Potential hazard of coalbed methane accumulation in quarterly sandstone aquifer in Barito Kuala District, Indonesia

DIDIK Triwibowo1
1

Mining and nergy !ffice of "outh Kalimantan Pro#ince, Ban$arbaru %&%11, Indonesia

Abstract' The (blow)out* of coalbed methane gas was ha++ened twice in Barito Kuala District, Indonesia, in ,o#ember -&&. and !ctober -&&/0 The first blow)out, (Barambai blow)out*, has 101 m of height from land surface, releases mi2 of water, gas, and mud0 It is originated from a freshwater well 3&0&4/ m in diameter5 of local +eo+le that targeted on water in aquifer at de+th of 14/ meter0 Meanwhile the second one, *6anaraya blow)out*, is located 14 7m away from Barambai blow)out0 It releases only methane gas freshwater well with %1 m de+th0 Both of these blow)outs are still acti#e 3May -&&850 The methane gas is generated from coal seams below the aquifer layer0 It migrates through normal fault zone system, accumulated and tra++ed in the aquifer layer abo#e coal seams0 The +otential hazard related to the accumulation of methane in aquifer layer is the +ossibility of methane gas blows)out as the methane accumulated and tra++ed within confined aquifer0 Barambai blow)out caused - 3two5 homes nearby must be remo#ed to a#oid dangerous condition i0e0 fire and subsidence0 Keywords: coalbed methane, migration, freshwater well, aquifer, south 7alimantan

1 Introduction
Indonesia is an archi+elago country that com+rised of more than 1%,&&& islands situated in "outheast 9sia 3:ig0 150 It is blessed with #arious natural resources such as rainforest, mineral and energy resources0 !ne of Indonesia;s abundant energy resource is coal0

:ig 1' Ma+ of Indonesian archi+elago

<oal is an im+ortant Indonesian mining +roducts for e2+ort and therefore im+ortant for Indonesian economy0 Indonesia is the second largest coal e2+orter worldwide and the se#enth largest hard coal +roducer with total coal +roduction reached -410- Mt in -&&% 3!rganization=International nergy 9gency, -&&/50 Indonesia has .104 billion tons of coal resources and .0% billion tons coal reser#es0 The coal de+osits are found mainly in two islands' Kalimantan and "umatra Island0 The go#ernment of Indonesia +lans to utilize coal for electricity generation and sets +ro$ect to build 1&,&&& M6 coal)fired electricity generation0 This ambitious

+ro$ect is conducted because deficit electricity0 There was huge imbalance between electricity +roduction and consum+tion0 lectricity consum+tion in Indonesia was >.8 76h=ca+ in -&&> and it was the lowest consum+tion com+ared with other neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Phili++ine, and "inga+ore 3Ministry of nergy and Mineral ?esources, -&&%50 This consum+tion was increased by 1&1 76h=ca+ in -&&% or 1-10- billion 76h of total electricity consum+tion 3<entral Intelligence 9gency, -&&/50 In its ,ational nergy Blue+rint -&&1)-&-1, Indonesia has identified its energy resources both fossil and non fossil energy to fulfill the growing needs of energy in the future0 !ne of the strategies to secure future energy su++ly was by e2+loring and e2+loiting coalbed methane 3<BM5 resources0 Potential <BM resources in Indonesia are >41 tcf in which 8- @ of them classified as highly +ros+ecti#e 3Ministry of nergy and Mineral ?esources, -&&%50 Ministry of energy and mineral resources ?e+ublic of Indonesia has released ministerial regulation ,o 4., -&&/ concerning <BM e2+loration and e2+loitation in Indonesia0 It was followed by another decree concerning decision on <BM wor7ing area, ty+e of coo+eration contract, terms and conditions of agreement, and offer mechanism of <BM wor7ing area in Indonesia0 By -&&/, there were 1> 3fourteen5 <BM coo+eration contracts in which two of them located in "outh Kalimantan namely Barito Ban$ar 1 and Barito Ban$ar - Bloc7s 3Indonesia mbassy) !slo, -&&850 It was e2+ected that the first <BM +roduction would begin in -&110 The two <BM bloc7s in "outh Kalimantan located

in the same district, Barito Kuala0 This district is one of 1- 3twel#e5 districts=cities in "outh Kalimantan which is located about 4& 7m to the ,orth 6est of Ban$armasin, the ca+ital city of "outh Kalimantan0 The two <BM blow)outs that were occurred in -&&. and -&&8 are located in this district0

2 Geological Setting
"outh Kalimantan;s coal resources is the third largest coal resources in Indonesia with a++ro2imately 10/ billion tons measured coal resources and is found from tertiary roc7 formation0 Aeologically, "outh Kalimantan region is com+rised of three grou+s of roc7 formations from the oldest to the youngest' +re)tertiary roc7s as basement roc7s, tertiary roc7s, and quaternary allu#ial sediments 3Bemmelen, 18>850 The older coal de+osits 3 ocene age5 is the coal seams within Tan$ung :ormation 3Tet5, whereas the younger one 3Miocene age5 is from 6aru7in :ormation 3Tmw5 that de+osited after the Berai :ormation0 These roc7 formations are de+osited in Tertiary Basins' Barito and 9sam)9sam Basin with Meratus Mountain 3Meratus o+hiolite5 as se+arator of these two in the middle 3:ig0 - and 450 The coal di++ing direction of coal seam on western side of Meratus Mountain is relati#ely ,orth)6est while on eastern side relati#ely "outh) ast0 The a#erage coal thic7ness is -)> m for Tan$ung coal seams and u+ to 4& meter for 6aru7in 3?ita, -&&150 :urthermore, :riederich et al0 318885 stated that coal de+osits of Tan$ung :ormation 3Tet5 were formed mainly in e2tensional tectonic settings while coal seams of 6aru7in :ormation 3Tmw5 formed in a range of tectonic settings0 B B;

:ig0-' Ma+ of coal)bearing formation in "outh Kalimantan

The coal ran7 of 6aru7in and Tan$ung coal seams can be classified as "ub)bituminus < 36aru7in5 and "ub)bituminus B 3Tan$ung50 6aru7in coal seams generally ha#e 11&&).1&& cal=gr of calorific #alue, -4)-. @ total moisture, 10- @ ash, &01)&01 @ sul+hur, and >&@ #olatile matter0 Meanwhile, Tan$ung coal seams ha#e .1&&)%1&& cal=gr calorific #alue, B1&@ total moisture, 1&)14 @ ash, 1 @ sul+hur, and >- @ #olatile matter0 The <BM blow)outs location in Barito Kuala District, showed as red dot in the ma+ 3:ig0 -5, is located in lowland area that mainly com+rised of allu#ial de+osits such as silt and clay0 9s the coal seams di++ing to ,orth)6est and there were se#eral u+lift of basement roc7s, in Barito Kuala District, the younger coal seams laid down at de+th of below 1&& m0 9bo#e the tertiary roc7s formation are tertiary) quaternary roc7s 33Tertiary)Cuartenary Dahor 3TCd55 that usually act as underground)water aquifer0 Dahor :ormation is com+rised of quartz sandstone and conglomerate that can be found at de+th of below %1 m0

:ig0 4' <ross section 3B D B; transect of fig0 -5 of Barito Basin in "outh Kalimantan0 The roc7 formations from the oldest to youngest' +re)tertiary roc7s, Tan$ung, Berai, 6aru7in, and Dahor :ormation 3"i7umbang, , and Eeryanto, ?0, 188>5

3 CBM blow outs

<BM blow)out from coal seams was identified from earlier drilling acti#ities in Kalimantan0 Bel7in et al 3-&&/5 stated that con#entional oil and gas wells drilling acti#ities that drilled through the coal seams in Kalimantan tends to e2+erience blow)outs and log gas s+i7es0 In "outh Kalimantan, there were two blow)outs ha++ened in -&&. and -&&/0 Barambai blow)out 3in -&&.5 released the mi2 of mud, water, and methane gas, while 6anaraya blow)out 3-&&/5 releases only methane gas 3:ig0 1 and .50 <oordinate location of Barambai blow)out is 11> & >-; -10>* ast Fongitude and -& 18; 1>08;; "outh Fatituden 3u++er red dot5, whereas 6anaraya blow) out is located on 11>& 4. G&1G ast Fongitude and 4& &4; .* "outh Fatitude 3lower red dot5 3:ig0 >50 The distance between these blow)outs is 14,&&& m0 The area of these blow)outs is dominated by quaternary allu#ial de+osits 3Cha50

:ig0 >' Ma+ of geological condition and location of Barambai and 6anaraya blow)out

:ig0 >' Barambai blow out releases mud, water, and methane gas0 The well diameter is 1 m at surface and height of blow out is 101 m0

Aas com+osition of the gas of Barambai blow)out is <E> 880-/@ and <!- &0%- @0 Meanwhile gas from 6anaraya blow)out has com+osition as follows' <E > /80- @, <- &0-1 @, <!- &0/1 @, !- 10&% @, ,- /0.% @0 These blow)outs were originated from aquifer at de+th of below %1 m0 They were came out from freshwater wells targeted this aquifer0 The aquifer layer is com+rised of quartz sandstone and conglomerate of Dahor ?oc7 :ormation 3TCd5 whereas the coal seams are from two different roc7 formations' Tan$ung 3Tet5 and 6aru7in :ormation 3Tmw5 that are estimated located at de+th of below 1&& m0 The accumulation of methane gas in this aquifer layer occurred because there was im+ermeable roc7 layer abo#e the aquifer that acts as ca+ roc7 layer0

4 T e !otential a"ard
The +otential hazard related to the accumulation of methane in aquifer layer in Barito District area is the +ossibility of blow)out as it ha++ened in two freshwater wells when local +eo+le or go#ernment drill freshwater wells targeted on that aquifer0 The Barambai blow)out releases mi2 of water, mud, and gas u+ to 101 m in height0 This +henomenon caused at least - homes nearby ha#e to be remo#ed0 The two blow)outs ha#e s+read fear on local +eo+le to drill freshwater well0 They were afraid if they drill freshwater well, the same blow)out will be ha++ened0 !n the other hand, constructing freshwater wells is +art of de#elo+ment +ro$ects in Barito Kuala District to increase freshwater su++ly as the a#ailable surface water does not fulfill water quality standard requirements0 There will be many freshwater well

:ig0 1' 6anaraya blow)out0 Persons hold +lastic with methane gas collected from the +i+e of the well0 The water only came out at the first time of blow)out

built in Barito Kuala District to fulfill increasing freshwater demand0 The study of Mining and nergy !ffice of "outh Kalimantan Pro#ince and Indonesia Aeological Board 3-&&%5 found that there was a sub)surface normal fault zone system in Barambai area that became <BM migration +athways from coal seams at de+th of 1&&) %&& m to the aquifer at de+th of below 1&& m0 The study did not in#estigate the e2tent of subsurface fault zone system and delineated only on the area surrounding Barambai blow)out as +rohibited area for freshwater drilling acti#ities0 In -&&/, local +eo+le drilled freshwater well in 6anaraya that is located 14 7m from Barambai blow) out because they thin7 it safe from chance u+on blow)out0 Eowe#er, in this location another blow)out of methane gas was ha++ened from the well that reached de+th of %1m0

:ig0 .' The cross)section of sub)surface condition of Barambai

#&2 (anaraya sub$sur%ace %ault "one Aeo)electric in#estigation has also conducted at many sites in 6anaraya0 :rom this data, it can be generated the sub)surface cross)section with relati#ely ,orth)6est to "outh) ast direction0 The two red circle in fig0 % shows the indication of normal fault at the de+th of a++ro2imately below 1&& m0

# Sub$sur%ace condition
In order to delineate +otential hazard area of <BM blow)out, the sub)surface condition in#estigation of Barambai and 6anaraya is im+ortant to re#eal the sub)surface lithology and +ossible geological structure i0e0 fault0 !ne method to in#estigate sub)surface condition is using geo+hysical in#estigation such as geo)electric or dc resisti#ity method0 It is suitable for shallow sub) surface in#estigation due to its fast and economical0 This technique based on the obser#ation of electrical fields caused by electrical current introduced into the ground 3"heriff, 18// cited in "mith and Tracy, -&&/50 Different sub)surface lithology has different resisti#ity and by determining their resisti#ity through geo)electric in#estigation the sub)surface roc7 layer can be identified0 The sub)surface conditions of Barambai and 6anaraya ha#e been in#estigated by Mining and nergy of "outh Kalimantan and Indonesia Aeological Board 3-&&/50 The general sub)surface lithological condition in Barambai and 6anaraya area from the shallowest to dee+est layer is as follows' soil layer, clay and +eat, clay, sandy clay, silt)clay, and quartz sand layer0 The geo)electric in#estigation has also re#ealed the wea7 zone of sub)surface normal fault in both Barambai and 6anaraya area0 #&1 Bara'bai sub$sur%ace %ault "one The normal fault indication in sub)surface of Barambai blow)out area is identified from the section generated from geo)electric data0 The section direction is relati#ely north west) south east0 The red circle in fig0 . shows the indication of normal fault at de+th of a++ro2imately below 11& m0

:ig0 %' The cross)section of sub)surface condition of 6anaraya

#&3 )otential a"ard area The +otential hazard area refers to the area where the +ossibility of methane blow)out occurrence is high when drilling acti#ity is conducted0 This area is delineated based on the result of geo)electric and geo) magnetic in#estigation0 The geo)electric in#estigation has re#ealed the sub)surface normal fault zones in Barambai and 6anaraya area0 The normal fault +lanes that are showed from the cross)section with relati#ely north west to south east direction, indicates that the fault +lane direction is relati#ely south west to north east in which 6anaraya blow)out located at south west whereas Barambai at north east 3:ig0 /50 The area along this normal fault +lane = fault zone is area that +otentially becomes coalbed methane migration +athways from 6aru7in :ormation 3Tmw5 coal seams to Tertiary)Cuartenary Dahor quartz sand aquifer0 Therefore, the area of +otential methane blow)out is the area of normal fault zone can be delineated to the area surrounding this fault zone 3:ig0 /50 Eowe#er, the blow)out will be ha++ened only if drilling acti#ity reaches the fault zone

s+ecially after reaches targeted sandstone aquifer layer 3TCd50 Aeo)magnetic sur#ey re#ealed sub) surface sinistral faults with direction north)west to south)east at Barambai area0 These faults cut)off normal fault +lane at two locations, near Barambai blow)out and in the middle of 6anaraya and Barambai blow)out0
B9?IT! KH9F9 DI"T?I<T

+otential hazard area of <BM blow)out0 This area is already ma++ed and should be a#oided for freshwater well drilling acti#ities0 The most restricted area for any drilling acti#ity is the area between Barambai and 6anaraya blow)out0 The information related to the restricted area for freshwater well drilling acti#ity will be disseminated to local district go#ernment of Barito Kuala and local

A !) F <T?I< I,I "TIA9TI!, "IT " 3B9?9MB9I BF!6 !HT5

A !) F <T?I< I,I "TIA9TI!, "IT " 369,9?9J9 BF!6 !HT5

:ig0 /' Ma+ of +otential hazard area of coalbed methane blow out that should be a#oided for freshwater drilling acti#ities0 This area is along the fault zone systems' normal fault and sinistral fault zone

* +iscussion
The accumulation of <BM gas in another reser#oir such as +orous sand aquifers can be ha++ened due to the ability of <BM to flow or migrate from coal seams through natural fractures i0e0 faults, $oints, and=or human made structures such as water wells to other reser#oirs0 The two <BM blow)outs that were ha++ened in Barito Kuala District, "outh Kalimantan Pro#ince, Indonesia are started from <BM migration and accumulation +rocess in quartz sand aquifer through natural fractures of fault zone0 Both Barambai and 6anaraya blow)out areas show the indication of normal fault +resence0 The source of <BM is the coal seams of 6aru7in :ormation below the aquifer0 The thic7ness of these coal seams that u+ to 4& m and their ideal de+th 31&&)%&& m5 are the +erfect source to generate <BM0 This <BM migrated and +erfectly accumulated and tra++ed in the aquifer as the layer abo#e it is im+ermeable layer of silt)clay layer0 The blow)outs are occurred when drilling acti#ity bro7e the im+ermeable layer and reached quartz sand0 Both of two blow)outs that are still acti#e until now 3May -&&85 show that the <BM accumulation in quartz sand aquifer is high0 9s the migration +rocess of <BM from coal seams of 6aru7in :ormation into quartz sand aquifer through fractures of fault zone, therefore the area alongside this zone can be categorized as area of

+eo+le0 It is im+ortant to socialize the ris7 of blow) out within +otential hazard area because local +eo+le and local go#ernment will continue to drill freshwater wells to fulfill freshwater necessity as the quality of surface water resources does not fulfill water quality standard0

, Conclusion
The characteristic of 6aru7in coal seams ) i0e0 the thic7ness and de+th ) is +erfect to generate a lot of <BM0 Meanwhile, quartz sand aquifer in Barito Kuala is +erfect for <BM accumulation as it is co#ered by im+ermeable silt)clay layer0 :ractures along normal fault become +athways of <BM migration from coal seams into quartz sand aquifer0 Based on the result of geo)electric in#estigation, there were sub)surface normal fault identified in Barambai and 6anaraya0 9ll these characteristics lead to high +ossibility of methane blow)out if any drilling acti#ity reaches the aquifer0 Eowe#er, further in#estigation ) i0e0 seismic -D and 4D sur#ey ) is needed to fully understand the migration +rocess of methane, the coal seams characteristics, the size of aquifer, and methane #olume accumulation within the aquifer0

Ac-nowledge'ents
I would li7e to than7 to Team of Mining and nergy !ffice of "outh Kalimantan and Indonesia

Aeological Board0 I ac7nowledge Prof <hongtao 6ei for gi#ing me the o++ortunity to write this +a+er and for his early assistance0

.e%erences
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