[eastbay]

^
Don't worry, there's a lot more than just 1 billion barrels offshore Indonesia.

No doubt. maybe even 10 bbbls. Maybe more. I wonder why they're not going after it. In fact, they're now a net energy importer having recently announced that effective 31DEC08 they will quit OPEC.

Interesting. Possibly they're saving it for 'later'? Hmmm... stranger things have happened!

Perhaps you missed this thread here. <-- And that was just in one basin.

I miss plenty of threads. No one can read them all here. So.... let's bring it on! Get that oil! Maybe Indonesia's planning to rescind their decision to withdraw from OPEC? Maybe become a net oil exporter again... well, for a few years anyhow? We'll all find out soon enough.

[copious.abundance]

I'm going to update this (old) thread with a sort-of progress report. Since the Indonesian-German scientific team discovered what are apparently large amounts of hydrocarbons in this area, the government of Indonesia (or is it the Indonesian national oil company?) has contracted an Australian geosciences company to do a massive seismic study (2D and some 2D) in this and some other frontier Indonesian offshore basins. There's a video here:

--> LINK <--
Plus some info:

The Indonesian Frontier Basins Project is a comprehensive exploration program creating new data sets in previously unexplored or under-explored Indonesian basins. It is the largest non-exclusive, multi-component project ever undertaken in the world.

TGS has completed acquisition of a variety of data:

* 34,000 kilometers new 2D seismic data
* 400,000 square kilometers of multibeam data
* 140,000 kilometers of gravity and magnetic data
* 1,150 sediment cores
* 3,200 geochemical analyses
* 60 heat flow probes

Gravity and magnetics data provides valuable information on the tectonic fabric and basement architecture of the basin. Seismic data provides structural mapping capabilities. Multibeam data provides a high-resolution view of seafloor topography used to detect hydrocarbon seeps. Sediment cores, geochemical anayses and heat probe test are used to evaluate petroleum systems within the frontier basins.

Here's a map of the areas they studied. The Sumatran one can be seen off the NW coast of the island:



There's a bigger, more detailed PDF map at the link.

[copious.abundance]

In fact, I just discovered they're about to do an even more detailed project in this NW Sumatran basin next year:

--> LINK <--

Following on from the successful 2008 Sumatra survey, part of the innovative Frontier Basins Project, which identified all the elements of a potential successful petroleum system in the area, TGS has returned to record an enhanced grid of long offset 2d data in this under explored area.

Map can be found here.

So, it looks like the findings of the Indonesian and German scientists who inadvertently discovered large amounts of hydrocarbons is actually being taken seriously! Gee, whad'ya know . . .

[TheDude]

You can find more articles by searching for 'Indonesian Frontier Basins,' natch. This wiki page has some bare info about actual drilling, these latest survey stories don't seem to mention test wells etc.: The Geology of Indonesia /Sedimentary Basins - Wikibooks ...

Rather garbled English:

About 60 Tertiary sedimentary basins, spread out from Sumatra in the west to Irian Jaya in the east, are identified in Indonesia. So far only 38 basins have been explored and drilled for petroleum and 14 of the are now producing oil and gas. Seventy three percent of these basins are located offshore, about one third of them in the deeper sea, with water depth exceeding 200 m.

Note also:

Most of the sedimentary basin in the western Indonesia are already explored since the end of 19th century.

Seem to remember Shell got its start in the East Indies. Perhaps there's some info on the history of the Indonesian exploration program out there that might yield more info. During ice ages most of Indonesia is one big island, owing to the lower sea level - with huge river basins running through what is now ocean. Might be some juicy point bar turbidities out there. Wonder how deep the straits are - shallow or UDW stuff?

[3aidlillahi]

When we invade Indonesia, we can tell them "Your oil are belonged us."

[Jotapay]

It's really amazing how many posters on this site are really looking forward to having an excuse to shoot somebody.

Did I miss where this came into play in this thread? What are you doing, Zardoz?

[copious.abundance]

Most of the sedimentary basin in the western Indonesia are already explored since the end of 19th century.

Seem to remember Shell got its start in the East Indies. Perhaps there's some info on the history of the Indonesian exploration program out there that might yield more info. During ice ages most of Indonesia is one big island, owing to the lower sea level - with huge river basins running through what is now ocean. Might be some juicy point bar turbidities out there. Wonder how deep the straits are - shallow or UDW stuff?

The map I showed above should give you an idea - the darker blue is deeper water, the lighter blue is shallower water, etc.

The PDF's and video at the link have some better stuff.

[copious.abundance]

BTW, here's a start on one of these frontier basins. This is located between Sulawesi and Borneo.

--> LINK <--

Exxon Mobil's central blocks may hold 1B barrels of oil

Jakarta, August 11, 2008 - Exxon Mobil Corp.'s two deepwater blocks in central Indonesia could have one billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves, a company official said, quoted by Reuters.

The official, who declined to be named, said the company is conducting a seismic survey on the Surumana block and adjacent Mandar block in the Makassar Strait.

Exxon Mobil Oil Indonesia Inc.'s spokesman Maman Budiman declined to comment on the probable oil and gas reserves contained in the blocks, which lie 2,300 meters below sea level, saying only that the company is waiting for the delivery of a "special rig" to start exploration there.

He said the government has given the company until 2009 to start exploration of the Surumana block and 2010 for Mandar.

Plus they've been recently auctioning off more blocks.

--> LINK <--

Indonesia awards more oil/gas exploration rights
Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:36am EDT

JAKARTA, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Indonesia has awarded more oil and gas exploration rights on nine blocks to energy companies including U.S. firm Hess Corp (HES.N), a senior mines and energy ministry official said on Friday.

It has been offering new exploration rights and financial incentives for exploration in a bid to stem its steady production decline, which has turned the former OPEC member into a net importer of crude oil in recent years.

[...]

Earlier this month, Indonesia awarded oil and gas exploration rights on 22 blocks to energy companies including Chevron Indonesia, a unit of U.S. oil major Chevron, and Conoco Phillips.

[...]

[outcast]

It's really amazing how many posters on this site are really looking forward to having an excuse to shoot somebody.

Did I miss where this came into play in this thread? What are you doing, Zardoz?

That reply was 10 months old.....

[copious.abundance]

^
That's sort-of my fault, I bumped up an old thread.

[JudgieReloaded]

Talk about inept. The oil discovery industry missed a whole Saudi and only now "may" have discovered it?

Yeah, I call bullshit. Evidence, please, preferably pumping out of the ground at a few million barrels a day.

To further clarify your post, a "audited" few million barrels a day.

[ROCKMAN]

Patience. From OF2's link it looks like frontier sesimic evaluation is just begining in some of these Deep Water basins. However many 10's of billion blls of oil that may or may not be there it should take a good 5 to 10 years before a clear picture of the real potential will appear.

[PeakingAroundtheCorner]

FWIW, again, Lindsey Williams predicted on the Alex Jones show massive oil finds in Indonesia. He also predicted back in July, when oil was $140 per barrel, that it would go down to $50. Go figure.

See for yourselves.

[copious.abundance]

FWIW, again, Lindsey Williams predicted on the Alex Jones show massive oil finds in Indonesia. He also predicted back in July, when oil was $140 per barrel, that it would go down to $50. Go figure.

See for yourselves.

Yeah I was thinking about his prediction as the price crash started to set in.

However, his prediction said that it would be the discovery of huge, "ready-to-produce" oil fields in Indonesia and Russia that would be the cause of the price collapse. He got the price collapse correct, but there have been no giant "ready-to-produce" discoveries in Russia, and these potential ones in Indonesia, as Rockman indicated, are far from being "ready-to-produce." So he was only half right.

[copious.abundance]

BTW, in case anyone wants to see which basins TGS-NOPEC is evaluating, click here:
--> LINK (click on "Enlarge Map" for PDF) <--

One of them - the one along the NW coast of Sumatra - appears to be the same basin I reported about here.

Snazzy video on the company website here.

The seismic program has now commenced!

>>> Press release <<<

TGS Begins 2D Regional Multi-Client Project in West Sumatra

Perth, Australia (17 February 2009) - TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company Pty Ltd (TGS) announced today that it began acquisition of a new 9,550 kilometer multi-client 2D survey offshore West Sumatra, Indonesia.

The new Sumatra survey is designed to complement the existing Northwest Sumatra and Sunda seismic, bathymetric and coring data acquired as part of the expansive TGS IndoDeep program. The IndoDeep program, previously referred to as Indonesia Frontier Basin, was acquired and interpreted from 2006 to 2008. It includes 34,000 kilometres of 2D seismic, 400,000 kilometres of multi-beam bathymetric data and 1,200 cores samples covering approximately 1 million square kilometers of Indonesia's deep-water basins. This integrated dataset continues generating significant industry interest.

The initial interpretation of the Northwest Sumatra and Sunda IndoDeep programs has indicated that all the elements of a potential petroleum system are present in the new survey area. Supported by industry funding, the new project includes both long offset 2D seismic and gravity data acquired by the MV Mezen.



[...]

[ROCKMAN]

Peaking,

Sorry I didn't respond to your last post sooner. Wow....he predicted billion bbl oil fields in Indonesia, eh? Not to hard to do given that I worked for a company that discovered it's first billion bbl Indonesian oil field in the 70's.

OF2.....I know you're more familiar with Ind. then I. I suspect the new potential is just those areas which had been too deep a water depth to be exploited until recently.

[RdSnt]

Just what we need, people poking holes next to a super volcano

[copious.abundance]

Peaking,

Sorry I didn't respond to your last post sooner. Wow....he predicted billion bbl oil fields in Indonesia, eh? Not to hard to do given that I worked for a company that discovered it's first billion bbl Indonesian oil field in the 70's.

OF2.....I know you're more familiar with Ind. then I. I suspect the new potential is just those areas which had been too deep a water depth to be exploited until recently.

Actually those area along the west coast of Sumatra are in shallow waters for the most part.

[ROCKMAN]

Yep...I know. But did MR. Predictor say where all that oil was hidden? I doubt it.

[copious.abundance]

@ROCKMAN,
If you were referring to the Exxon prospect it looks like it's is in one of Indonesia's frontier basins. In other words they haven't done much exploring in that area yet.

>>> Indonesia Frontier Basins Seep Study <<<
Map:

^^
As the article says, this prospect is off the west coast of Sulawesi (Celebes) which is one of the frontier areas on the map above,

Well, whad'ya know.

This block, BTW, is off the west coast of the island of Sulawesi.

--> LINK <--

Exxon Mobil's Central Indonesia Blocks May Hold 1 Billion BOE Official
Dow Jones
August 07, 2008: 04:15 AM EST

JAKARTA -(Dow Jones)- Exxon Mobil Corp.'s (XOM) two deepwater blocks in central Indonesia could have 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves, a company official said Thursday.

The official, who declined to be named, said the company is conducting a seismic survey on the Surumana block and adjacent Mandar block in the Makassar Strait.

Exxon Mobil Oil Indonesia Inc.'s spokesman Maman Budiman declined to comment on the probable oil and gas reserves contained in the blocks, which lie 2,300 meters below sea level, saying only that the company is waiting for the delivery of a "special rig" to start exploration there.

He said the government has given the company until 2009 to start exploration of the Surumana block and 2010 for Mandar.

[..]

But don't worry, I won't add this to my Catalog of Recent Oil Discoveries until they drill and find oil.