gas hydrate - CCOP

The Berau basin is a major coal producing area but only limited oil and gas producers are
operating in this area. Although operational logistic data are available in this area, the gas
market is limited. Furthermore, the required data control to evaluate CBM potential in more
detail in this area is also limited. The CBM resources at a target depth of approximately 670 m
are estimated at 8 Tcf. The target formation for CBM development is the Latih formation
which contains a thickness of 24 m of sub-bituminous to high-volatile bituminous coal with
low ash and CO 2 contents.
The North Tarakan Basin has CBM resources of 17.5 Tcf at an average target depth of 700 m.
The target formation for CBM development is the Tabul Formation which consists of subbituminous
to bituminous coal, 15 m in thickness and with low ash and CO 2 contents. The
basin currently has limited onshore oil and gas production, thus limited information is
available to evaluate CBM potential in this basin in greater detail.
The other basins indicated (Figure 1) have some limited CBM resource potential but they
appear to be less prospective than the South Sumatera, Central Sumatera, Barito, Kutei, Berau,
and North Tarakan Basins. The prospective CBM area in the Ombilin Basin is relatively small
(50 km 2 ) and contains coal with a high CO 2 content (40-70%). The coal seams in the
Jatibarang Basin are found at a depth of more than 2,000 m. The Bengkulu Basin is
considered too structurally complex for CBM development and the South Sulawesi Basin
contains only thin coal seams.
PROGRESS ON CBM DEVELOPMENT
As indicated above, a recent study has indicated vast CBM resources in Indonesia and CBM
is probably one of the most promising alternative resources for energy generation. It is
expected that development of CBM resources will substantially increase national gas reserve
and contribute to energy back up in the near future.
Although Indonesia’s onshore coal basins have not yet been subjected to significant testing
for CBM, the interest to developing CBM has become greater since the success of low-rank
CBM development in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA and also with the improved
understanding of the characteristics of Indonesia’s likely CBM-coal seams. Moreover, the
Government of Indonesia fully supports the development of Indonesia’s CBM resource.
GOI initiated the first pilot project for CBM exploration in Indonesia in 2003 the Rambutan
Field, South Sumatera Province, with the Muara Enim Formation (South Sumatera Basin) as
the target formation CBM development. The pilot project is scheduled to be finished by the
end of 2007.
LEMIGAS, a governmental R&D Centre for Oil and Gas Technology under the Agency of
Research and Development for Energy and Mineral Resources, was been assigned to lead the
first CBM pilot project with the ultimate goal of stimulating CBM development in Indonesia.
In this first pilot project, LEMIGAS has entered into partnership with Medco E&P Indonesia
(MEPI) as national oil and gas ‘Production Sharing Contractor (PSC)’. MEPI operates an oil
and gas working area in South Sumatera, including the Rambutan Field.
146 New Energy Resources in the CCOP Region - Gas Hydrates and Coalbed Methane