AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS (AAPG)

International Conference and Exhibition

Perth, Australia, November 5-8, 2006

New Insight on Tectonics of Central Java, Indonesia

and Its Petroleum Implications
Awang Harun Satyana
(BPMIGAS - Indonesias Executive Agency for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities )

EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Central Java, in the middle part of the Java
Island, Indonesia, shows a conspicuous reentrants or indentation of its coastlines
compared to those of western and eastern
Java (Figure 1). This indentation is
considered to express a wrench
segmentation.
Two major Paleogene
strike-slip faults with opposing trends and
slips are responsible for the indentation.
The faults are called (1) the MuriaKebumen Fault, left-lateral, trending
southwest-northeast;
and
(2)
the
Pamanukan-Cilacap Fault, right-lateral,
trending northwest-southeast.
The two faults caused significant geologic
changes in Central Java. The faults caused
: indentations of northern and southern
coastlines, subsidence of North Central
Java, uplift of the Serayu Range and
exposure of the pre-Tertiary Luk Ulo
melange complex, disappearance of the
Southern Mountains of Java in southern
Central Java due to subsidence, and
northward shifting of the Quaternary
volcanic arc in Central Java.
This new tectonic insight of Central Java
gives reasoning why basins in Central Java
are different with its counterparts in
western and eastern Java and presenting
where to look for possible petroleum
possibilities in this area.
Regional Tectonics and Structures of
Java Island

Java Island occupies an active margin of

plate
interaction
between
Eurasia
continental plate and Indian oceanic plate,
which have converged since JuroCretaceous. Therefore, the basement of
Java Island is composed of both Eurasian
continental crust (northern West Java and
Central Java) and intermediate accreted
terrane (southern West Java, southern
Central Java and almost East Java). The
presence of some micro-continents is also
possible in Java, like in the Jampang and
Bayat areas. The main tectonic elements
resulted from the convergence include :
subduction trenches, magmatic-volcanic
arcs, accretionary prisms, and back-arc and
fore-arc
basins.
Sedimentary
and
volcanoclastic rocks intruded by some
magmatic intrusions cover the basement
rocks. Central Java occupies a transition
between dominantly continental basement
at West Java and dominantly intermediate
basement at East Java.
Structural trends of Java Island can be
grouped into four groups, including : (1)
Meratus Trend (southwest-northeast), (2)
Sunda Trend (north-south), (3) Java Trend
(west-east), and (4) Sumatra Trend
(northwest-southeast). The structures with
Sumatra Trend mainly exist in West Java
area and disappear to the east of Central
Java area. Whereas, the structures of
Meratus Trend dominate the structural
grains of northern East Java and getting
reducing and disappearing to the west of
Central Java. It looks that Central Java

occupies the transition area of structure

between the Meratus and Sumatra Trends.
The formations of these structures are :
Late Cretaceous (Meratus Trend), Sumatra
Trend (Late Cretaceous-Paleocene), Sunda
Trend (Eocene-Late Oligocene), and Java
Trend (since Early Miocene). The
structural grains of Meratus, Sumatra, and
Sunda Trends are generally normal and
strike-slip faults; whereas folds and thrustreverse faults constitute the Java Trend.

northeast from the foot of Mount Muria,

through Luk Ulo-Karangsambung area, to
an area to the west of Kebumen. This
major fault is called the Muria-Kebumen
Fault and interpreted as a strike-slip fault.
To the west,
the Bouguer anomaly
difference is bordered by a major fault
trending northwest-southeast from east of
Jakarta to Cilacap area, the fault is called
the
Pamanukan-Cilacap
Fault
and
interpreted to be a strike-slip fault.

Major Strike-Slip Faults Flanking

Central Java

The Muria-Kebumen Sinistral Fault may

continue northeastward crossing the Java
Sea into the Meratus Mountains in
Southeast Kalimantan. The origin of the
fault is considered to relate closely to
oblique subduction of the Indian oceanic
plate beneath the southern-southeastern
part of Sundaland in Late Cretaceousearliest
Tertiary. This major fault
constitutes the southeastern margin of the
Paleozoic Sunda Shield (Sundaland).

Two major faults or structural lineaments

flank the indentation of coastlines of
Central Java (Figure 1).
These two
structural elements are considered as major
strike-slip faults (wrench faults) which
along their traces also develop both normal
and reverse slips. The two faults are called
the Muria-Kebumen Sinistral Fault and the
Pamanukan-Cilacap Dextral Fault. These
faults are opposite in slips and trends,
apart in northern Central Java (on northern
indentation) and closer and eventually
crossing in southern Central Java (on
southern indentation). The existence of
these major faults is firstly based on
interpretation of gravity data. Lineament
on landsat and radar imageries, surface
faults of geologic mapping, and seismic
data confirm the existence of fault traces
which regionally compose the PamanukanCilacap and Muria-Kebumen Faults.
Gravity Bouguer anomaly data in West
Java shows the anomaly trend of
northwest-southeast (Sumatra Trend),
whereas there are many areas in Central
and East Java shows the Bouguer anomaly
trends of southwest-northeast (Meratus
Trend). Bouguer anomalies of Central Java
decrease from + 100 mgal in southern
indentation to 5 mgal in northern
indentation at area between Jatibarang and
Semarang. This area of differential
Bouguer anomaly is bordered to the east
by a major fault trending southwest to

The Pamanukan-Cilacap Dextral Fault

may continue northwestward crossing the
Java Sea through the North Seribu Fault
(normal fault) separating the Sunda and
Asri basins to the north of the Seribu
Islands into South Sumatra area and
merging there with major Lematang Fault
(reverse fault). In West Java onshore, the
Gantar-Randegan Ridge, northern margin
of the major Baribis Fault (reverse fault),
and Kroya Fault represent the fault traces
associated with the Pamanukan-Cilacap
Dextral Fault. Dextral strike-slip faults
trending northwest-southeast in Majenang
area are splays of the Pamanukan-Cilacap
Fault.
The Muria-Kebumen Sinistral Fault and
Cilacap-Pamanukan Dextral Fault are
perfectly to be opposite in trend and slip to
each other. The two faults make a triangle
zone with a base at northern Central Java
between Cirebon and Semarang and an
apex at Cilacap area. Within the triangle,
the crustal mass moved southward.
Towards the apex of the triangle, the

deformation of the moved crustal mass is

getting conspicuous because the area for
structural
compensation
is
getting
narrower. Right around the apex area, the
deformation in way of uplift is maximum
and the area is tectonically locked.
Maximum gravity anomaly in Central Java
of +110 mgal is obtained in this area and
may relate to the maximum uplift occurred
in the apex area. The origin of BumiayuLuk Ulo High may also relate to this apex
area. Opposite to this, towards the base of
the triangle at northern Central Java, the
crustal mass is subsided. Minimum gravity
anomaly of -5 mgal in northern Central
Java may relate to this subsided basement.
Structural Analysis of the Wrench
Faults
The origin of major wrench faults and
other main faults in Java Island is analyzed
using concepts of strain ellipsoid of
wrench tectonism. The direction of the
principal stress is north-south (around N
350o E) similar to the direction of the
convergence of plates south of Java. The
Muria-Kebumen Fault is the main sinistral
strike-slip fault (master fault or Y shear),
whereas the Pamanukan-Cilacap Fault is a
dextral strike-slip fault (antithetic or
conjugate Riedel R shear). Compressional
component of the strain ellipsoid trends
north-south parallel with the compression
due to plate convergence.
The
compressional stress have not only moved
the blocks laterally across the faults, but
also resulted in folds and reverse
faults/thrusts trending west-east (Java
Trend). Extensional component of the
strain ellipsoid directs west-east resulting
in extensional rifting/fractures trend northsouth (Sunda Trend). The north-south
rifted structures in offshore West Java area
may confirm this extensional fracture.
Geologic Implications
The existence of the Muria-Kebumen and
Pamanukan-Cilacap Faults has many

geologic implications to Central Java

(Figure 1).
Transition of Basement.
The MuriaKebumen Fault accommodated the
transition of basement from granitic
continental crust in West Java to
metasediment accreted crust in East Java.
As have been discussed, the fault was
formed by oblique subduction of Indian
oceanic plate beneath southeastern margin
of Sundaland.
Subsidence and Indentation of Northern
Central Java. The Muria-Kebumen and
Pamanukan-Cilacap Faults had subsided
northern Central Java as response to the
uplift of southern Central Java. The uplift
of the southern Central Java in the MiddleLate Miocene was compensated by a
subsidence of North Serayu Basin. The
Brebes Flexure, Tegal Diapir, and
Semarang Flexure indicate this subsidence.
The subsidence of northern Central Java
had caused major structural indentation.
The sea inundated this area more to the
south due to the subsidence, causing a
coastline indentation of northern Central
Java.
Uplift of Bumiayu-Luk Ulo Area and
Exposure of Basement Rocks. Towards
southern Central Java, the basement is
uplifted. Maximum uplift, as has been
discussed earlier, occurred at the apex of a
triangle zone through a compressive
tectonic-locked area. The amount of uplift
is estimated about 2000 meters based on
gravity data. Luk Ulo-Karangsambung
area, at the eastern part of the BumiayuLuk Ulo High, was eroded and the
basement rock complex of the Late
Cretaceous melange was exposed.
Subsidence of Javas Southern Mountains
and Southern Coastline Indentation. Just
to the south of tectonic-locked area where
maximum uplift is obtained, surrounding
the apex of the triangle, is an isostatic
compensating low area. Isostatic contrast

occurs just to the south of the BumiayuLuk Ulo, namely the Citanduy-KroyaKebumen Low which extends into the
offshore area south of Central Java. This
low area represents an isostatic
compensation or a release tension to a
tectonic-locked area. The Javas Southern
Mountains disappear in this area due to
subsidence. This subsidence has caused
the sea transgressed northward and
resulting in a coastline indentation. In area
where the Southern Mountains should
exist, is a Central Depression of South
Serayu. In offshore region, the depression
area is manifested by the Western Deep
and Eastern Deep. The two basins are
separated by the Karangbolong High,
which is located at the end of the
triangular apex.
Northward Shifting of the Volcanic Arc
Lineament. Quaternary volcanic arc on
Java Island forms a lineament parallel with
the long axis of the island trending WNW
- ESE (100 NE). However, the lineament
slightly breaks in Central Java in an area
of the coastlines indentation. In this area,
the volcanoes shift northward making a
separated arc to the main volcanic
lineament. The diversion starts to the
northeast of Ajibarang with Mount Slamet
at the foot of arching. Mount
Rogojembangan and Mount Dieng
position at the crest of the arc and from
this place the trends southeastward to
another foot of the arc through volcanoes
of Sundoro, Sumbing, Merbabu, and ends
with Merapi. The northward shifting of the
volcanic arc in this area is considered to
relate to the position of the basement
which is getting uplifted southward in this
area. The uplifted basement may block the
magmatic volcanic vents. Blocking at
southern area, may divert the volcanic
venting to the north where the basement
collapsed due to subsidence and volcanoes
developed in this area.
Petroleum Implications

Petroleum potential of Central Java is not

yet fully understood, contrast with its
counterparts in West Java and East Java
basins which have been known to be very
prolific since the late 1800s. Central Java
has been lack of exploration for some
reasons. Tectonics of Central Java is
unique relative to West and East Java and
this is considered to affect its petroleum
geology.
Backarc and forearc basins which are
typically develop in Sumatra and Java are
modified in Central Java due its tectonic
uniqueness. Maximum uplift undergone by
southern Central Java due to the presence
of two opposite major strike-slip faults
strongly controlled the backarc and forearc
basins of Central Java. This maximum
uplift was compensated isostatically by the
subsidence of two areas to the north and
south of uplifted area : northern area
(North Serayu) and southern area (South
Serayu / Banyumas) (Figure 1). North
Serayu is a southern part of the Central
Java backarc basin. This part is subsided.
Sediments from southern basement
exposure and Miocene volcanic arc were
deposited into North Serayu Basin as
turbidites. Structures related to gravity
tectonics such as toe thrusts developed
verging to the north. South Serayu Basin
forms a forearc basin. Northern part of the
basin was subsided compensating the
uplift. Volcanoclastic turbidites were
deposited into the basin making some
appearances of diapiric structures. To the
offshore south Central Java, two basins
developed just to the west and east of the
apex of uplifted triangle zone and called
Western and Eastern Deeps, respectively.
A number of oil seepages and one small
oil field occur in North Serayu and South
Serayu basins. This indicates that
petroleum has been generated, migrated,
and trapped in these areas. Some potentials
present but people should consider the
tectonic uniqueness of Central Java to
explore this region.

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Bouguer anomaly (mgal)

Figure 1 New insight on the tectonics of Central Java. The presence of two opposite regional strike-slip faults of Muria-Kebumen and
Pamanukan-Cilacap Faults have resulted in some significant geologic phenomena in the region and controlled the distribution of sedimentary
basins.