Fractured Basement Play in the Malay Basin: Play Concept and Seismic Recognition

This paper reviews our current understanding of basement play in the Malay basin, offshore Peninsular Malaysia. Of more than the fifty basement penetrations, most were secondary drilling objectives. The wells revealed a variety of lithologies in the pre-Tertiary basement, including igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The first basement oil discovery was made in the Anding area in the southwestern part of the basin. This has been used as the basis of a basement play concept in further exploration. In this study, a basin-wide seismic interpretation was carried out to identify and rank prospective areas for fractured basement play. The use of high-quality 3D seismic has enabled the recognition of potential fractured zones in the basement. Seismic recognition of fractures is a key factor in finding new prospects in fractured basement. Based on detailed mapping, potential areas of fractured basement reservoirs have been identified for further analysis.