone is still largely underexplored. This
Area-1 (purple) has a dominant NW-SE trend, yet Belumai Formation was deposited between the
less N-S and NE-SW trends. Area-2 (green) also carbonate buildup and the lithology is mainly
calcareous sandstone with some organic matter. The Formations, as reffered to by Hutchison (2014). The
deposition was heavily controlled by the Southern part of NSB is dominatesd by wrench fault
paleotopography of the carbonate build up as it can and diapiric anticlines, a narrow and shallow basin,
be sourced as carbonate material in the Belumai and high heatflow. On the other hand the northern
Formation. part NSB consists by deep and wide half grabens
that experience long subsidence and low heatflow.
2. Middle Baong and Keutapang Sandstone The difference in heatflow gradient affects North
pinching to mud diapir Sumatra Basin petroleum system. Northern NSB
source rock with optimum hydrocarbon generation
The study of shale diapir by Bahesti et al. (2013) is the Bampo Formation, while southern part mostly
reveals the importance of shale diapir in the North produces hydrocarbons from Baong Formation and
Sumatra Basin. The Lower Baong shale diapir is Belumai Formation. Bampo Formation is likely
largely intruded to the surface and possibly overmature in southern NSB. The summary can be
becomes a trap for Middle Baong Sandstone and seen in Figure 11.
Keutapang Formation. However, the risk of
overpressure and high temperature formation should Guided by the regional tectonic setting, it is quite
be noted in this play. bizarre that there was no paleogene sediment
sourced from proto-Sumatra land mass as discussed
3. Tampur Carbonate in Figure 12. The evidence of volcaniclastics of
Meucampli Formation, and its position as
The Tampur carbonate (Eocene?) is proven to be a Sundaland continental margin in Eocene, as
hydrocarbon potential from Glagah-1 and Salem-1 indicated by Tampur Formation as the shallow
(Bahesti, 2017). The Tampur carbonate mainly had marine deposit, strengthen the evidence of
been dolomitized with significant fracture and paleogene sediment from proto-Sumatra. It is
vuggy macroporosity (Barliana et al., 2000). important to know the distribution of the paleogene
Bahesti (2017) also mentioned that the lagoonal sediment due to their role as source rocks in North
facies of Tampur Fm. has a rich and mature organic Sumatra Basin.
shale. However, there is significant problem with
CO2 and H2S in this reservoir (Ryacudu and We propose tectonic evolution of North Sumatra
Sjahbuddin, 1994). It should be noted that the began with The suture zone of West Sumatra block
reservoir property in this complex carbonate should and Sibumasu block indicated by mylonitization
be heterogeneous. The best reservoir is expected and shear zone between Alas Formation and
from the top of carbonate build up which had Bohorok Formation at Jura-Triassic. At Oligocene,
experienced exposure and karstification. The rifting started to occur and started to deposit fluvial
presence of dolomite can enhance the porosity value to lacustrine of Parapat Formation and marine
except if the over-dolomitization has occured. Bampo Formation. At Middle Miocene, Andaman
Basin was opening, resulting in incipient of
4. Pre-Tertiary Play inversion, large displacement by Sumatran Fault,
and deposition of Middle Baong sandstone (basin
The potential of pre-Tertiary play has been floor fan) which was marked by a regressive
discussed by several authors, such as Bachtiar et al. sequence. More recently, at Plio-Pleistocene,
(2014) and Bahesti (2017). However there is still regional uplift occured, depositing deltaic to marine
uncertainty about how the porosity-permeability Keutapang Formation (Figure 13).
value as the reservoir and the maturity of the source
rock since the rock was slightly metamorphosed. CONCLUSION
Mostly the expected reservoir is from karstified and
fracture, however the timing of fracture and karst This study has succesfully demonstrated some new
forming with respect to hydrocarbon migration time perspectives of geology in the North Sumatra Basin.
should be studied further. Compilation of widely published data and study of
lineaments bring more understanding of its tectonic,
DISCUSSIONS stratigraphy, and its petroleum system. There is still
significant remaining underexplored potential of
This study suggests the northern part and southern hydrocarbon sourced from Tertiary and Pre-Tertiary
part of North Sumatra Basin are different. It is section. Some recent publications concluded that
separated by a suture zone that is indicated by shear the Paleogene and Pre-Tertiary sediment can play a
zone and mylonitization in the Alas and Bohorok role as source rocks and reservoirs. It is necessary to
conduct more precise dating in the Pre-Tertiary Barber, A.J., Crow, M.J. and Milsom, J.S. (Eds),
sediment for holistic understanding of hydrocarbon (2005): Sumatra: Geology, Resources and Tectonic
habitat and tectonic evolution in North Sumatra Evolution, Geological Society of London Memoirs,
Basin. 31.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Barliana, A., Burgon, G., Caughey, C.A., 2000,

Changing perceptions of a carbonate reservoir: Alur
The authors would like to thank Universitas Siwah Field, Aceh Timur, Sumatra. Proceeding of
Diponegoro, PPPTMGB “LEMIGAS”, and Indogeo 27th Annual Convention, Indonesia Petroleum
Social Enterprise which are supporting the research. Association, 27(1), p. 159-177.

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 Figure 1 - Creaming curve and exploration history in North Sumatra Basin (after Meckel, 2012).

Figure 2 - Regional present day basement structure of Sumatra (Pubelier and Morley, 2013). Inset map is a
zoom-in of North Sumatra depth-to-basement map showing structural features and their
orientations (modified after Anderson et al., 1993).
Figure 3 - Stratigraphic column of North Sumatra Basin (After Ryacudu et al. 1992)
Figure 4 - Subdivision of Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra into Gondwana and Cathaysia Carboniferous-
Permian entities (Hutchison, 2014).
Figure 5 - All structural lineaments in northern Sumatra.
Figure 6 - Roset diagram of surface normal faults in northern Sumatra.
Figure 7 - Roset diagram of offshore normal faults in northern Sumatra.
Figure 8 - Roset diagram of folds in northern Sumatra.
 A B

Figure 9 - Above is strucural roset of each paleohighs and paleodeep in Northern Sumatra from ALOS
PALSAR data. Below is the schematic cross section of A-B, after Bachtiar et al. (2014). The
original data are provided by JAXA as the ALOS high level product.
Figure 10 - Summary of Petroleum System in the North Sumatra Basin. The cartoon above is showing the distribution of overall important reservoir in the basin.
The discovery by formation and cumulative oil and gas (MMBOE) is from Banukarso et al. (2013). The summary of geochemistry is compiled after
Sjahbuddin & Djaffar (1993) and Buck & McCulloh (1994).
Figure 11 - Difference of northern and southern part of the North Sumatra Basin. Index map is modified
from Anderson et al. (1993).

Figure 12 - The paleogeography after Barber et al. (2005), is showing that the rest of Sumatra land mass
was a stable craton that sloping to the North Sumatra Basin, The North Sumatra Basin was the
continental margin, and Tampur carbonate was deposited in the shelf edge. It is stil quite bizarre
that there was no Paleogene sediment sourced from “Proto-Sumatra” land mass. The red arrow
is the assumption sedimentation in Paleogene based on guided regional tectonic.
Figure 13 - Proposed tectonic evolution of North Sumatra in this study.