Three-stages tectonic evolution controls the differential distribution of hydrocarbons in the West Java backarc basin

Abstract

The West Java Basin is a typical back-arc basin in Southeast Asia and one of Indonesia's main petroleum provinces. In the past ten years, it has been found that the new hydrocarbon reserves are on the rise, and a amount of resources to be discovered is significant. The distribution of hydrocarbon resources and the tectonic evolution characteristics of the basin are systematically explored, and the differences in hydrocarbon distribution and its main controlling factors in the back-arc basin of West Java are analyzed. The uneven distribution pattern of hydrocarbon is mainly controlled by the differential distribution of source rocks in the subsidence period. The distribution of the main source rocks is influenced by the "three-stage" tectonic development process that governs the distribution of sedimentary facies in various sedimentary environments throughout the tectonic subsidence period. Second, the weakening of the crust and magmatism facilitates the production of high heat flow values in the shallow strata of the back-arc area, thereby accelerating the pyrolysis and hydrocarbon generation of source rocks. The study delineates the formation and distribution of various types of oil and gas across various blocks. Prospective basin exploration sites include the shallow-deep water zones in the basin's south-central sector, as well as underexplored terrestrial regions. The exploration history and hydrocarbon resources identified within the West Java back-arc basin support these findings.