FLUID DETECTION AND PRODUCTIVE INTERVALS IDENTIFICATION BASED ON
GAS CHROMATOGRAPH EVALUATION - A CASE STUDY ON TAPEN AND
KAWENGAN WELLS, EAST JAVA BASIN
Muadz Abdurrahman Rifqi1, Dwi Meidian Sulistyo1, Agah Nugraha1, Agung Prasetyo1
1
Exploration, PT Pertamina EP, Jakarta 12950, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
One of the most important data from drilling activity is gas
chromatograph. Well-site geologist uses this significant
data to evaluate gas composition and total gas from mud log
especially in the overpressure shale zone which caused
drilling problems such as wash out and bad hole condition.
Due to this problem, log data could not be acquired
properly.
A case study was taken in Tapen (TPN)-3, Tapen (TPN)-
1TW, and Kawengan (KWG)-P24 within the Wonocolo and
Ngrayong Formations section which are located in West
Cepu High, East Java Basin.
The objective of the study is to identify productive intervals
and their fluid characterization based on gas chromatograph
evaluation where electric logs data were not reliable.
Integrated analysis between gas dryness, wetness & balance
(Haworth Plot), Pixler Ratio, and character are used to
determine several potential intervals within the Wonocolo
and Ngrayong Formations. Subsequently the results are
correlated with mud log data and drill stem test (DST)
results to detect the fluid content.
The result of this study found two existing layers in
Wonocolo Formation and three existing layers in Ngrayong
Formation in the TPN-1 TW which are correlable with
those in TPN-3, and one new potential layer that are
correlable with that of KWG-P24. Fluid detection on three
wells at those six reservoir intervals shows four oil zones,
one gas-condensate zone, and one water zone which are
correlated with the DST’s data.
Our study analysis concludes that integrating the results of
gas chromatograph and mud log data can successfully
identify potential reservoir zone and its fluid content on
Tapen and Kawengan Wells, East Java Basin.
Keywords: Gas Chromatograph Evaluation, Fluid
Detection, East Java
INTRODUCTION
Tapen (TPN)-3 was drilled in 2014 in Sidoharjo, Senori
Sub district, Tuban Regency, East Java. This is the
delineation well based on a success of Tapen (TPN)-1TW
well in the year of 2012 which produced a total of 1700
BOPD, 6.692 MMSCFD, and 259.2 BCPD from 4 DST
intervals at the choke of 32/64”.
Early insight of potential hydrocarbon (HC) zone during
well operation becomes important, particularly in a highly
deviated well and overpressure shale area where borehole
problems tend to occur, hence jeopardizing the logging
program.
Well-site geologists have been continuously developing
new technologies and technique to use mud log data and
gas chromatograph in evaluating the potential HC
formations while drilling the formation. The most common
evaluations from gas chromatograph are gas dryness,
Haworth Plot, Pixler Plot, and character. The purpose of the
evaluation is to identify potential productive zone and its
fluid content using gas chromatograph data.
In this paper, we present our case study of Gas
Chromatograph analysis on Tapen and Kawengan Wells
and show that Gas Chromatograph Analysis can be used for
“quick look tools” to determine the productive interval and
its fluid content along the borehole formation.
DATA AND METHOD
Before doing the gas chromatograph quantitative analysis,
we have to first eliminate bad data or contaminant due to
mud containing oil (if OBM is used), mud additive, or CO2
gas using the Gas Quality Ratio (GQR) analysis. Generally,
if the GQR is within the range of 0.8 to 1.2, the data is
considered suitable for further analysis (Figure 1). On the
contrary, if the data lies outside the range, then it will be
ignored.
After we eliminate the bad data, we subsequently define
zones that have high total gas (TG) as the potential zone.
Aside from TG data, Gas Composition is also important to
detect potential zone. Zones that contain iC4 gas and above
indicate oil or condensate reservoir. After we narrow down
the possible interval for HC reservoir, we used more ratios
such as gas dryness, Haworth Plot, Pixler Plot, and
character to determined what kind of HC exist within the
reservoir and whether the zones are productive or not.
Cutting description from mud log data which provided
details of the lithology and HC show information are also
integrated in the case study.
 2298.89 m MD is 99.2% oil and 0.8% water. This zone can
be correlated with the Lower Ngrayong Fm productive
sandstone in Kawengan - P24 well.

2a

Figure 1. Gas data quality from Tapen Wells

APPLICATION AND CASE STUDY IN TAPEN

WELLS, EAST JAVA 2b

Gas Chromatograph Analysis was run during the drilling

operation of TPN-3. The data was in a good to fair GQR
range. After applying cut-off on the data (0.8 to 1.2), we
can see several peak features in the TG curve. The peak
features indicates a potential reservoir zone. Based from the
Gas Composition, there are five zones that contain iC4 gas
and above. These five potential layers then went through
Haworth Plot and Pixler Plot analysis to determine the
possible fluid content and productivity respectively. It is
indicated from the plot that the uppermost layer (Zone #5)
from the depth at 1189 - 1198 m MD is considered not good
enough because the zone contain only dry gas and not
productive based from C1/Sum ratio, wetness, and Pixler
Plot. The average value of C1/Sum Ratio is more than 0.95
(unitless) and average wetness value is less than 5 (Figure
2). From the mud log and cuttings, it can be seen lithology
is predominantly siltstones with no oil show. On the other
hand the remaining four zones show more promising results
with the possibility of the presence of gas, condensate, or Figure 2a. Wetness & C1/Sum ratio showing Zone #5 is a
oil (Figure 3). dry gas
Figure 2b. Pixler Plot showing Zone #5 is a non productive
The lowermost potential reservoir (Zone #1, at depth 2285- zone
2306 m MD) has a trace to fair oil show, which is great
indication for oil bearing zone. It is confirmed by the The potential zone above the sandstone unit is the shelfal
Haworth Plot and Pixler Plot that this is an gas and oil limestone of Ngrayong Fm (Zone #2) at depth 1883-1892 m
reservoir (Figure 4a). The sample taken from mini DST @
 Figure 3. Five (5) Potential Zones within TPN-3
MD which is defined as an oil bearing reservoir based on
Haworth and Pixler Plot (Figure 4b). This interval can be
correlated with Tapen-1 DST #1, which produced oil at the
rate of 468 BOPD and 0.267 MMSCFD from choke 32/64”.
At depth of 1587 - 1623 m MD, limestone of Bulu Mbr
(Zone #3) is the thickest potential reservoir of all. The
limestone is 117 m thick but the potential interval is only in
the upper part (1587 - 1622 mMD). From the Haworth and
Pixler Plot, the zone is defined as oil bearing reservoir
(Figure 4c). The separation of wetness and balance is great,
indicating the oil is a heavy oil type. The wetness value is
bigger than 40 ppm and lies in Residual oil phase,
indicating that the reservoir may also contain water or
residual oil (Figure 4). Surprisingly the DST results of this
interval has high water cut and has to be pumped using
sucker rod pump to produce the oil. The DST gross results
are 208 BLPD, with 58 BOPD and 150 BWPD. The Water
cut is 72.4 %. Oil API gravity is 46.9 which in the range for
light crude oil. This layer can be correlated with TPN-1TW
DST-#3 that has already been tested before with the rate of
488 BOPD, 0.099 MMSCFD, 48 BWPD.
The uppermost potential reservoir can be distinguished into
two reservoirs (Zone #4, and Zone #5), at depth 1470-1487
m MD and 1488 – 1497 m MD from its lithology and fluid
content. The Wonocolo interbedded sandstone and
limestone unit is defined as an oil reservoir with gas, and
gas reservoir respectively confirmed by Haworth Plot and
Pixler Plot (Figure 4d). This zone can be correlated with
DST #4 and DST #5 in TPN-1TW well that produced
743.65 BOPD, 0.813 MMSCFD, 79.9 BWPD from choke
32/64 and 6.692 MMSCFD, 259.2 BCPD respectively.
RESULT
Gas dryness, Haworth Plot, Pixler Plot, and character
indicate five HC bearing potential reservoir. Four of them
are existing layers from TPN-1, three zones have already
been tested and one zone is considered nonproductive dry
gas zone. One new layer is determined as an oil reservoir
based from the analysis and the mini DST results. All the
DST results match with the gas chromatograph analysis
(Table 1).
CONCLUSION
Early detection of HC zone can be done while drilling the
wellbore using mud log and gas chromatographs data. This
analysis should be done by all well-site geologist in the
field, because it becomes important in case there is a
problem such as wash out that can affected hole condition
whereby logging data could not be acquired properly.
 4a 4b

4c 4d

Figure 4. Pixler Plot of Potential Zones within TPN-3

Table 1. Five (5) Potential Zones and its equivalent DST Results
DST Results
No TPN-3 Depth (mMD) Gas Analysis Results Equivalen Depth (mMD)
Choke MMSCFD BOPD BWPD
1 Zone #1 2285-2306 Productive Oil and Gas Mini DST TPN-1TW @ 2298.89 - - 99.2% Oil 0.80%
2 Zone #2 1883-1892 Productive Oil DST#1 TPN-1TW 1756 - 1761 20/64" - 336.000 -
3 Zone #3 1587-1623 Productive Oil with Water DST#3 TPN-1TW 1675 - 1684 32/64" 0.099 488.000 48.000
4 Zone #4a 1488-1497 Productive Oil DST#4 TPN-1TW 1383 - 1390 28/64" - 654.600 -
5 Zone #4b 1470-1487 Productive Gas and Oil DST#5 TPN-1TW 1362 - 1368.5 24/64" 4.198 - -
6 Zone #5 1189-1198 Nonproductive Dry Gas TPN-1TW 1095-1104 Not Tested
From the study we can conclude that, integration of gas
chromatograph analysis and mud log data can successfully
identify potential reservoir zone and its fluid content during
the drilling operation. The zones that have been identified
are four zones that exist in TPN-1TW and one zone in
KWG-P24.

REFERENCES

Pixler, B. O. 1969, Formation Evaluation by Analysis of

Hydrocarbon Ratios. J Pet Technol 21 (6): 665-670.
SPE-2254-PA.
Haworth, J.H., Sellens, M., and Whittaker, A. 1985.
Interpretation of Hydrocarbon Shows Using Light (C1-
C5) Hydrocarbon Gases from Mud-Log Data. AAPG
Bulletin 69 (8): 1305-1310.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express their appreciation to Pertamina EP for

allowing this paper to be submitted for the FSTH
convention, and gratitude to all Java Exploration Division
personnel for the discussions and support. The author also
acknowledges Mrs. Lindy Rotinsulu, Iwan Bagus, and Dwi
Meidian for sharing their knowledge and to Mr. Agung
Prasetyo and Mr. Agah Nugraha for the guidance during the
study.