ABSTRACT: North and South Kendilo Sub-Basins, unexplored sectors of the E. Katimantan Mega-Basin, Indonesia

The adjacent north-south elongated Kendilo Sub-Basins are the easternmost members of a complex series of narrow basins and emergent Cretaceous ridges tying between the better known Kutei Basin to the north and the Bahto Basin to the south. The South Kendilo Sub-Basin was traversed by Shell (B.P.M.) geologists in the 1940s and more recently by Pertamina contractors. Reservoir and mature source beds outcrop along the basin edges. In spite of the unbelievable situation of a well-mapped anticline crossed by both the highway and pipeline from the Tanjung Field to the refinery center of Balikpapan, neither seismic nor drilling has been undertaken. The North Kendilo (or Kuaro) Sub-Basin is probably covered by Neogene (Warukin or equivalent formation) as indicated by outcrops along the south edge, and the prominent Sorai syncline to the north. This suggests substantial bed thickness, and there are structures mapped along the south edge also. Despite these attractive factors, there have been essentially no technical steps undertaken in this broad area, other than a few short river traverses by B. P.M. geologists before World War Two. Data from nearby exploratory efforts in surrounding areas allows a persuasive model to be presented for extensive generation and migration of hydrocarbons from the transgressive series of the Bongan Deep along the south edge of the adjacent Kutei Basin.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90913©2000 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Bali, Indonesia