Pedaro formation, equivalent of Plover sandstone at Savu Island, Outer Banda Arc

Abstract

Abstract Plover Sandstone have been widely known as a good quality of oil and gas reservoir in NW Australia. As the continuity of NW Australia margin, outer Banda Arc become the distribution area of the equivalent of Plover Sandstone units. Therefore, a clear distinction and characterization of equivalent of Plover Sandstones distributed in this area is needed. Thick unit of quartz rich sandstone is scrap out in south Savu Island. Refers to the location where the lithology is found widely distributed, the unit is suggested to be called as Pedaro Formation. The characteristic of the lithology is determined through detailed measured section from two trajectories and laboratory analysis, including fourteen samples of petrography analysis, eight samples of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis, and three samples of X-Ray Difraction (XRD) analysis. The lower part of the unit is initiated by braided fluvial conglomerates which gradually become tidal sand flat association of shale layers, coal seams and sandstone insertion. While the upper part of the unit is consisting of thick bedded quartz sandstone with thin siltstone insertion, deposited in the shoreface environment. Those facies association developed at transgressive conditions in the estuarine environment. The characteristic of the sandstone unit of Pedaro Formation is thickly bedded quartz wacke to quartz arenite, white to light grey in color, moderately to very well sorted, mostly mature sand. Pedaro Formation is identified to be deposited at Early Jurassic in interior craton tectonic setting. The characterization of sandstone unit of Pedaro Formation is showing that the unit can be correlate to the equivalent of Plover Sandstone found in Timor. Sandstone unit of Pedaro Formation can play a role as reservoir candidate in petroleum system of Savu and surrounding area.