Changes in Structural Style Along the Frontal Papuan Fold Belt From Seismic Imaging

Abstract

The Papuan fold and thrust belt developed from ongoing late Miocene compression and has been the focus of hydrocarbon exploration and production since the mid 1980's with well data and seismic imaging establishing the basic structural architecture and stratigraphic framework across the Papuan thrust belt and foreland. This study examines the structural style and lateral changes across the Frontal Papuan fold belt using recent seismic imaging and associated well data. In the southeast the structural geometry of the frontal Papuan fold belt is dominated by thin skinned southwest directed emergent thrust faults and ramp anticlines that are associated with the main Kutubu producing fields. The geometry of the Papuan thrust front changes along strike to the northwest in the Muller range where the dominant structure forms an eroded frontal monocline with basement involvement and associated northeast directed fold and thrust structures. Selected seismic profiles across the Papuan fold belt and associated well bores show how these large scale structural changes and associated structural complexities reflect the importance of precursor structural controls on the deformation of the Papuan fold belt. These controls also influence both the trapping style and distribution of hydrocarbons within the Papuan fold belt with a gas dominated system developed in the northwest with oil and associated gas caps developed in the southeast Papuan fold belt.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90217 © 2015 International Conference & Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, September 13-16, 2015