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Correlation of the Salawati and Tomori Basins, eastern Indonesia: A

constraint on left-lateral displacements of the Sorong fault zone

Article  in  Geological Society London Special Publications · January 1996

DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1996.106.01.29

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 Correlation of the Salawati and Tomori Basins, eastern Indonesia:
a constraint on left-lateral displacements of the Sorong fault zone
TIM R. CHARLTON
Department of Geology, Royal Holloway University of London,

Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX, UK

Present address: Ridge House, 1 St. Omer Ridge, Guildford, Surrey GU1 2DD, UK

Abstract: The Salawati Basin of western New Guinea and the Tomori Basin of eastern Sulawesi,
Indonesia, are two sedimentary basins located either side of the main fault strands in the Sorong
fault zone strike-slip system. It is suggested that prior to displacement on the Sorong system the
two formed a single sedimentary basin. Movement on the Sorong system occurred largely during
the latest Miocene-Quaternary, contemporaneous with deposition of a clastic sedimentary
succession. An older basinal sequence, essentially Miocene in age, is composed predominantly
of carbonate sediments, and this may have formed part of the foreland basin sequence related to
the east Sulawesi orogenic belt. Correlation of the Salawati and Tomori Basins implies a left­
lateral displacement of about 900 km on part of the Sorong fault zone.

The Salawati Basin of northwestern Irian Jaya
(Indonesian western New Guinea) is the most
important petroleum producing basin in eastern
Indonesia. The northern edge of the basin is
truncated by the Sorong fault, one fault strand in
a broad zone of regional left-lateral shear usually
known as the Sorong fault zone (Figs 1 & 2). The
Sorong fault zone extends between the Bird's Head
region of Irian Jaya in the east and the island of
Sulawesi in the west, a distance in excess of

Continental shelves:

~ Eurasian
PACIFIC OCEAN
D Australian

M.S.C.Z.

AU

INDIAN OCEAN

Fig. 1. Regional tectonic setting of the Sorong fault zone. Inset: relative convergence vectors for the Eurasian (EU),
Indo-Australian (AU) and Pacific (PA) plates in the eastern Indonesia region.

From Hall, R. & Blundell, D. (eds), 1996, Tectonic Evolution of Southeast Asia, 465
Geological Society Special Publication No. 106, pp. 465--481.

-
466 T. R. CHARLTON

Blank onshore: Post-orogenic basins

ob---i Platform
Imbricated Terranes of 'Australian'
stratigraphic affinity
III Terranes of non-Australian origin ('allochthon') E:::J Basement
o 200 400 km

Fig. 2. Structural setting of the Salawati and Tomori Basins and the Sorong fault zone. Bathymetry shaded at 1000 m
intervals adapted from Rehault et al. (1991), Smith &,. Silver (1991), Milson et al. (1992) and Hamilton (1979).

1500 km. The total offset on this fault system is
poorly constrained, but most estimates are in the
range of many hundreds to several thousands of
kilometres (e.g. Visser & Hermes 1962; Tjia 1973;
Pigott et al. 1982; Pigram & Panggabean 1984).
This poor constraint results primarily from the
absence of unambiguous displacement markers
either side of the fault zone. The main aim of this
paper is to suggest that prior to the development of
the Sorong fault system the Tomori Basin, located
off the east coast of Sulawesi, formed the northern
half of a single sedimentary basin with the Salawati
Basin. This implies a displacement on the Sorong
system of approximately 900 km. This interpret­
ation has important implications for regional
tectonic evolution and hydrocarbon exploration in
eastern Indonesia, both of which will be considered
in this paper.
Regional tectonic setting
Eastern Indonesia is situated in the zone of inter­
action between three of the Earth's major tectonic
plates (Fig. 1): the Eurasian, Indo-Australian and
Pacific plates (the Philippine Sea and Caroline
plates, which separate the Pacific plate proper from
the eastern Indonesia region, have only small
motion vectors relative to the Pacific in this region,
and for the purposes of the present paper can be
treated as sub-plates of the main Pacific plate).
Relative to the mantle, Eurasia is nearly static,
whilst the Indo-Australian plate is moving towards
the NNE, and the Pacific plate is approaching
Eurasia in a WNW direction (Fig. 1). The Sorong
Fault Zone is a transcurrent boundary between the
Pacific and Indo-Australian plates, with a
WSW-ENE orientation sub-parallel to the relative
movement vector between these two plates.
One important effect of the Sorong transcurrent
system has been to strip continental terranes from
the northern margin of the Australian continental
block and transfer them westward as elements of
the Pacific plate. Subsequently these allochthonous
terranes have collided with and been accreted into
the western margin of Eurasia. Such displaced
continental terranes with Australian stratigraphic
affinity include Buton, southeast and east Sulawesi,
the Banggai-Sula block and southwest Obi island
(Figs 1 & 2; e.g. Pigram & Panggabean 1984). The
Tomori Basin, one of the primary focuses of the
present paper, is a successor basin developed on the
Banggai-Sula continental fragment.
 SALAWATI & TOMORI BASIN CORRELATION
The geology of the Sorong fault zone is rela­
tively poorly known (Hall et al. 1991), and various
lineaments have been proposed as the main fault
strands in this system. The fault pattern preferred
by the present author is shown in Fig. 2. In the east,
the Sorong fault sensu strictu forms a well-defined
east-west fault zone some 10-20 km broad through
the Bird's Head. West ofthe Bird's Head, the author
interprets the main fault strands to be the direct
westward extension of the Sorong fault south of
Obi island to immediately east of Sulabesi island
(here named the Sorong-Sulabesi fault), and the
South Sula fault (the western half of the South
Sula-Sorong fault of Hamilton 1979) west of
Sulabesi island. Present-day seismicity in the
Sorong fault zone is primarily associated with the
Sorong-Sulabesi fault (Kertapati et al. 1992). At its
western end, this seismically active belt connects
via Sulabesi island southeastwards to a NW-SE
trending belt of shallow level seismicity through
Seram island, possib1y the right-lateral fault system
identified by Linthout et al. (1991); and northward
into seismicity associated with the eastern margin
of the Molucca Sea collision zone (Fig. 1). The
island of Sulabesi has a structure controlled by N-S
trending normal faults, and marks a right step
between the presently active and inactive strands
of the main Sorong fault system. Sulabesi has
probably been rotated some 90 0 anticlockwise re1a­
tive to the main Sula islands to the north as a result
of transtension. Other fault strands, such as the
North Sula-Sorong fault and the Molucca-Sorong
fault proposed by Hami1ton (1979) and others may
or may not have had significant displacements in
the past, but are not active at the present day. These
fau1ts, however, lie north of the Banggai-Sula
displaced terrane which is the primary concern of
the present paper, and any movement on these
faults would be additional to the strike-slip offsets
interpreted here.
A number of estimates have been made as to
when the Sorong fault zone became an active
feature. These include the Oligocene (Pigott et al.
1982), Early Miocene c. 25 Ma (Hermes 1968),
Early Miocene (Tjia 1973), Early-Mid Miocene
(Hamilton 1979), post Mid Miocene (Visser &
Hermes 1962), Early Pliocene (Dow & Sukamto
1984) and mid Pliocene (Froidevaux 1977). As will
be discussed in more detail subsequently, it is
suggested that the fault system has been active
since the Late Miocene (c. 6-8 Ma).
In the following sections, the geology of the
Salawati and Tomori basins will be outlined, and
then the points of similarity that lel:'d to the con­
clusion of a common origin will be discussed. This
will be followed by discussion of the regional
tectonic and hydrocarbon exploration implications
of this interpretation.
467
The Salawati Basin
The Salawati Basin, located between the western
margin of the Bird's Head and the island of Misool
(Figs 2 & 3), is essentially a Neogene feature,
although the older basinal succession is concordant
with an underlying Palaeogene shelf succession.
Two distinct phases of basinal development are
apparent: a Miocene phase in which carbonate
sedimentary environments predominated, and a
Pliocene-Recent phase dominated by clastic
sedimentation.
Structural setting
Total Tertiary isopachs for the Salawati Basin
define a NW-SE trending trough which is trun­
cated in the north by the Sorong-Sulabesi fault
(Fig. 3). The eastern margin of the basin is found in
the island of Salawati and the northwest comer of
the Bird's Head, whilst the western margin is
marked by the island of Misool. As mentioned
above, the basin is readily divisible into Miocene
and Plio-Quaternary sub-basins. The Plio­
Quaternary basinal depocentre is situated midway
between Salawati and Misool islands, whilst the
Miocene depocentre was located beneath the
present-day Sele Straits separating Salawati island
-from the Bird's Head (Fig. 4).
The Miocene carbonate basin beneath Salawati
island and the NW comer of the Bird's Head had
a semi-enclosed horseshoe shape open to the NW,
with deep-water environments surrounded to the
NE, east and south by shallower carbonate shelf
(e.g. Vincelette & Soepardjadi 1976; Gibson­
Robinson et al. 1990; see Fig. 10). No significant
faulting is recognized in association with this
earlier basinal phase, which seems to have formed
by essentially passive downwarping after
deposition of the shallow marine Oligocene Sirga
Formation (described subsequently). The main
fault-related structural elements of the present­
day basin developed during accumulation of the
younger, clastic basinal sequence. According to
Cockcroft et al. (1984), regional tilting of the basin
occurred after deposition of the Miocene Kais and
Klasafet formations, and this was followed during
the mid Pliocene-Pleistocene by development of
N-S trending normal faults. E-W trending folds,
found in particular near the Sorong fault, are also
of Pliocene age (Gibson-Robinson et al. 1990).
Pre- Tertiary stratigraphy
Pre-Tertiary stratigraphy, ranging in age from
Palaeozoic to Upper Cretaceous, is exposed on the
flanks of the Salawati Basin in the northern Bird's
Head of Irian Jaya and in Misool island (Fig. 5).
468
o 50km
3
Fig. 3. The Salawati Basin. Tertiary isopach contours are in km, interpolated from Imperial (feet) contouring by
Redmond & Koesoemadinata (1976).
In the northern Bird's Head, continental basement
comprises Siluro-Devonian shales and turbidites
(the Kemum Formation) which were deformed,
metamorphosed and intruded by granitic rocks (e.g.
the Melaiurna Granite) during the Late Devonian­
Early Carboniferous (Visser & Hermes 1962;
Pieters et ai. 1983). Lower Carboniferous(?) syn­
orogenic sediments of the Aisajur Formation are
folded but not metamorphosed.
The mid Palaeozoic basement is succeeded
unconformably by a platform sequence com­
mencing with the Upper Carboniferous-Permian
Aifam Group. Further granitic intrusion into the
Kemum basement occurred during the Permo­
Triassic (the Anggi Granite Suite), contem­
poraneous with the deposition of the Aifam Group
and the succeeding Tipuma Formation, which is
a red bed sequence of Triassic-Lower Jurassic age.
In Irian Jaya generally the Tipuma Formation is
succeeded by the Kembelangan Group of upper
Lower Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous age. In the
northern Bird's Head the only element of the
Kembelangan Group recognized at outcrop is
the Cretaceous Jass Formation (Pigram & Sukanta
1982). This comprises calcareous and micaceous
mudstone with minor 1imestone and sandstone.
T. R. CHARLTON
~
~
~ Miocene
[=.??J
Mesozoic-Palaeogene
l==:::l
[±] Continental basement
-
Tertiary volcanics on
G continental crust
Non-continental elements
'
A third phase of igneous intrusion also occurred
during the Late Cretaceous, with granitic core
samples from the base of the Salawati K-1X well
yielding Campanian-Maastrichtian K-Ar radio­
metric ages (71 ± 1.5 Ma from biotite and
79.3 ± 1.1 Ma from amphibole: Lunt & Djaafar
1991).
In Misool, metaturbidites apparently similar to
the Kemum Formation of the Bird's Head form
the oldest recognized stratigraphic unit (the Ligu
Metamorphics: Pigram et al. 1982). Their age,
however, is uncertain, and Siluro-Devonian
(Pigram et al. 1982), Permian (Froidevaux 1974)
and Triassic (Simbolon et al. 1984) ages have been
suggested for the sedimentary protolith. The oldest
unmetamorphosed sequences in Misool are Triassic
turbidites of the Keskain Formation, and partly
contemporaneous Upper Triassic reefal limestones
of the Bogal Limestone Formation. The Bogal
Limestone is overlain unconformably by Lower­
Middle Jurassic shales (Yefbie Shale), and these
are in tum succeeded by Upper Jurassic shelf
carbonates of the Ligu Formation and contem­
poraneous(?) shales of the Lelinta Shale Formation.
These pass up conformably into Cretaceous bathyal
limestones of the Facet Limestone Group (Gamta
 Change ~f direction

SW NE:W E
Misool Salawati island Sele Bird's Head (j)

~
Straits Jef Li~1
Klamogun Klamumuk
(TBF·1X) IKlamonol Klawilis ~
~
~

2 ~
o
3 volcanics ~o(;\ '5.o\j.~ ~
«o(,~ 0~~0 t:C
4 km
o, ~'0-~ 0.0 0-<0
»
(j)

, , , ' SOkm
, ~0~ Z
Vertical exaggeration xS n
o
r:::::::::::::]
:::::::::::::::::: Palaeogene
~ Miocene shelf
0::::::::0 carbonate with ~ limestone facies
Miocene deepwater E',:":,,,::,,: '1 Plio­
:-:-:-:-::-::-:­ Quaternary
~~
~
pinnacle reef (Klamogun Fm.)

Fig. 4. Cross-section through the Salawati Basin and pre-Tertiary subcrop (eastern part after Vincelette & Soepardjadi 1976). The Miocene Salawati
Basin had a depocentre beneath the present-day Sele main Plio-Quaternary depocentre between Salawati and Misool islands.

..j:>.
0'1
I.D

470 . T. R. CHARLTON

Salawati Basin Tomori Basin

SYSTEM/
SERIES North Bird's Head Misool Banggai-Sula East Sulawesi
PII n

>­ Miocene
a:
<C Oligocene
i=
a:
~ Eocene

Palaeocene

(f) Upper
:::>
o
w

~
a: Lower
u

Upper

I-:-::~----I.'. ' .. '. . .... ' ... ' ' .. ....,..~------.......

~ : .:: !!~u.m~. ~~r~.~ti?~ : .: . Elogal
~ Upper :':i' :..::.. . ::.:.:.....
:·:·.:'R·:· Limes ?:n.~:7~:":~:":-:7::-::-:-:
~ I-~~--r:. :... :.. ': :.:-::.. ': ·.R·-: .:.': ':':-: :.. + .~-:-~7~~~~~~~{~..:.~3t~J?: +
~ J--U...,:p...:.,p_e_r-l (Relationship with Ligu (Age of metamorphic + (Basement not seen)
Metamorphics uncertain) basement protolith
:E
a: Lower
unknown) +
w
Il.
(f)
:::>
o
a:
w
Upper

-­
Shelf limestone

Deepwater limestone -
R Red beds
Coal
Chert

~
LL Marl
Shale
Z 00 Conglomerate
o ?~A" +
m
a: Lower
''':''.:'::''' _ IsaJur
. '-' ;.; . . . .. Formation + tz]
._. Siltstone V Acid volcanics

~
B
<C Periods of acid
Sandstone/shale
U -­ igneous intrusion
SILURO­
D
.. Sandstone

Fig. S. Simplified stratigraphy of basement terranes beneath the Salawati and Tomori Basins. Primary data sources
for the Northern Bird's Head: Visser & Hermes (1962), Pieters et ai. (1983) and Pigram & Sukanta (1989); Misool:
Pigram et al. (1982) and Simbolon et al. (1984); Banggai-Sula: Garrard et al. (1988), Surono & Sukama (1993) and
Supandjono & Haryono (1993); East Sulawesi: Sirnandjuntak (1990), Cornee et al. (1994).

Limestone and Waaf Fonnation). The uppennost A number of petroleum exploration wells
Cretaceous is represented by shales passing located between the Bird's Head and Misool have
upwards into shelf limestones (the Fafanlap encountered the pre-basinal succession beneath the
Formation), which are succeeded conformably Salawati Basin. Broadly comparable sequences to
by Lower Palaeogene sandstones (the Daram those found in the Bird's Head and Misool were
Sandstone Fonnation). A shelf limestone sequence encountered, but significant differences include
equivalent to the New Guinea Limestone Group the presence of Jurassic section (post-Toarcian) in
of the Bird's Head follows conformably; this equivalents of the Kembelangan Group, and the
will be described in more detail in the following occurrence of volcanic breccias, volcaniclastic
section. sediments and tuffs in the Upper Cretaceous.
 SALAWATI & TOMORI BASIN CORRELATION 471

comprises a thin sequence of basal clastics

Tertiary stratigraphy
The older Tertiary succession of the Bird's Head­
Misool region, which overlies Mesozoic and older
rocks unconformably, is primarily developed in
limestone facies. In the Bird's Head this sequence
forms the New Guinea Limestone Group (Visser &
Hermes 1962; Pieters et al. 1983). The Tertiary of
this region is best known from the NW Bird's Head
and Salawati island, where it has been intensively
studied during hydocarbon exploration. However,
the Tertiary section of Misool also forms part of
the marginal Salawati Basin succession.
The Tertiary succession in the western Bird's
Head and Salawati island (Fig. 6) commences
with the Faumai Formation, dated as upper Lower­
Upper Eocene (Gibson-Robinson et at. 1990),
although lithological equivalents extend up into the
Oligocene (Fig. 6; Pieters et al. 1983). The Faumai
Formation, which is up to about 250 m thick,
succeeded by shelf carbonates. The overlying
Oligocene Sirga Formation is predominantly a
clastic sequence consisting of sandstone and shale
with minor limestone. The Sirga Formation was
deposited under neritic to epineritic conditions, and
is up to about 200 m thick.
The oldest part of the truly basinal succession
comprises a series of contemporaneously
developed Lower-Middle Miocene carbonate
lithofacies, corresponding to a SE-NW transition
from shelf to deep-water environments (Figs 5
& 6). The shelf carbonates are assigned to the Kais
Formation, and deep-water time equivalents form
the Klamogun Formation. The latter comprises
interbedded marly and flaggy limestones with
abundant planktonic foraminifera. The Kais
Formation persisted into the Upper Miocene, but
the Klamogun Formation was progressively
replaced by a shallowing-upward sequence of

SALAWATI BASIN
SOUTH NW SE
Sele Con lomerate 0 0

10

12

18

20

22

24

26

28 Q) Q;
c:
Q)
Q.
Q.
() :::l
30
0
0)
32
0 Q;
34 ~

36
.3
38 :u
Q.
Q.
40 :::l

42

44
Q) Q)
46 c:
Q)
is
"0
48
()
0 :E
W
50

52

54

Igneous rocks MJga ~~~;t Pre-Tertiary (Silurian-U. Cretaceous)

Fig. 6. Stratigraphic comparison of the Salawati and Tomori Basins (Salawati Basin after Gibson-Robinson et al.
1990; Tomori Basin after Davies 1990, Handiwiria ]990 and Abimanyu 1990). The simpler, more laterally continuous
appearance of the Tomori Basin is probably an artefact of less intense exploration in that basin.
472 T. R. CHARLTON

marl and siltstone (the Klasafet Formation). On
the basinal flanks the shelfal Kais Formation is
typically 350 m thick, whilst the basinal Klamogun
Formation is 1159 m thick and the Klasafet
Formation about ] 925 m thick in their respective
type sections (Visser & Hermes 1962). Pinnacle
reefs developed locally near the shelf-slope break
during the Middle-Upper Miocene, and these
extend the typical thickness of the Kais Formation
by up to 533 m (Gibson-Robinson et al. 1990).
The second, clastic, basinal sequence is repre­
sented primarily by the Pliocene Klasaman
Formation. This consists of interbedded sandy
calcareous mudstone and argillaceous sandstone
with minor conglomerate and lignite. This
sequence has a maximum thickness of about
4500 m (Visser & Hermes 1962; Pieters et al.
1983). It is succeeded unconformably by the Sele
Conglomerate of Quaternary age.
In Misool (Fig. 5) the Upper Palaeocene­
Oligocene(?) Zaag Limestone, which is approxi­
mately the equivalent of the Faumai Formation in
the Bird's Head, succeeds the Daram Sandstone
conformably (Pigram et al. 1982; Simbolon et al.
1984). No equivalent of the Oligocene Sirga
Formation is recognized, this time period being
represented by an unconformity possibly associated
with minor folding. As in the Bird's Head, the
Lower Miocene is represented by contemporaneous
shelf carbonates (the Openta Limestone) and a
somewhat deeper water sequence (the Kasim Marl)
which consists of well bedded marly and sandy
limestones containing planktonic foraminifera. The
Openta Limestone extends up into the Middle
Miocene, but the Upper Miocene is absent. The
Pliocene-Quaternary Atkari Formation overlies the
Openta Limestone unconformably. In contrast to
time equivalents in the Bird's Head, the Atkari
Formation is predominantly a shelf carbonate
sequence.
The Tomori Basin
The Tomori Basin is located off the east coast of
Sulawesi island (Fig. 7). Unlike the intensively
explored Salawati Basin, the Tomori Basin is a

~ Continental
L:......:J cover ••• Subsurtace limit of
~ Continental .... East Sulawesi
~basement ... Ophiolite

Fig. 7. The Tomori Basin, east Sulawesi. Structure of Tolo Gulf after Davies (1990). Basin isopachs in km adapted
from Hamilton (1979) taking into account later drilling data. Onshore geology simplified from GRDC mapping.
 SALAWATI & TOMORI BASIN CORRELATION 473

region of frontier hydrocarbon exploration with
only ten wells drilled to date. These are all located
along the western margin of the basin, either on
the coastal plains of east Sulawesi or immediately
offshore.
Structural setting
Figure 7 shows a Tertiary isopach map for the
Tomori Basin based on the contouring of Hamilton
(1979), but modified in the light of the more recent
well data. The basin has a triangular or T-shaped
map plan, probably reflecting two stages in the
basinal evolution. In the north, the NE-SW
elongation of the basin corresponds closely to the
thrust front of the east Sulawesi fold-and-thrust
belt, and it has been suggested (e.g. Davies 1990;
Handiwiria 1990) that this portion of the Tomori
Basin originated as the foreland basin to this
orogenic belt. The NW-SE prolongation of the
basin does not have such an obvious origin. It will
be suggested later that this trend marks the former
connection between the Tomori and Salawati
Basins.
Figure 8 shows two cross-sections through
the western margin of the Tomori Basin; one in the
north through the Minahaki well, the other in the
south through the Tiaka field (Fig. 7). The northern
and southern halves of the basin have very different
structural styles, and also significantly different
timing of deformation. The southern part of the
basin is characterized by thrust faults, whilst the
northern part is characterized by normal and
wrench faulting (Davies 1990). There is also a
marked change in the strike of thrust structures,
from SW-NE in the east Sulawesi orogenic belt
west of the northern basin, to nearly N-S in the
south, offshore in the Tolo Gulf (Fig. 7). In the
southern foldbelt, section as young as the Lower
Pliocene Kintom Formation (described later) is
affected by thrusting (Fig. 8b), whilst in the north
there is no clear evidence for active thrusting
during deposition of this unit (Fig. 8a). In the north
the dip of sediments in the Kintom and Bia
Formations away from the orogenic front suggests
post-orogenic molasse-type deposition. The only
faulting recognized on the northern cross-section
is normal faulting down throwing west toward the

NW "" ~km Min~ki-1 SE a

~~~~~~~~~~~~~.~..~.~.~
..-..-.~..-..-.~.~.J-o

Fig. 8. Sketch cross-sections through the western margin of the Tomori Basin based on seismic sections figured by
Davies (1990), Abimanyu (1990) and Handiwiria (1990). (a) Section through the Minahaki-l well in the north of the
basin. (b) Through the Tiaka field in the south of the basin. Note different horizontal and vertical scales. Horizontal
scales were not included in the original figures and are therefore approximate. See Fig. 7 for locations.
474 T. R. CHARLTON
mountain front. This only affects rocks as young as
the Miocene (and older) Salodik Group, and could
be interpreted as downfaulting in the foreland
associated with development of the east Sulawesi
orogenic belt. This is consistent with the usual
dating of orogenesis in this region as approxi­
mately Middle Miocene (e.g. Davies 1990).
However, the younger, Pliocene, deformation seen
in the south does not seem to have significantly
affected the northern region. The timing and
significance of this deformation history will be
discussed in more detail later.
As in the Salawati Basin, most of the variation in
total stratigraphic thickness of the Tomori Basin is
accounted for by the Plio-Quaternary, predomi­
nantly clastic, sequences. Thickness variations in
the Miocene succession are less marked, but there
is a general southward thickening from about
600-650 m in the northern wells to more than
1000 m in the south (where the foldbelt deforma­
tion makes precise estimation of true stratigraphic
thickness from well sections more difficult). Pre­
Miocene sedimentary section is absent from the
north of the basin, and is only 60-90 m thick in
the central basin. The pre-Miocene has not been
penetrated by drilling in the south of the basin,
although it is recognized in the subsurface from
seismic data (R.A. Garrard, pers. comm.). Thus,
as in the Salawati Basin, basinal subsidence
commenced at the beginning of the Lower
Miocene, at least in the northern and central
portions of the Tomori Basin.
Pre-basinal stratigraphy
Pre-basinal sequences forming the 'basement' of
the Tomori Basin are exposed on the Banggai and
Sula islands to the east, and are imbricated in the
east Sulawesi fold-and-thrust belt to the west. In
Banggai and Sula (Fig. 5) the oldest rocks recog­
nized include unnamed mica schist and gneiss,
lower grade metasediments (the Menanga
Formation) and granitic intrusives (the Banggai
Granites). The age of the sedimentary proto lith is
unknown, but schists on Peleng island have yielded
Carboniferous radiometric ages (305 ± 6 Ma:
Sukamto 1975), interpreted as the age of meta­
morphism. The granites have yielded Late
Permian-Triassic radiometric ages (Pigram et al.
1985), and are probably cogenetic with acid
volcanics (the Mangole Volcanics) of probable
Triassic age (radiometric ages of 210 ± 25 Ma
and 330 ± 90 Ma: Sukamto 1975).
The oldest unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks
in the Banggai and Sula islands are probably reefal
limestones of the Nofanini Formation. These were
interpreted by Garrard et al. (1988) as Upper
Triassic, although they have not been dated
accurately (Garrard, pers. comm.). The present
author has also examined outcrops of the Nofanini
Limestone, and they appear directly comparable to
reef limestones also provisionally dated as Upper
Triassic from the Tanimbar islands.
The Nofanini Formation is succeeded by or is
partly contemporaneous with red beds of the
Bobong Formation. This is dated as Lower-Middle
Jurassic by Surono & Sukarna (1993) and
Supandjono & Haryono (1993), but it may range as
old as Upper Triassic (Garrard et al. 1988). Marine
transgression occurred during the Toarcian (e.g.
Sato et al. 1978), and subsequently during the rest
of the Jurassic and the early part of the Cretaceous
(at least to the Hauterivian) a sequence of claystone
and marl with minor limestone accumulated (the
Buya Formation). Above this, apparently after a
mid Cretaceous hiatus, are deep-water chalky lime­
stones of the Tanamu Formation. This ranges in
age from at least the Santonian until the Upper
Palaeocene (Garrard et al. 1988). Succeeding this
in the Banggai islands are Eocene-Middle Miocene
shelf carbonates of the Salodik Formation. Further
east, in the Sula islands, the Palaeogene is absent
according to the mapping of Surono & Sukarna
(1993), although Garrard (pers. comm.) has
obtained Palaeogene ages from samples collected
in Mangole island. Shelf limestones equivalent to
the upper part of the Salodik Formation were
deposited in this area during the Lower-Middle
Miocene.
Dolerite dykes have been recorded locally
intruding the Banggai Granite and the Jurassic
Bobong Formation. Their age has not as yet been
better constrained than post-dating deposition of
the Bobong Formation (Surono & Sukarna 1993;
Supandjono & Haryono 1993).
In the east Sulawesi fold-and-thrust belt, two
distinct stratigraphic sequences are imbricated
together: a parautochthonous sequence of con­
tinental origin with affinities to the Banggai-Sula
sequence described above; and an allochthonous
sequence related to the obducted east Sulawesi
ophiolite. Only the parautochthonous sequence is
described here (Fig. 5) as the allochthonous
sequence has only limited relevance to the Tomori
Basin.
In the parautochthonous sequence basement has
not been recognized. The oldest sedimentary rocks
are of Triassic age, and comprise contemporaneous
hemipelagic carbonates (the Tokala Formation) and
turbiditic sandstone-shale sequences (the Bunta
Formation) (Katili 1978; Rusmana et ai. 1986).
Recently Upper Triassic reefal facies have also
been identified (Cornee et al. 1994). These are
succeeded by Lower Jurassic conglomeratic sand­
stones with shale and coal (the Nanaka Formation)
and Middle-Upper Jurassic limestones and marls
 SALAWATI & TOMORI BASIN CORRELATION 475

(the Nambo and Tetambahu formations) (Surono of the basin this sequence comprises shelfal
et al. 1987; Simandjuntak 1990). argillaceous limestones passing up into dolomitized
In the Cretaceous two formations (the Luok and limestones with coal interbeds. In the south the
Matano Formations) have been recognized through undifferentiated Tomori Formation comprises
regional geological mapping. Both consist of deeper water carbonates lacking coal interbeds.
relatively deep-water carbonate-shale-chert The Middle Miocene Matindok Formation,
sequences, and the two have been interpreted as comprising claystone and sandstone with minor
more proximal and more distal facies within a low limestone and coal, overlies the Tomori Formation
energy sedimentary environment (T. Simandjuntak, conformably (Handiwiria 1990). This is in tum
pers. comm.). The Luok Formation is dated as succeeded conformably by the essentially Upper
Turonian-Maastrichtian in age (Rusmana et al. Miocene Minahaki Formation which marks a return
1984). It is succeeded unconformably by shelf to shelf carbonate deposition. Pinnacle reefs occur
carbonates of Lower Eocene-Lower Miocene age in the north of the basin (the Mantawa Member)
which, as in the Banggai islands, are assigned to and claystone interbeds in the south, again
the Salodik Formation (Simandjuntak 1990). In suggesting deepening of the palaeoenvironment
the Eocene and Oligocene, deeper water marl with to the south.
limestone intercalations has been mapped as the The Pliocene-Recent succession is composed
Poh Formation (Rusmana et ai. 1984; Surono et al. predominantly of clastics assigned to the Sulawesi
1987). The Salodik and Poh formations have been Group (Abimanyu 1990). The Lower Pliocene
placed within are-defined Salodik Group by Kintom Formation, which apparently succeeds the
Handiwiria (1990). The Salodik Group is Minahaki Formation without significant hiatus,
succeeded unconformably by molassic sediments consists of sandstone and claystone grading up into
of the Sulawesi Group (Abimanyu 1990). The conglomerate and sandstone. This is succeeded
Salodik and Sulawesi groups as recognized in the conformably by the Upper Pliocene Bia (or Biak)
offshore Tomori Basin will be described in more Formation, composed of conglomerate and sand­
detail in the following section. stone. The Quaternary Kalomba Formation, which
Pre-basinal basement has been penetrated in is also composed largely of conglomerate, follows
several exploration wells drilled through the unconformably. This developed contempor­
Tomori Basin (Davies 1990; Handiwiria 1990). , aneously with the Luwuk Formation which is a
Three wells in the north of the basin (Matindok-l, reef limestone sequence.
Minahaki-l, Mantawa-l) encountered intrusive
igneous rocks, whilst the Tiaka-2 well in the central
portion of the basin penetrated quartz-mica schist,
Correlation of the Tomori and
dated radiometrically as Middle-Late Triassic
(224 ± 9 Ma: Handiwiria 1990). Wells in the south Salawati Basins
of the basin did not reach basement except for The following points of correlation can be recog­
Dongkala-l which penetrated an ophiolitic nized between the Salawati and Tomori Basins:
sequence. This is believed to be part of the over­
thrust and allochthonous east Sulawesi ophiolite • Both basins are underlain by continental base­
rather than pre-basinal basement related to the ment consisting of Palaeozoic(?) metasediments
Banggai-Sula microcontinent (Davies 1990). No intruded by Carboniferous-Triassic granites.
unmetamorphosed pre-Tertiary sedimentary rocks • Comparable unmetamorphosed Mesozoic sedi­
have yet been encountered beneath the Tomori mentary sequences subcrop the basins or outcrop
Basin. nearby. Common stratigraphic features include
the occurrence of reef limestones of probable
Upper Triassic age in east Sulawesi, Sula and
Basinal stratigraphy Misool; Upper Triassic turbidites in east
The oldest sedimentary rocks recognized through Sulawesi and Misool; Triassic-Lower Jurassic
exploration drilling in the Tomori Basin are red beds in Banggai-Sula and the Bird's Head;
assigned to the lower member of the Tomori Toarcian transgression followed by Middle­
Formation (Fig. 6). This consists of a thin basal Upper Jurassic shales in Misool and Banggai­
clastic sequence succeeded by shelf carbonates, Sula; Upper Jurassic limestones in east Sulawesi
dated as Upper Eocene-Lower Oligocene in age and Misool; mid Cretaceous hiatuses in Banggai­
(Handiwiria 1990). The unconformably succeeding Sula, the Bird's Head and possibly east Sulawesi;
middle and upper members of the Tomori and deep-water Cretaceous limestones in Misool,
Formation are essentially Lower Miocene in age, Banggai-Sula and east Sulawesi. In addition, it is
although they include Upper Oligocene sediments possible that the Late Cretaceous granite of the
in one well (Minahaki-l). In the north and centre Bird's Head and volcanic/volcaniclastic rocks in
476 T. R. CHARLTON
Misool and offshore to the east might correlate
with the as yet undated but post-Middle Jurassic
dolerites of Banggai-Sula.
• Tertiary sedimentation commenced in the Tomori
Basin and the eastern Salawati Basin (Salawati
island and the western Bird's Head) during the
Eocene with thin transgressive clastics succeeded
by shelf carbonates. In both basins, however, the
base of the Tertiary is strongly diachronous,
ranging from upper Lower Eocene-Lower
Miocene in the eastern Salawati Basin, and at
least Upper Eocene-Lower Miocene in the
Tomori Basin (Fig. 6). In Misool the basal
clastics (the Daram Sandstone) are thicker
(about 50 m: Pigram et al. 1982) and as old as
Palaeocene. The succeeding shelf carbonates
(Zaag Limestone) may also be locally as old as
Palaeocene. Older Tertiary section may underlie
the southern part of the Tomori Basin, but this
has not yet been penetrated by exploration
drilling.
• A break in predominant Tertiary carbonate sedi­
mentation occurred in both basins in the mid
Oligocene. In the eastern Salawati Basin this was
marked by deposition of the clastic Sirga
Formation, whilst to the west in Misool there is
an unconformity possibly associated with minor
folding. In the Tomori Basin a mid Oligocene
unconformity separates the lower and middle
members of the Tomori Formation.
• Prior to the mid Oligocene break in carbonate
sedimentation both the Salawati and Tomori
regions were accumulating relatively thin shelf
sequences: the Faumai Formation is about 250 m
thick in the eastern Salawati Basin (Visser &
Hermes 1962; Pieters et al. 1983), and the lower
member of the Tomori Formation is up to 100m
thick (Handiwiria 1990). Truly basinal succes­
sions did not begin to accumulate in both areas
until the Early Miocene. In the eastern Salawati
Basin the Lower-Middle Miocene consists of
contemporaneous shelf (Kais Formation) and
basinal (Klamogun Formation) limestones, with
basinal deepening to the NW, towards the Sorong
fault. In the Tomori Basin, shelf carbonates are
found in the north, with more basinal limestones
in the south, towards the South Sula fault. The
Miocene section in the northwestern part of the
eastern Salawati Basin is more than 2000 m thick
(e.g. Vincelette & Soepardjadi 1976), and is more
than 1000 m thick in the southern Tomori Basin
(Handiwiria 1990).
• In the Middle Miocene fine-grained siliciclastics
began to accumulate in both basins. In the eastern
Salawati Basin the Middle-Upper Miocene
partly clastic Klasafet Formation progressively
replaces the deep-water carbonate Klamogun
Formation. The proportion of siltstone in the
Klasafet Formation decreases southward away
from the Sorong fault (Visser & Hermes 1962;
Pieters et al. 1983), suggesting a clastic sedi­
mentary source to the north or west. In the
Tomori Basin the Middle Miocene Matindok
Formation is recognized in all parts of the basin
so far drilled, but it thickens considerably and the
palaeoenvironment deepens to the south towards
the South Sula fault.
• During the Late Miocene there was a return to
shelf carbonate sedimentation in the Tomori
Basin. On the southern flank of the eastern
Salawati Basin carbonate shelf sedimentation had
continued without significant interruption from
the Early-Middle Miocene. Isolated patch and
pinnacle reefs are recorded in both basins at this
time.
• Carbonate sedimentation and growth of the
economically important patch and pinnacle reefs
became areally restricted in both the Tomori and
Salawati basins near the Miocene-Pliocene
boundary. The Pliocene Klasaman Formation of
the eastern Salawati Basin corresponds approxi­
mately with the Kintom and Bia formations of
the Tomori Basin. Both sequences show an
overall coarsening-upward, from predominant
claystone at the base to more sandy and con­
glomeratic facies at the top. Shelf carbonate
facies persisted into the Plio-Quaternary of
Misool (the Atkari Formation) and the Luwuk
Formation of the southern Tomori Basin.
• A strongly erosional base Pleistocene uncon­
formity is recognized in both basins. A succeed­
ing conglomeratic unit is also recognised in both
areas: the Sele Formation in the Salawati Basin,
and the Kalomba Formation in the Tomori Basin.
• In addition to stratigraphic similarities, the
Salawati and Tomori Basins share common
hydrocarbon kerogen characteristics (SPTI
Pertamina 1992). In both cases an anoxic,
restricted marine carbonate or calcareous shale
sequence is the suspected source rock (Robinson
1987). In the Salawati Basin this is either the
Lower Miocene Klamogun Formation (Robinson
1987) or the Upper Miocene Klasafet Formation
(Livingstone 1992). In the Tomori Basin the
source sequence is probably the Lower Miocene
middle member of the Tomori Formation (Davies
1990; Handiwiria 1990).
Regional tectonic implications
Figure 9 shows a possible reconstruction of the
eastern Sulawesi-western New Guinea (Bird's
Head) region prior to development of the Sorong
fault zone. The primary control on this recon­
struction is the alignment of the Salawati and
 SALAWATI & TOMORI
- 3 - Tertiary isopach (km) ~ Australian
.
L.:.::J
Basin >2km sediment r+:"'+1
~
Fig. 9. Reconstruction of the Bird's Head-Sula-Banggai-East Sulawesi region prior to development of the Sorong
fault. The Bird's Heads block is drawn in its present-day orientation with respect to north. In order to keep SW Obi as
an identifiable body, the inferred wrench faults bounding this terrane have not beeen restored.
Tomori basinal depocentres. However, as the
Salawati Basin has a double depocentre, there is
some ambiguity as to which depocentres should
be aligned. Both alignments give a reasonable
correlation of the basin isopachs, but placing the
Tomori Basin north of the eastern (Sele Straits)
depocentre of the Salawati Basin (Fig. 9) gives
a more plausible basemap for palaeogeographic
reconstructions (such as that for the Miocene
described below see Fig. 10). The net offset on
the Sorong fault zone based on this reconstruction
is about 900 km.
The Salawati and Tomori Basins show strong
stratigraphic similarities up until fairly recent
times, and this probably indicates that offset of the
two half-basins occurred relatively recently. The
restored composite basin in Fig. 9 is roughly
elliptical in shape, with an oblique orientation
suggestive of a strain ellipse resulting from left­
lateral shear parallel to the Sorong fault zone. This
probably suggests that the basin was formed
largely as a result of transtension on the Sorong
system. As most of the Tertiary stratigraphic thick­
ness that gives rise to the elliptical shape is
accounted for by the Plio-Quaternary clastic
sequences, and additionally as the Salawati Basin
BASIN CORRELATION 477
cover
• Allochthonous
basement
Australian basement
in particular shows little evidence of fault-related
deformation prior to the Early Pliocene, it is likely
that movement on the Sorong fault zone occurred
primarily during the Pliocene and Quaternary
periods. The precise age of the onset of clastic
sedimentation in the Salawati Basin has not been
stated in the published literature, but a stratigraphic
column illustrated by Livingstone (1992) indicates
the earliest deposition of the clastic Klasafet
Formation in the Upper Miocene. Livingstone
(1992) also showed an idealized burial plot for the
Waipili-l well in the northern part of Salawati
island which indicates that the top of the Kais
platform sequence began to subside rapidly
between 6-7 Ma ago. This might indicate the
time at which the Sorong fault system began to
develop.
A further constraint on the age of the Sorong
fault zone comes from regional plate tectonics. It
was suggested earlier that the orientation of the
fault system parallel to the relative convergence
vector between the Pacific and Indo-Australian
plates indicates that the present-day Sorong system
acts as a transcurrent boundary between these two
plates (Fig. 1). The motion of Australia relative to
the Pacific in this region is at a rate of 128 km Ma- 1
478 T. R. CHARLTON
on a bearing of 068° (using the Euler poles of
Minster & Jordan 1978). At this rate the 900 km
displacement would be achieved in a period of
7 Ma. Assuming that plate motion has been
constant through this period, this provides a
minimum age for the Sorong system. This estimate
is very similar to the commencement of subsidence
in the Salawati Basin indicated by Livingstone
(1992).
The absence of significant pre-Pliocene faulting,
together with the largely non-clastic nature of the
Miocene basin fill, suggests that the Miocene
carbonate basin pre-dated (and is therefore
genetically unrelated to) the development of the
Sorong fault system. Figure 10 shows a possible
interpretation of the Miocene basinal palaeo­
geography based on extrapolating the well estab­
lished palaeoenvironments of the Salawati Basin
into the Tomori Basin, and taking into account the
limited geological data from Banggai-Sula and east
Sulawesi. It would seem reasonable from Fig. 10
that the combined Salawati-Tomori Basin origin­
ated at least in part as the foreland basin to the east
Sulawesi orogenic belt. If this interpretation is
correct, then the clear evidence from the Salawati
Basin for strong basinal subsidence in the Lower
Miocene suggests that orogenesis was underway
in east Sulawesi by this time. This is somewhat
v--,r--L--rl. ALLOCHTHON
':-r-..p--.-I EjJCARBONATE SHELF
D SHELF EDGE (inc.
pinnacle reefs)
L:..:~-:-jBASINAL
Fig. 10. Miocene palaeogeography of the eastern
Salawati Basin (after Gibson-Robinson et al. 1990)
extrapolated into the repositioned Tomori Basin.
earlier than the usually accepted Middle Miocene
age (e.g. Davies 1990).
There is, however, a discrepancy between the age
of the east Sulawesi orogen as inferred from
onshore geology (which suggests important
orogenesis during the Middle Miocene or earlier)
and the offshore seismic and well data which
indicates fold-and-thrust belt development in the
Tolo Gulf during the Pliocene (Davies 1990). As
already described, the strike of the Tolo Gulf fold­
and-thrust belt is markedly oblique to that of the
orogenic belt onshore in east Sulawesi. It appears
that there were two distinct phases of development
in the east Sulawesi orogen: an earlier pre-Middle
Miocene phase which gave rise to a foreland basin
on its eastern flank (the Miocene Salawati-Tomori
Basin), and a later phase of fold-and-thrust belt
development during the Pliocene. The earlier phase
of deformation arose from arc-continent collision
(Davies 1990), whilst the Pliocene deformation is
probably related to the westward translation of
eastern Sulawesi in the Sorong fault system. The
Southeast Arm of Sulawesi shows clear structural
and stratigraphic similarities with the East Arm,
and probably formed a direct continuation of the
the east Sulawesi orogenic belt prior to the
Pliocene. The Tolo Gulf foldbelt probably
developed contemporaneously with oroclinal
bending of eastern Sulawesi, with the Southeast
Arm rotating anticlockwise with respect to the
East Arm.
In addition to the Bird's Head and eastern
Sulawesi, three displaced terranes are provisionally
repositioned in Fig. 9. These terranes are relocated
to give the tightest geographic fit consistent with
the regional geology. Banggai and most of the Sula
islands are treated as a single terrane which is fixed
relative to eastern Sulawesi and the Tomori Basin.
The positioning of Banggai-Sula is thus largely
defined by the re-positioning of the Tomori Basin
north of the Salawati Basin. However, some
freedom remains as to body rotation, and in Fig. 9
Banggai-Sula (and eastern Sulawesi) have been
rotated about 15° anticlockwise relative to the
Bird's Head in order to achieve the tightest
geographic fit. If, as is likely, the Bird's Head­
Misool block has itself undergone body rotations
relative to Australia during the Neogene, the
inferred 15° rotation of Banggai-Sula would be
additional to that in the Bird's Head.
The second displaced terrane in Fig. 9 comprises
Sulabesi island, eastern Mangole and the south­
western part of Obi island. The boundaries of this
terrane may be a simplification: Mangole island is
cut obliquely by a number of ENE-WSW trending
steep faults which may be left-lateral faults (as
suggested in the restoration) or could be normal
faults. In Fig. 9 Sulabesi is restored by reversing
 SALAWATI & TOMORI BASIN CORRELATION
an assumed anticlockwise rotation of about 90°
relative to Banggai-Sula and also relative to eastern
Mangole. Sulabesi and eastern Mangole are then
translated about 175 km eastward relative to
Banggai-Sula (cf. 180 km displacement without
rotation estimated by Garrard et al. 1988, based
on the similarity of structural style and the nature
of Jurassic sediments in Sulabesi and the Taliabu
Shelf immediately west of the Sula islands).
The third displaced terrane in Fig. 9 is the
Tamrau Terrane of the northern Bird's Head. Most
authors (e.g. Pigram & Davies 1987) have
interpreted very large displacements between the
Tamrau Terrane and the Bird's Head, in part based
on the apparent necessity of accommodating the
large strike-slip offsets of the Sorong fault zone to
the west on the single fault strand of the Sorong
fault. However, the geology of the Tamrau Terrane
is not greatly different from that of the Bird's Head
(cf. Visser & Hermes 1962), and it is suggested that
the Tamrau Terrane can be repositioned by a rela­
tively small eastward translation of about 60 km.
This would place the Netoni Igneous Complex
(Pieters et al. 1981) north of the Anggi Granites of
the eastern Bird's Head, and re-aligns the eastern
end of the Tarnrau Terrane with the eastern edge
of the continental Bird's Head block. (It has been
suggested by several authors that the Netoni Block
is itself a distinct 'mini terrane' within the Sorong
fault; however, the overlap of the Cretaceous Amiri
Sandstone across the supposed Tamrau-Netoni
terrane boundary (Hartono et al. 1989) does not
support this distinction). . .. . reef trend lies under water depths of 1000­
A consequence of this relatIvely Inruted dis­
placement on the Sorong fault through the Bird's
Head is that most of the movement on the Sorong
system must be taken up north of the Tarnrau
Terrane. In Fig. 9 most of the inferred left-lateral
movement is taken up along the northern edge of
the Tamrau Terrane such that Sulabesi island is
re-positioned immediately northwest of the Tamr~u
Terrane. This aligns N-S trending normal faults m
the Sula islands with similar faulting on the eastern
flank of the Salawati Basin, and also juxtaposes the
Jurassic-Cretaceous shale sequences of the Sula
islands with comparable sequences in the Tarnrau
Terrane.
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479
Implications for hydrocarbon exploration
The reconstructions in Figs 9 & 10 may also have
some implications for future oil exploration i~
this region. In the Salawati Basin, nearly all 011
production is from pinnacle reefs which developed
near the shelf-slope break around a semi-enclosed
Miocene basin. If this palaeogeography can be
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This work was initiated as part of the London University
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London University Consortium for Geological Research
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