Southeast Asia is a both a tectonically complex region and a significant hydrocarbon bearing province. Numerous local and regional Cenozoic tectonic events altered the palaeogeographic framework of the region during a timeframe when many of the significant petroleum systems elements were deposited. Global eustatic change throughout the Palaeogene and Neogene is well documented and its interaction with these local and regional tectonic episodes can influence play prospectivity in certain basins.

An in-depth study of much of the published geological data for the Southeast Asia region has been carried out by Neftex over the past five years. This has involved the calibration of the regional stratigraphy to a proprietary global sequence stratigraphic model by using the available biostratigraphic data. Mega-regional stratigraphic correlations from basin to basin make it possible to evaluate petroleum systems elements both in terms of their relationship to global sequence systems tracts, as well as their relevance to regional or local tectonic events.

Petroleum systems in northwest Borneo, southeast Vietnam and the Makassar Straits are highlighted as examples where the interplay between tectonics and eustacy is linked to the enhancement of source rock facies distribution and/or deepwater turbidite reservoir potential. The importance of predicting such relationships is high given that much of the current Southeast Asia exploration focus is in these areas.