3D Play Fairway Analysis for Delineating Exploration Targets in the Tulehu Geothermal Field, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55324/ijoms.v4i11.1175Keywords:
Play Fairway Analysis, Tulehu Geothermal Field, Favourability Index, Exploration Risk Mitigation, Banda FaultAbstract
The Tulehu geothermal field in Maluku, Indonesia, is a strategic asset whose development faces challenges related to exploration risks. Previous drilling of four exploration wells has not consistently yielded adequate permeability and/or temperature results for commercial-scale development. This failure highlights the need for a more systematic approach to reduce drilling risk. This study aims to determine the optimal subsurface target using the Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) method within a 3D framework. This method quantitatively evaluates and integrates key geothermal system parameters, namely heat, permeability, cap rock, and drilling economic viability, based on existing geological, geophysical, and well data. Each parameter is transformed into a spatial index model and combined through a weighting scheme to produce a Favourability Index Model. The modeling results indicate that the area with the highest favorability (index > 0.91) is located south to southeast of the Banda Fault, at elevations between -784 m and -2,068 m. These prospective locations align with evidence from the productive feed zone in well TLU-B-02, indicating that previous interpretations of fault geometry need to be revised. These modeling results provide a strong scientific basis for identifying and prioritizing subsurface drilling targets, thereby reducing exploration risk in subsequent development phases.
References
Adityatama, D., Agustino, V., Wiharlan, H., Muhammad, F., Alamsyah, D., & Purba, D. (2021). Assessing drilling rig options for conducting geothermal exploration slimhole drilling in Indonesia. Proceedings, 46.
Adityatama, D. W., Purba, D., Uhammad, F. M., Agustino, V., Wiharlan, H., & Pasmeputra, K. K. (2020). Slimhole drilling overview for geothermal exploration in Indonesia: Potential and challenges. 45th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering.
Brehme, M., Blöcher, G., Cacace, M., Kamah, Y., Sauter, M., & Zimmermann, G. (2016). Fault controlled geochemical properties in Lahendong geothermal reservoir, Indonesia. Grundwasser, 21(1), 29–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-015-0313-9
Daud, Y., Nuqramadha, W. A., Fahmi, F., Pratama, S. A., Rahman, K. R., & Subroto, W. (2017). Discovering “hidden” geothermal reservoir in Blawan-Ijen geothermal area (Indonesia) using 3-D inversion of MT data. Proceedings of 1st Geo Electromagnetic Workshop.
Daud, Y., Nuqramadha, W. A., Fitrianita, Fahmi, F., Tarmidi, S., Tifani, M. A., Widiatmoro, T., Tonsa, H. Y., & Yunis, Y. (2022). Investigation of the main reservoir of the Tulehu geothermal system (Indonesia) using 3-D inversion of MT data. Geothermics, 106, 102571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2022.102571
Deon, F., Förster, H.-J., Brehme, M., Wiegand, B., Scheytt, T., Moeck, I., Jaya, M. S., & Putriatni, D. J. (2015). Geochemical/hydrochemical evaluation of the geothermal potential of the Lamongan volcanic field (Eastern Java, Indonesia). Geothermal Energy, 3, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-015-0040-6
Do, Q. K., Doan, T., Hoang, T. Q., Nguyen, T. T. T., & Tran, T. (2019). Potential application of slimhole drilling technology to geothermal wells in Vietnam. In Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering (Vol. 18). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2306-5_32
Faulds, J. E., Siler, D. L., Mayhew, B., McNamara, D., Edwards, J. H., Emmons, B., & Coolbaugh, M. (2019). Three-dimensional geologic mapping to assess geothermal potential: Examples from Nevada and Oregon. Geothermal Energy, 7(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-018-0117-0
Gunnarsson, G., & Aradóttir, E. S. P. (2015). The deep roots of geothermal systems in volcanic areas: Boundary conditions and heat sources in reservoir modeling. Transport in Porous Media, 108(1), 43–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-014-0328-1
Hadi, J., Quinlivan, P., Ussher, G., Alamsyah, O., Pramono, B., & Masri, A. (2015). Resource risk assessment in geothermal greenfield development: An economic analysis framework. Proceedings World Geothermal Congress 2015, Melbourne, Australia.
Purba, D. P., Adityatama, D. S., Umam, K., & Muhammad, N. (2018). Basic considerations in minimizing the uncertainty during developing geothermal exploration drilling strategy in Indonesia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 167, 012034. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/167/1/012034
Qahhar, M. R. A., Daud, Y., Pratama, S. A., Zarkasyi, A., Sugiyanto, A., & Suhanto, E. (2015). Modeling of geothermal reservoir in Lawu field using 2-D inversion of magnetotelluric data. Proceedings Indonesia Geothermal Convention & Exhibition 2015.
Soerjadji, S. (2018). Geothermal exploration drilling and testing in Kamojang, West Java, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.29118/ipa.1521.293.299
Sulistyo, A., Daud, Y., Latuconsina, N., Yunus, F. M., & Kurniawan, A. (2020). 3-D inversion of gravity data to determine the Tulehu geothermal prospect zone, Maluku. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 538(1), 012001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/538/1/012001
Sumardi, J. A., Wigati, T. S., Rizqi, M., Asy’ari, A. L., Pinandito, F. S., Adityatama, D. W., & Purba, D. (2022). Summary of geothermal slimhole drilling operation in the last 10 years: Lessons learned for geothermal exploration in Indonesia. Proceedings, 47th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering.
Tveit, S., & Mannseth, T. (2018). Identification of geothermal reservoirs from ensemble-based Bayesian inversion of 3D MT data. SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts. https://doi.org/10.1190/segam2018-2989812.1
Wibowo, H. E., Sule, R., & Sartohadi, J. (2020). Integration of gravity and magnetic inversion for geothermal system evaluation in Suli and Tulehu, Ambon, eastern Indonesia. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13(15), 735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05735-7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Hamdani Agusta Asri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC-BY-SA). that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
