A Prospective Deep Basin in Southern Papua New Guinea?

Abstract

ExxonMobil's development of the Hides area to the northwest, and Inter Oil's giant gas discoveries at Elk and Antelope to the east, have revitalized exploration in the intervening area of PPL 319-PRL 13, southern Papuan Basin. With only limited seismic and well data available, the most time- and cost-efficient exploration option for the permit holder was to fly and interpret an airborne gravity and magnetic survey covering the permits and the adjacent surround. After completion of acquisition and processing, the gravity/magnetic data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Existing seismic data were reprocessed and reinterpreted. We then integrated the results by means of 2D structural models incorporating surface geology, seismic, and subsurface data in order to reach solutions compatible with all data sets. The final interpretation revealed what appeared to be a large, deep Jurassic basin which we have named Kikori Basin. If confirmed, it could be a hydrocarbon kitchen feeding both internal and surrounding prospective fold and fault structures. Several target leads in and around the deep basin were selected for detailing by a new seismic program which is not yet completed.