Publications

Sulawesi is a frontier area with significant hydrocarbon potential, with a total recoverable volume by phase of 36.7 MMBbl of oil, 123 MMBbl of condensate, and 7,253.3 BCF of gas. However, exploration is frequently hindered by complex tectonic conditions. The tectonic structure of Sulawesi is formed by the interaction of the Eurasian, Indo-Australian, and Philippine Sea plates, resulting in sedimentary basins with complex depositional patterns and geological structures such as faults and active tectonic features, all of which influence hydrocarbon migration and trapping. Previous studies indicated that basins in Sulawesi, such as Muna-Buton and Lariang, show hydrocarbon indicators such as oil and gas seeps and shows that are affected by the re-distribution of sediments due to active tectonic dynamics.

Exploration requires an approach that integrates tectonic complexity with a comprehensive petroleum system model. The play-based exploration approach combines seismic data, well analysis, petroleum system modelling, and depositional environment analysis to understand the relationship between sedimentation patterns and tectonic dynamics and effectively maps the hydrocarbon potential in tectonically complex areas. This method provides a comprehensive risk assessment of play intervals and evaluates prospect reservoirs amid the challenges posed by intense tectonic activity in the Sulawesi Area.

The findings show that key kitchen areas, based on the age of source rocks from the Miocene, Eocene, and Jurassic periods, have varying risks and indicated prospective reservoir characteristics in areas such as Lariang, Makassar Strait, Spermonde, Sengkang, Muna-Buton, Gorontalo, Bone, and Tomori. The study concludes that the play-based exploration approach is effective in identifying and prioritizing areas with hydrocarbon potential while increasing the understanding of the influence of tectonics on sedimentary patterns in Sulawesi on a regional scale.