--> Abstract: Play Concepts Of The Northern Basins Of New Guinea Island, by R. A. Barrett; #90928 (1999).

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BARRETT, RAMSAY A.
Ramu International, LLC, Marshall, Virginia

Abstract: Play Concepts of the Northern Basins of New Guinea Island

Six sedimentary basins are located along the northern margin of New Guinea Island. The Bintuni, Salawati and Waropen basins either are productive or have registered significant hydrocarbon flow rates on well tests. The Sepik, Ramu and Meervelakte basins exhibit gas and oil seeps and hydrocarbon shows in wells, but no sustained flow to date. Several established and emerging play concepts are recognized. The established play concepts include the Jurassic reservoir and source exhibited in the Bintuni Basin of Irian Jaya, and the prolific Miocene reef production of the Salawati Basin. The Miocene reef play concept can be extended to the Sepik Basin in Papua New Guinea and Meervelakte Basin of Irian Jaya. The Sepik Basin exhibits Miocene reefal buildups in both outcrop and seismic reflection data, and the only well exhibited multiple oil shows. The Meervelakte Basin is fringed by coralline Miocene reefs in outcrop and an active oil seep is located on its north flank. A key emerging play concept is biogenic methane gas pooled in Pliocene sandstone's. The Waropen Basin of Irian Jaya contains several large structures, each of which tested biogenic methane gas flowing from Pliocene sandstone. This play concept can be applied to the Ramu Basin in Papua New Guinea which exhibits numerous biogenic methane gas seeps that issue from Plio-Pleistocene sandstone outcrops. By extending the established play concepts to all the sedimentary basins, a clearer understanding emerges of the risks and potential rewards of the sedimentary basins of the northern margin of New Guinea Island.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas