Seismic Characteristics of Mud Diapir in Song Hong Basin, Offshore Vietnam

Seismic characteristics of mud diapir has been investigate over an area of 3900 km2, located in the central part of Song Hong basin, using four 2D seismic lines. There are six mud diapirs and three mud pipes have been documented. The core of the diapir is characterized as a zone of chaotic, disrupted seismic reflection, with the amplitude reflection ranging from low the high. High amplitude reflections are distributed in the top of the some diapir, which is possibly related to the gas accumulation. They are in different sizes, shapes, and the relationship with surrounding rock. They are characterized as deep sourced, high energy rooting from Oligocene/early Miocene shale layers. This organic rich shale rocks are in the oil and gas windows, thus their hydrocarbon generation combining with the tectonic inversion during Miocene make the overpressured shale and therefore rising the diaipirs. The area has experienced several phases of eruption in Middle Miocene, Late Miocene, Late Pliocene and Present day. The discovery and identification of the occurrence of mud diapirs implied a great potential for prediction of structural traps in the central part of the Red River Basin.

GEOLOGICAL MAPPING AND PROVENANCE ANALYSIS: AS THE KEY TO IDENTIFY DISTRIBUTION OF MUD DIAPIR AND ITS IMPLICATION ON COAL RESERVES IN PT. ARUTMIN INDONESIA SITE SENAKIN

ABSTRAK Identifikasi keberadaan diapir merupakan hal esensial dalam pertambangan batubara mengingat sifatnya yang seperti intrusi dapat mengurangi cadangan batubara. Seperti yang teramati pada area pertambangan PT Arutmin Indonesia. Kehadiran mud diapir pada PIT HG telah terbukti mengurangi cadangan batubara, dengan luas area terdampak 0,7 Ha. Selain itu, beberapa diapir diperkirakan belum terpetakan karena terletak di bawah permukaan dan belum tersentuh oleh pengeboran eksplorasi PT Arutmin Indonesia, sehingga tanda-tanda permukaan seperti singkapan batuan dan struktur geologi maupun provenance diapir dapat menjadi petunjuk yang penting. Oleh sebab itu, tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pola distribusi dan korelasi antara keberadaan diapir dengan struktur geologi, stratigrafi, dan provenance teridentifikasi yang kemudian dapat digunakan untuk memperkirakan persebaran diapir lainnya. Analisis dilakukan pada data primer hasil pemetaan geologi lapangan sebagai representasi struktur geologi maupun stratigrafi makro sebagai identifikator provenance. Hasil pemetaan lapangan seluas 60 km2 menunjukkan daerah penelitian terdiri dari tiga satuan batuan, yaitu satuan batupasir-batulempung termasuk lima singkapan diapir di dalamnya, satuan batulempung, dan satuan intrusi andesit. Satuan batupasir-batulempung memiliki kesetaraan dengan Formasi Tanjung yang merupakan formasi batuan sedimen tertua di daerah penelitian. Struktur geologi yang berkembang pada daerah penelitian adalah sesar geser menganan serta sesar geser mengiri yang berperan besar sebagai pengontrol keterdapatan diapir. Analisis stratigrafi menunjukkan provenance mud diapir berasal dari satuan batupasir-batulempung, Formasi Tanjung. Berdasarkan hasil analisis di atas, persebaran mud diapir berkorelasi dengan persebaran struktur geologi terutama sesar geser dan persebaran satuan batupasir-batulempung. Karena hal tersebut, maka pada area Tambang Senakin terdapat potensi keberadaan mud diapir yang tidak tersingkap di permukaan dan dapat menyebabkan hilangnya cadangan batubara termodelkan yang jauh lebih besar dari yang telah terbukti saat ini. Sebagai langkah preventif untuk mengetahui keberadaan diapir yang belum teridentifikasi, maka penulis membuat peta potensi keterdapatan diapir pada area penelitian di PT. Arutmin Indonesia Tambang Senakin. Untuk mendapatkan hasil yang lebih baik, penulis menyarankan pihak pelaksana tambang untuk melakukan analisis geolistrik pada titik yang telah direkomendasikan penulis. Kata kunci: mud diapir, Formasi Tanjung, analisis stratigrafi, pemetaan geologi lapangan, cadangan batubara ABSTRACT Identifying diapir occurrence is essential in coal mining activities knowing it behaves like an intrusion that can lead to a reduction in coal reserve. As we can observe in PT Arutmin Indonesia mining field. The presence of mud diapir on PIT HG has been proved to cut down its coal reserve, with the total area affected is 0,7 Ha. Since not all of the mud diapirs are exposed to the surface, we suspected that some of them are still yet to be found by PT Arutmin Indonesia’s exploration. Hence, diapir provenance and surface hints such as outcrop and geological structure can be a crucial indication. Therefore, this study objectives are to identify distribution and correlation between diapir occurrence and geological structures, stratigraphy, and its identified provenance that can be used to estimate other diapirs. This study began with geological mapping to identify the geological structure and its stratigraphy. Stratigraphic analysis is carried out as provenance identifier. Geological mapping in 60 km2 area concluded that the area have three lithological units, sandstone-claystone unit including five diapir outcrops, claystone unit, and andesite intrusion unit. Sandstone-claystone unit is equivalent to Tanjung Formation which is the oldest sedimentary rocks formation in the area. Dextral strike slip and sinistral strike slip faults which are found in the area considered to have a significant effect on diapirs occurrence. Further stratigraphic analysis shows that the the mud diapir’s provenance is from Tanjung Formation. Based on these analyses, we conclude that mud diapir occurrence has a good correlation to geological structures especially the strike slip faults and sandstone-claystone unit distribution. Consequently, Senakin Mine Field has a chance of losing its potential coal reserve much bigger than previously estimated due to unidentified mud diapirs occurrence below the surface. We will provide a mud diapir occurence potential map as a preventive measure in identifying unknown diapirs. We also suggest doing subsurface resistivity analysis for further detailed and better results. Keywords: mud diapir, Tanjung formation, stratigraphic analysis, geological mapping, coal reserve

Structural features and formation conditions of mud diapirs in the Andaman Sea Basin

Data from offshore oil and gas explorations have revealed that mud diapirs occur widely not only at continental margins but also in foreland basins and may have played an important role in the entrapment of oil and gas. Although the structural features and formation mechanism of salt diapirs have been extensively investigated, mud diapirs are still not fully understood, largely due to the difficulty of identifying them from seismic data. In this paper, the structural features and main controlling factors of mud diapirs in the Andaman Sea Basin are investigated based on seismic profiles combined with drilling data and regional tectonic settings. The results show that there are five types of mud diapir in the Andaman Sea Basin: turtleback mud diapir, mud dome, piercing mud diapir, mud volcano and gas chimney-like mud diapir. Turtleback mud diapirs mainly occur in the southern segment of the accretionary wedge of the Andaman Sea Basin, which is far from the Bengal Fan and characterized by low deposition rate and strong compression tectonic setting. Piercing mud diapirs exist mainly in the central segment of the accretionary wedge, which is close to provenances of sediments and characterized by rapid sedimentation rates, large mudstone thickness and transpressional tectonic setting. Mud domes and mud volcanoes mainly occur in the northern segment of the accretionary wedge, which is characterized by rapid sedimentation rates, large mudstone thickness and sedimentary wedge growth tectonic setting. The gas chimney-like mud diapirs only occur in the northern segment of the back-arc depression close to the Sagaing strike-slip fault belt, which is characterized by high deposition rate, large mudstone thickness and high geothermal gradient. These features suggest that thick mudstone deposit, rapid sedimentation rates, large geothermal gradient, strong tectonic stress and gravitational spreading and sliding may have prompted the formation of mud diapirs in the Andaman Sea Basin.

Deep structure of the Porcupine Basin from wide-angle seismic data

The Porcupine Basin, part of the frontier petroleum exploration province west of Ireland, has an extended history that commenced prior to the opening of the North Atlantic Ocean. Lithospheric stretching factors have previously been estimated to increase from <2 in the north to >6 in the south of the basin. Thus, it is an ideal location to study the processes leading to hyper-extension on continental margins. The Porcupine Median Ridge (PMR) is located in the south of the basin and has been alternatively interpreted as a volcanic feature, a serpentinite mud diapir or a tilted block of continental crust. Each of these interpretations has different implications for the thermal history of the basin. We present results from travel-time tomographic modelling of two approximately 300 km-long wide-angle seismic profiles across the northern and southern parts of the basin. Our results show: (1) the geometry of the crust, with maximum crustal stretching factors of up to 6 and 10 along the northern and southern profiles, respectively; (2) asymmetry of the basin structures, suggesting some simple shear during extension; (3) low velocities beneath the Moho that could represent either partially serpentinized mantle or mafic under-plating; and (4) a possible igneous composition of the PMR.

MUD DIAPIR DI PERAIRAN SELATAN PULAU MADURA

Shallow seismic reflection study along the southern water of Madura Island indicates the occurrence of diapir and sediment bearing gas. Normally, the occurrence of diapirism is associated with sediment bearing gas. These phenomena can be observed along the southern waters of Madura, from Sampang until Kalianget. Diapir, fault, and gas charged sediment are indicated as the geological hazard. Offshore infrastructures and drillings have to consider the present phenomena because they can destroy those infrastructures. Key word: diapir, fault, gas, geological hazard, Sampang Penelitian seismik pantul dangkal di perairan selatan P. Madura menunjukkan adanya diapir di dalam lapisan sedimen yang mengandung gas. Biasanya keberadaan diapir diikuti oleh adanya lapisan sedimen yang mengandung gas. Gejala ini dapat diamati di sekitar perairan pantai selatan Madura,mulai dari perairan Sampang hingga ke Kalianget. Diapir,sesar, dan gas dalam sedimen diindikasikan sebagai bahaya geologi. Pembangunan atau pemboran di pantai dan lepas pantai harus mewaspadai keberadaan diapir dan gas dalam lapisan sedimen. Di tempat ini struktur tanahnya labil dan dapat menimbulkan kerusakan bangunan di atasnya. Kata kunci: diapir, sesar,gas, bahaya geologi, Sampang

JALUR MIGRASI DAN AKUMULASI GAS BIOGENIK BERDASARKAN PROFIL SEISMIK PANTUL DANGKAL DAN KORELASI BOR BH-2 DI PERAIRAN SUMENEP, JAWA TIMUR

Pengambilan data seismik pantul dangkal di Perairan Sumenep dan pemboran inti sedalam 42 meter di pesisir selatan Sumenep dilakukan untuk memperlihatkan keadaan lapisan batuan dangkal. Profil seismik pantul dangkal memperlihatkan runtunan seismik A berumur Pra Kuarter dan runtunan seismik B berumur Kuarter – Resen. Runtunan A telah mengalami perlipatan dan pensesaran di mana di beberapa tempat diterobos oleh diapir lumpur, bahkan sampai ke permukaan laut. Runtunan B memperlihatkan pantulan transparan dan di beberapa tempat diterobos oleh diapir lumpur. Bor BH-2 memperlihatkan lempung hitam berumur Holosen – Resen yang ditemukan di atas Formasi Pamekasan yang berumur Pleistosen. Lempung hitam ini tersebar pada kedalaman 13.5 - 41 meter dengan kandungan gas metan sekitar 0.1 % mol yang terdeteksi pada kedalaman 17 – 18.5 meter dan 35.85 – 38.15 meter, serta didominasi oleh bakteri metanogenik Methanosarcina frisia yang menunjukkan lingkungan pengendapan estuaria. Kadar gas biogenik dangkal pada lempung hitam berjumlah kecil sehingga tidak potensial untuk dieksplorasi lebih lanjut. Kurangnya potensi gas biogenik dangkal di Perairan Sumenep kemungkinan disebabkan oleh proses tektonik, kondisi stratigrafi (sistem estuaria) dan struktur (rembesan gas ke atmosfer melalui patahan-patahan minor dan diapir lumpur) yang berpengaruh pada jalur migrasi dan akumulasi gas biogenik. Kata kunci: gas biogenik dangkal, migrasi, akumulasi, estuaria, diapir lumpur, lempung hitam Shallow seismic data acquisition in Sumenep waters and coring to 42 meter depth in shouthern coast of Sumenep were carried out to investigate a shallow sediment layers. The shallow reflection profiles indicate seismic sequence A of pre Quaternary and seismic sequence B of Quartenary Recent. Seismic sequence A was folded and faulted, whre in some places were intruded by mud diapirs which expose above water surface. Seismic sequence B indicates transparency reflection and in some places was intruded by mud diapirs. Core BH-2 indicates Holocene-Recent blacky clay that rest on the Pleistocene Pamekasan Formation. This blacky clay distribute at 13,5 – 41,5 meters depth with methane content about 0.1 % mol that detected at 17 – 18,5 meters depth and 35.05 – 38.15 meters depth, which is also dominated by metanogenic methanosarcinafrisia that indicates an estuaria depositional environment. The content of shallow biogenic gas within black clay is small, therefore it is inpotential to be futher explored. The lack of shallow biogenic gas in Sumenep waters. Key word : Shallow Biogenic Gas, Migration, Accumulation, Estuary, Mud diapir, Black clay.