The Geology of Indonesia/Sumatra

Contributors: A. Pulunggono, B. Situmorang, H. Darman

Sumatra Island is the northwest oriented physiographic
expression, lied on the western edge of Sundaland, a
southern extension of the Eruasian Continental Plate
(Fig. 2.1). The Sumatra Island has an area of about
435,000 km2, measuring 1650 km from Banda Aceh in
the north to Tanjungkarang in the south. Its width is
about 100-200 km in the northern part and about 350 km
in the southern part. The main geographical trendlines
of the island are rather simple. Its backbone is formed
by the Barisan Range which runs along the western side.
This region divides the west and the east coast. The slope
towards the Indian Ocean is generally steep, consequently
the west belt is mostly mountainous, with the exception
of two lowland embayments in north Sumatra which are
about 20 km wide. The eastern belt of the island is cov-
ered by broad, hilly tracts of Tertiary formations and al-
luvium lowlands. At Diamond Point, in Aceh, this low
eastern belt has a width of about 30 km; its width in-
creases to 150-200 km in central and south Sumatra. The
Sumatra island is interpreted to be constructed by colli-
sion and suturing of discrete micrcontinents in late Pre-
Tectonic setting map of Sumatra
Tertiary times (Pulunggono and Cameron 1984, Barber
1985). At the present-day, the Indian Ocean Plate is be-
ing subducted beneath the Eurasian Continental Plate in
a N20o E direction at a rate of between 6 and 7 cm/yr
(Fig. 2.2). This zone of oblique convergence is marked
by the active Sunda Arc-Trench system which extends
for more than 5000 km, from Burma in the north to
where the Australian Plate is in collision with Eastern In-
donesia in the south (Hamilton 1979). The basinal con-
figuration of Sumatra is directly related to the presence
of the subduction-induced non-volcanic forearc and the
volcano-plutonic backarc, the morpho-structural back-
bone of the Island.
In general the region can be divided into 6 regions (Fig.
2.1): 1. Sunda outer-arc ridge, located along the ac-
tive margin of the Sunda forearc basin and separate it
from the trench slope. 2. Sunda forearc basin, lying
between the accreting non-volcanic outer-arc ridge with
submerged segments, and the volcanic back arc of Suma-
tra. 3. Sumatra back arc basins including North, Cen-
tral and South Sumatra basin. The system developed as
distinct depressions at the foot of the Barisan range. 4.
Barisan mountain range, occupies the axial part of the is-
land and is composed mainly of Permo-Carboniferous to
Mesozoic rocks. 5. Sumatra intra-arc or intermontane
basin, separated by subsequent uplift and erosion from
this former depositional area, thus with similar litholo-
gies to the fore-and backarc basins.

1
2 1 2.1. SUNDA OUTER-ARC RIDGE

2.1.1. NIAS

Geology sketch map of Nias Island

Nias Island is located approximately 125 km off the west

coast of Sumatra (Fig. 2.1) and it has been frequently
cited as a classic model of an accretionary complex (Fig.
2.3). Nias lithologies were divided into two principal
units, the Oyo complex and the Nias Beds (Fig. 2.4).
The contact between the two units has not been observed
in the field.

1 2.1. SUNDA OUTER-ARC

RIDGE

The Sunda non-volcanic outer-arc ridge marks the west-

ern margin of the Sunda Forearc Basin of West Sumatra.
This chain of islands and sea-floor rises, between 100 and
150 km off the coast of West Sumatra, forms a struc-
Modified Nias-Sumatra cross section after Karig et al, 1979
turally controlled topographic ridge nearly 200 km wide
(Karig et al., 1979), that extends from the Andaman Sea
to the southeast of Java. Nias, Simeulue, and Banyak Is- Fig. 2.7. Hypothetical shallow structure across the Sunda
land lithologies represent the stratigraphy of the Sunda arc in the Nias area. Tectonic positions of subsequent
ourter-arc ridge in genereal. The geology of the Sunda profiles are indicated beneath the section (Karig et al.,
outer-arc ridge is represented by Nias and Simeulue Is- 1979)
land in this chapter. 2.1.1.1. OYO COMPLEX MELANGE

The Oyo Complex is described by Moore and Karig
(1980) as a tectonic melange. On Nias, outcrops of Oyo
Complex are seen as isolated blocks and boulders in river
sections, along road sections and coastal exposures. The
Complex is composed of sedimentary blocks, including
conglomerates, sandstones and siltstones, with subordi-
nate mafic plutonic rocks, pillow basalts and cherts (Har-
bury et. al., 1990). Sandstone blocks form the dominant
clast type in the SW part of the island, while pillow basalts
and gabbros form some largest blocks (up to 200 m diam-
eter) cropping out mostly along the west coast of the Nias
Island (Fig. 5). Texturally, the sediment boulders are
sub to mature clastic with mainly subangular to rounded
and well sorted sediments, and are either grain supported
or matrix supported. In the area where the melange is
present, landslips are common to occur and the fresh ma-
trix of the Oyo Complex can be observed. Good outcrop
of melange is exposed in central Nias (Moi River) and
SW Nias. The matrix forms a typical scaly clay, with a
high density of curved, polished shear planes. The age of
the Oyo Complex remains unresolved by paIeontological
analysis.
2.1.1.2. NIAS BEDS
Overlying the Oyo Complex, with probable uncon-
formable contact, are a series of clastic sediments of shal-
low to deep marine deposits of Nias Beds which are well
exposed along the eastern part of the island (Fig 2.4 &
2.5). It consists of coarse to fine sandstone, conglomer-
ate, mudstone, shale and limestone. The age of the Nias
Beds has been interpreted by previous authors as Early
Miocene-Pliocene. On the contrary, Situmorang & Yuli-
hanto (1992) fieldwork indicates that the lower part of the
Nias Beds is Upper Oligocene in age.
2.1.2. SIMEULUE
Simeulue lies slightly off-strike and to the northwest of
Nias (Fig. 2.1). This island shares a broadly compara-
ble geology with Nias, of melange overlain by interbed-
ded sandstone and siltstone sequences, with parts of the
succession dominated by bioclastic limestones. Although
lithological variations do exist, the most notable differ-
ences between the two islands is one of structural style.
2.1.2.1. SIBAU GABBRO GROUP
The oldest rocks exposed on the island are represented
by the Sibau Gabbro Group (Situmorang et al. 1987;
Fig. 2.4)). The Sibau Gabbro Group is composed mainly
of meta-igneous lithologies with predominantly transi-
tional contacts. The ophiolite correlates closely with a
partially defined gravity high in this area indicating that
the basic igneous rocks form a major body, extending
to a depth of several kilometres (J. Milsom, pers. com-
mun. 1990). Lithologies identified within the group in-
clude gabbros, meta-dolerite and meta-volcanics, all with
abundant chlorite and pumpellyite suggesting that these
rocks are all low-grade metamorphics. Rock dating sug-
gest that the Sibau Gabbro Group and Baru Melange For-
mation were metamorphosed between Late Eocene and
3
Early Oligocene (Harbury & Kallagher, 1991).
2.1.2.2 BARU MELANGE FORMATION
Situmorang et al. (1987) describe the Baru Melange
formation as being in structural (thrust) contact with
basalts at the top of the Sibau Gabbro Group (Fig.
2.4). Blocks within the melange include fine-grained,
micaceous sandstone some of which are fractured; very
well-consolidated, weakly sheared, micaceous mudstone,
poorly-sorted meta-greywacke; iron-rich meta-dolerite;
brecciated meta-basalt; meta- volcanics and calcite-rich,
lithic and crystal tuft’s. Blocks within the melange may
be in excess of 10 m in diameter. Smaller blocks of
5 – 10 cm in diameter are commonly enclosed within
a sticky blue/grey clay matrix containing organic mate-
rial, or within a cleaved mudstone matrix. No bedding or
other sedimentological characteristics, within the blocks
of the melange or the clay matrix, can be used to deter-
mine the stratigraphical base or top of the Baru Melange
Formation. The apparent random distribution of blocks
of different lithology within the outcrop area suggests that
the melange is unsorted. The thickness of the formation
is estimated to be approximately 200 m.
2.1.2.3 AI MANIS LIMESTONE FORMATION
The Ai Manis Limestone Formation forms a NW – SE
orientated ridge in the east central part of Simeulue. The
formation is approximately 260 – 350 m thick and con-
sists of both biostromal, biohermal (composed of in situ
corals) and bioclastic limestones. The major part of the
formation consists of bioclastic packstones composed of
skeletal bioclasts, large benthic foraminifera and quartz
grains. At the base of the formation a coarse-grained
sequence (the Pinang Conglomerate Member) is locally
observed resting on the Sibau Gabbro Group. A Late
Oligocene to Early Pliocene age is suggested for this for-
mation on the basis of palaeontological evidence (Situ-
morang et al. 1987; Fig. 2.4). The Pinang Conglomerate
Member is between 0.5 and 5 m thick and is exposed in
the Ai Manis region, where it rests with an angular un-
conformity on the Sibau Gabbro Group. The conglom-
erate is poorly-sorted and consists of clasts (mm – 50cm
in diameter) of metaigneous rock fragments, including
meta-basalt and meta-gabbro, and quartz, in a medium-
grained calcarenite matrix. A shallow water benthonic
foraminiferal assemblage indicating a Late Oligocene to
Early Miocene age was recovered from the conglomerate
(Situmorang et al. 1987).
2.1.2.4 DIHIT FORMATION
The Dihit Formation is widely exposed in most parts of
Simeulue). The maximum thickness of the formation
is estimated from the Dihit section, to be between 800
and 1000 m. The Dihit Formation contains no strati-
graphical control on the age of the formation. Base on
lithological similarities between the Dihit Formation and
the Nias Beds, the formation is considered to be of Late
Miocene to Early Pliocene age (Situmorang et al., 1987;
Fig. 2.4). The Dihit Formation is composed of grey,
4 2 2.2. SUNDA FORE ARC BASINS

predominantly fine-grained sandstone usually interbed- to Lower Oligocene interval is dominated by mudstone
ded with siltstone or shale. The sandstone is well-sorted, with minor interbeds of shale, siltstone and sandstone.
moderately well-consolidated, and unlike the Nias Beds, The mudstone is dark grey to black, moderately soft at
is micaceous. Bed thickness varies from 4 cm to 15 m the top but becoming more indurated with depth. The
in the most massive beds, but more characteristically is environment of deposition of this interval is assumed to
between 50 and 100 cm. Parallel laminations are rarely be shelf. The thickness of the Paleogene interval ranges
developed in the sandstone, but where present are very from less than 30 m up to 350 m. Pre-Neogene dacite
fine (<1 mm), and are laterally continuous through the tuff-lava was penetrated in the south of the basin with to-
outcrop. Organic matter, where present, occurs as small tal thickness of 31 m.
disseminated lignitic woody fragments and as very fine, 2.2.1.1.2. Basal Miocene clastics Directly overlying the
disseminated carbonaceous material; calcareous concre-
Paleogene angular unconformity is a sequence of sand-
tions are rarely observed. Sandstone, where interbedded stone, shale, coal and minor limestone. In the Meula-
with shale or mudstone, is usually the dominant lithol-
boh area the clastic sequence consists of nearshore ma-
ogy, with sandstone:shale ratios.between 2:1 and 30:1. rine and non-marine mudstone, sandstone, siltstone and
The sandstone is fine-grained, well-sorted and predom-
coal. Fossil recovery was poor in this interval leading to
inantly matrix-supported. Muscovite mica is present a tentative age of Mid Miocene up to Lower Miocene.
in all samples (trace – 3%). Massive sandstone, sand- The mudstone and siltstone are dark in color, calcareous
stone/siltstone and laminated sandstone/mudstone litho- to non-calcareous, firm and commonly interbedded. The
facies can be recognised from the Dihit Formation sedi- sandstone is gray, fine to medium-grained, quartzose with
ments. common vari-colored rock grains and slightly calcareous.
Coal beds are about 1 m thick and are interbedded with
mudstone. In the Singkel area a correlative clastic se-
quence is dated Upper Miocene in the vicinity of the well
2 2.2. SUNDA FORE ARC control but interpretation of seismic records basinward
BASINS suggests possible Mid Miocene rocks also.
2.2.2. BENGKULU BASIN (after Yulihanto et al, 1996)
In general, there are two Sunda fore arc basins in west The Bengkulu Basin is located in the southeast part of the
Sumatra, called Sibolga Basin in the nortwest of Sumatra Sumatra Island covering both onshore and offshore (Fig.
and Bengkulu Basin in the southwest (Fig. 2.1). 2.l). In general, it is trending NW - SE, parallel to Suma-
2.2.1 SIBOLGA BASIN (after Rose 1983) tra Island with about 600 kms length and 150 - 200 kms
wide. To the north and northeast lies Barisan Mountain
The Sibolga Basin lies between the island of Sumatra and
range, while in the south and southwest is bounded by
the adjacent outer-arc ridge to the west and is consid-
islands or slope break of the Sunda Arc Trench System
ered a fore-arc (outer-arc) basin (Fig. 2.1). The basin
(Fig. 2.7). The onshore part of the basin can be divided
trends northwest-southeast, averages 110 km wide and is
into two sub -basin i.e Pagarjati sub-basin in the nort and
approximately 800 km long (Fig. 2.6). The northern end
Kedurang sub-basin in the south which separated by north
terminates against the northwest extension of the Sumatra
- south trending Masmambang High.
Fault System at about latitude 6o30’ N. The southern end
of the Sibolga basin was arbitrarily placed in the vicinity 2.2.2.1. STRATIGRAPHY
of Pini and Batu Islands where a broad, southwest trend- The stratigraphy of the onshore Bengkulu Basin com-
ing low-lying arch separates it from the Bengkulu basin poses of a series of Oligo-Miocene up to Pliocene sed-
to the southeast. The Sibolga Basin is asymetrical to the iments overlaying unconformably the Pretertiary base-
southwest with upwards of 6100 m of Neogene sediments ments complex (Fig. 2.8). Based on few seismics sections
adjacent to the outer-arc ridge. A high-angle fault zone and wells drilled in the Bengkulu offshore area known that
forms the western margin of the basin and created asso- the sediment thickness is about 4000m ( 1,.000 feet). Re-
ciated drag structures as did strike-slip faults that cut di- cent onshore gravity work done by Lemigas has indicated
agonally through the basin in the vicinity of Nias-Banyak two sub-basin with low bouguer anomaly. The detail de-
islands. In spite of these faults, the majority of the Neo- scriptions of the stratigraphy as follow:
gene sedimentary rocks in the basin are undeformed.
2.2.2.1.1. Pre-Tertiary Rocks
2.2.1.1. STRATIGRAPHY 2.2.1.1.1. Pre-Neogene
The Pre-Tertiary basement complex is represented by
The pre-Neogene sedimentary section is separated from metasediments of Lingsing, Sepitiang and Saling Forma-
Neogene rocks by an angular unconformity. Seis- tions. The Lingsing Formation consists of claystones, silt-
mic interpretation indicates several hundred meters of stones and calcilutite with sandstones and chert intercala-
folded sedimentary rocks beneath the unconformity in tion of Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous age. This Lings-
the Meulaboh-Teunom area. Recrystallized belemnites ing series has interfinger relationship with Sepitiang and
have been reported in cores indicating possible Mesozoic Saling formations. The Sepitiang Formation composes
rocks unless the fossils are reworked. The Upper Eocene

of reef limestones with some calcirudite and calcaren-
ite lenses, and the Saling Formation mostly containing of
volcanic materials such as lavas, breccias, and tuffs.
2.2.2.1.2. Tertiary Succession
Surface geological studies exhibits that Tertiary sedi-
ments cropout in this onshore area is represented by Hu-
lusimpang, Seblat, Lemau, Simpangaur, and Bintunan
Formations (Fig. 2.8). The Hulusimpang Formation is
composed of andesitic and basaltic lavas, volcanic brec-
cias and tuff with sandstones intercalation. This forma-
tion is well exposed in the northern and eastern margin
of the basin, toward the Barisan Mountain. In general,
the Hulusimpang Formation is known as Early Oligocene
sediments which deposited in fluviatile up to shallow ma-
rine. The aproximate thickness is 700 m. The upper part
of the Hulusimpang Formation has interfingered with the
lower part of the Seblat Formation.
The Seblat Formation composes of sandstones, siltstones,
claystones, conglomerates with limestones intercalation.
They are mostly shallow - deep marine turbidite sedi-
ments of Late 0ligocene - Early Miocene age. The ap-
proximate thickness maesured in Tanjung Sakti area is +
298m.
The Middle to Late Miocene stratigraphy is represented
by the Lemau Formation. It consists of claystones,
calcareous siltstones and sandstones, breccias, and thin
coal seams and limestones intercalation, containing abun-
dance of small foram and mollusc which was deposited
in shallow marine up to transitional zone. This Forma-
tion is we11 exposed in the southern area such as Ta-
lang Beringin, Air Keruh, Rantau Panjang, Lubuk Tapi,
Batang Rikibesar and Tebing Kekalangan areas. The
thickness recorded is+785 m.
The Late Miocene - Pliocene sediment is represented
by the Simpangaur Formation. It consists of tuffaceous
sandstones, tuff, tuffaceous siltstones, with intercalation
of lignites, and also typified by abundance of foram and
mollusc fragments.. The total thickness is about 785 m
thick.
The youngest stratigraphic unit cropout in this area is the
Plio-Pleistocene Bintunan Formation which laying un-
conformably upon the older units. It composes of sand-
stones and tuffaceous claystones with pumice clast, con-
glomerates, breccias, limestones with lignite, and carbon
intercalation. Lithologically, compare to the Simpangaur
Formation, the Bintunan Formation in general is coarser
than Simpangaur and often containing silicified wood and
pumice clasts. This formation was deposited in shallow
marine and fluvial environment, and it ranges of about
200 m thick.
5
3 2.3. SUMATRA BACK ARC
BASINS
2.3.1. NORTH SUMATRA BASIN
It is important to emphasize that the present southwest
geographical limit of the North Sumatra Basin at the
northeast foot of the Barisan Range does not correspond
to the depositional limit of the Tertiary sediments (Fig.
2.1). The original limit of this deposition extended much
further to the southwest than the more recently uplifted
Barisan Range. This observation is supported by evi-
dence of Baong shale outcrops in the midst of the moun-
tains and also their presence in the Southwest Sumatra
Interdeep. The eastern and southeastern limits of the
basin are formed by the Asahan Arch (or Tebingtinggi
Platform; Fig. 2.9), which separated it, in Tertiary time
from the more extensive basin developed in Central and
South Sumatra. At basement level this limit is marked by
a north-south flexure, immediately east of Medan. East-
ward from the Medan Flexure structural deformation is
minimal on the platform. The present southwest struc-
tural limit of the basin runs along the Barisan Range, from
which it is separated by one or more compressional faults.
In the narrow wedge between the Medan Flexure and the
front of the Barisan Range, the structural trends at base-
ment level are oriented north-south. In this area, a flexure
may be present between Telaga and Basilam, as indicated
by the greater depth (3.0 seconds TWT on seismic sec-
tions) of the Belumai Formation in the western than in the
eastern block (approximately 2.5 seconds TWT). There
is no evidence that this flexure also exists at basement
level, because the basement configuration become vague
wherever the 2-way seismic time interval between top of
Belumai and top of basement is less than 0.2 seconds.
The possible presence of a flexure could be reflected in
the right-lateral movement deduced from the virgation of
folds and faults, changing from northwest in the south-
eastern block, to north where the flexure would be located
if present.
2.3.1.1. STRATIGRAPHY
2.3.1.1.1. Basement
The basement (Fig. 2.10) consists of sandstone, lime-
stones or dolomites; they are azoic, generally dense and
fracture, with steep dips up to 45o, but they are not meta-
morphically altered. In some plugs or cores, in the ab-
sence of dating, these sediments are not easily recognis-
able as basement. On the other hand, the high resistiv-
ities and velocities generally constitute a good contrast
with those of the overlying beds. Thus the top of this
section is readily identified with the deepest, continuous
seismic marker and conveniently been called “economic
basement” (Beicip, 1977).
2.3.1.1.2.Tampur Formation
Tampur Formation (Fig. 2.10) comprises massive, partly
biocalcarenites and biocalcilutites. Chert nodules are
6 3 2.3. SUMATRA BACK ARC BASINS

found in this formation, whereas the dolorites are com- the lows while the highs remained at least intermittently
mon. The formation also consists of basal conglomer- exposed. These basin-fill deposits comprise the Belumai
atic and dolomitic limestones. This formation was de- Formation (Fig. 2.10).
posited in the sublittoral - open marine condition dur- The Belumai is lithologically diverse, both vertically and
ing Late Eocene to Early Oligocene, formed as trans- laterally. Sandstones and siltstones are generally quartz-
gressive formation overlain by both Bruksah and Bampo rich and tend to be very calcareous (up to 40-50% carbon-
Formation. Source of basal limestone clasts is still un- ate). Quartz content decreases southwest to only 10-30%,
known but it assumed widely extended in the subsurface. presumably as a result of increasing distance from sand
The Eocene Tampur limestone generally only occurred in
sources on the Malacca Platform. Source areas are the
Malacca shelf (Rjacudu & Sjahbuddin, 1994). The rest same for the Belumai and for the older and less calcare-
of the Tertiary history of the North Sumatra Basin can
ous Bruksah clastics. A possible explanation for more
be divided into three phases: 1)Syn-rift; 2) Transitional calcium carbonate in the Belumai is that this unit accu-
(Early Foreland); and 3) Compressional (Late Foreland;
mulated after widespread shallow seas first covered pre-
Fig. 2.10). The stratigraphy of the basin is closely related Tertiary topography, much of which consists of carbon-
to these evolutionary phases.
ates. These oceans might have been nearly saturated (or
2.3.1.1.3. Early syn-Rift Phase: Bruksah and Bampo even super saturated) with calcium carbonate, and they
Formations might have maintained equilibrium by dissolving carbon-
The initial syn-rift phase began in the middle Paleogene ate bedrock while precipitating calcite cements. Rapid
(Eocene?) and continued until early Miocene, during sedimentation would protect the calcite in the sandstones
which time the N-S and NE-SW trending horsts, grabens from re-dissolution. In some areas, the original calcite
and half-grabens developed. This was also a time of ma- has been replaced by dolomite.
jor marine transgression (defined as a relative rise in sea In late early Miocene time, a major marine transgression
level within the basin, probably as a results of back-arc occurred, probably resulting from continued subsidence
subsidence). Initial graben-fill consisted of continental coupled with a eustatic sea level rise. The Malacca Plat-
sandstones and conglomerates. As the grabens deepened form and the central horsts were flooded and became the
and transgression progressed, areas of sand deposition de- sites of shallow marine limestone deposition, including
creased and shale deposition dominated. The later sands reefs, that comprise the Peutu Formation (Kamili et al.,
accumulated mainly in coastal plain to marine environ- 1976) and a significant thickness of shale that might fit
ments. The shales are typically dark grey to black in color better in the overlying Baong Formation. Sedimentation
and deposited in deep marine environment (bathyal). The of basinal Belumai deposits (calcareous sand, shale, and
sands were mainly derived from the Malacca Platform argillaceous limestone) continued during accumulation of
and the Asahan Arch, augmented by local contributions Peutu skeletal limestones and reefs on adjacent platforms.
from the horst blocks, most of which remained exposed This results in age equivalence between the Peutu and at
during this time. The conglomerates and sandstones de- least the upper part of the Belumai Formation.
posited during this phase comprise the Bruksah Forma- In the deepest parts of the North Sumatra Basin, Belumai-
tion (Fig. 2.10), defined by Cameron and others (1983) equivalent deposits consist of dark gray to black marine
from field mapping in the Barisan Mountains. Litholo- mudstones and calcareous shales that are difficult to dis-
gies include limestone conglomerates and breccias, mi- tinguish from the overlying Baong. Middle and upper
caceous quartzose sandstones, and silty mudstones. The Baong shales are greenish gray to brown in color, but the
Bruksah is overlain the Bampo Formation, a locally thick color of lower Baong shales is dark gray to black. For
sequence (500 to perhaps 2400 m) of marine black shale, practical purposes, the contact between Peutu or Belumai
siltstone, and muddy fine grained. Stratigraphic relation- with the overlying Baong is determined by an abrupt de-
ships indicate that the upper part of the Bruksah is at least crease in calcium carbonate.
partly equivalent in age to the Bampo Formation.
The contact between the Baong and underlying Peutu or
2.3.1.1.4. Late Syn-Rift to Transitional Phase: Belumai
Belumai varies from gradational to abrupt. Some high-
and Peutu Formations standing Peutu buildups (Arun, South Lho Sukon, Alur
The transitional phase of basin evolution occurred during Siwah) are overlain by middle Baong, with the lower
the early Miocene to early Middle Miocene and repre- Baong section (N8-N12) missing. The entire Baong sec-
sents a period of relative tectonic activities. Movement tion is preserved in other areas. At Kuala Langsa, for ex-
on the N-S trending faults ceased, although back-arc sub- ample, a massive buildup of coralline limestone is over-
sidence probably continued. This stage was character- lain by lower Baong shale without a noticeable gap in pa-
ized mainly by forced regression (sea level constant or leoenvironments (inner neritic to middle neritic) or lithol-
rising but sediment influx sufficient to cause regression) ogy (limestone to calcareous shale to shale). Paleonto-
and basin filling. As the central grabens filled and became logic evidence does not unequivocally indicate a gap in
shallower, calcareous marine sands and siltstones along age, but seismic profiles show onlap of basal Baong re-
with argillaceous and sandy limestones accumulated in flectors.

2.3.1.1.5. Early Foreland Basin Fill: Baong Formation
A major transgression accompanied sedimentation of the
Peutu/upper Belumai interval. The onset of this increase
in relative sea level may relate to an eustatic rise at about
15.5 m.y. (N8- N9), but the change from paralic to
bathyal environments reflects a reordering of basinal ar-
chitecture as well. Changes in the tectonic regime are
evident from reactivation and inversion of the old horst-
graben fault systems, initial development of major tran-
scurrent faulting, and local compressional folding. Re-
gional subsidence accompanying these changes formed
a deep, extensive foreland basin. The Baong Formation
filled the basin with a thick (750-2500 m) section dom-
inated by monotonous gray or brown mudrocks. The
Baong varies in age from Lower to Middle Miocene (N8-
N16; Fig. 2.10). Early workers subdivided this formation
vertically into upper, middle, and lower units. Distribu-
tion of Lower Baong shales indicates widespread bathyal
conditions. A flood of Globigerinid foraminifera within
the Lower Baong marks a maximum flooding surface at
about the N8/N9 faunal zone. Mudrocks dominate the
lower Baong section, but turbidite sands also occur in ar-
eas along the basin margins. In the Middle Baong (N13-
N14), the influx of detrital sand and silt increased from
both sides of the basin. This was accompanied by a gen-
eral shoaling in paleoenvironments from bathyal to outer
or middle neritic water depths. Sands attributed to both
eastern and western sources are similar in composition.
They vary from lithic arenites to lithic arkoses, with sed-
imentary and metamorphic lithic clasts. This contrasts
sharply with the overlying Keutapang, which contains
more volcanic detritus. Middle Baong sands do not reach
the central basin area, but the interval can still be rec-
ognized from increased silt and fine sand content of the
mudrocks, brown color (in contrast to dark gray to black
in the lower Baong), and shallower water fauna.
Middle Baong sedimentation ended with a period of
tectonic quiescence. Pre-existing structural highs were
eroded, resulting in a widely recognized seismic uncon-
formity of N-14 age. Except for local reworked sands
above the unconformity, overlying Upper Baong sedi-
ments consist of clay-rich mudrocks. Paleoenvironments
deepened again to bathyal water depths, followed by grad-
ual shoaling upward topped by paralic sands of the over-
lying Keutapang Formation. The uppermost Baong thus
consists largely of basin-filling prodelta and slope deposits
associated with progradation of Keutapang deltas (Fig.
2.11).
2.3.1.1.6. Late Foreland Basin: Keutapang and Younger
Formations
The Late Foreland phase completed initial tilling of the
basin. Transpressional tectonics continued, but sediment
influx kept pace with basin subsicience. Paralic to alluvial
environments were thus maintained from Late Miocene
onward. Sedimentation occurred as a series of deltaic
pulses, which were likely driven by changes in relative sea Holocene sedimentation has extended the coastal plain
7
level and sediment supply.
The Keutapang Formation marks the first major event of
deltaic sedimentation. The unit is dominated by beds of
resistant sandstone, which crop out as a band of ridges
with up to 200 m of relief. This precipitous terrain stands
out in sharp contrast to gently rolling topography of re-
cessive Baong shales, and surface relief appears to have
guided early mapping. Actual lithologic contacts are gra-
dational and much less obvious. The Keutapang varies in
thickness from about 700-1500 m in East Aceh. Plank-
tonic foraminifera for this unit span zones N15/16 to
N19, or Late Miocene to Early Pliocene (Fig. 2.10).
The unit consists of gray to gray brown or bluish gray
sandstones interbedded with subordinate shales and rare,
thin limestones. Sandstone grains vary in size from very
fine grained sand to pebble conglomerates. Sandstones
are commonly glauconitic and/or fossiliferous, contain-
ing gastropod and pelecypod fragments and foraminifera.
Coally plant fragments are common, and interbedded
shales are gray, blocky, and highly bioturbated.
Keutapang sandstones are classified as lithic arenites, but,
unlike the Baong, lithic clasts include common to abun-
dant volcanic rock fragments. Sandstone isopachs indi-
cate derivation from Barisan source terrain to the south
and southwest. Keutapang sands are interpreted to be de-
posits of sand-rich delta systems that prograded north-
eastward. Uplift of the Barisan provided sufficient detri-
tus to extend the shelf platform in this manner and fill the
onshore part of the North Sumatra Basin.
The upper contact of the Keutapang is poorly defined in
both outcrop and subsurface, and this boundary appears
to be both gradational and diachronous. Overlying sedi-
ments of the Seurula Formation contain more shale and
weather recessively, forming low, rounded hills. It is early
Pliocene in age (N18- N19), and varies in thickness from
about 700-900 m.
The Seureula consists of bluish gray shale and subordi-
nate fine to medium and locally coarse or conglomeratic
sandstones. Both sands and shales are fossiliferous and
contain coaly plant fragments. Volcanic clasts are abun-
dant in the sandstones, and shales are described as rarely
tuffaceous (Bennett and others, 1981). Although stud-
ied far less than the subjacent Keutapang, the Seureula
consists of volcanic-rich detritus apparently derived from
Barisan sources to the west. These accumulated in gen-
erally mud rich delta margin and deltaic environments.
The Late Pliocene Julu Rayeu Formation (Fig. 2.10) con-
sists largely of coarse clastics. Thin lignites commonly
occur in shales interbedded with the sandstones, and pa-
leoenvironments vary from alluvial to paralic. Uncon-
formably overlying the Julu Rayeu are geomorphically
distinct but poorly exposed Pleistocene terrace deposits
of gravel, sand and mud. These comprise the Idi Forma-
tion, described by Bennett and others (1981) as 50 m of
semi-consolidated gravel, sands and mudstone.
8 3 2.3. SUMATRA BACK ARC BASINS

2 to 25 km. north and east of the high- standing Pleis- NNW to N trending right lateral strike-slip faults. These
tocene terrace. These recent sediments include lobate to are all second order structural features in relation to the
arcuate deltas of the Jambo Aye, Arakunda, Peureulak, primary NW trending of the Sumatra Fault Zone. Minor
and Tamiang rivers plus intervening chenier plain and structures within the Basin are second order NE trend-
tidal estuarine deposits. The flat, low-lying coastal plain ing normal faults and NNE trending third order right lat-
is heavily populated and supports extensive development eral strike slip faults (Verral, 1982). An earlier, Paleo-
of shrimp ponds in coastal marshes and rice cultivation gene east-west extensional deformation affected the Pre-
farther inland. Neogene section, producing large NS trending graben
filled with Pematang Formation. Differential compaction
2.3.2. CENTRAL SUMATRA BASIN
and recurrent movement of this earlier system has a tec-
For a complete discussion regarding regional setting of tonic overprint on the Neogene structural system.
the Central Sumatra Basin we refer the readers to pa-
pers by Mertosono and Nayoan ( 1974), Wongsosantiko 2.3.3. SOUTH SUMATRA BASIN
( 1976), and Eubank and Makki ( 1981), Williams, et. The South Sumatra Basin is located to the east of the
al.,1985. Figure 12 is a summary of the stratigraphy in Barisan mountains and extends into the offshore areas
this basin. The Central Sumatra Basin was formed dur- to the northeast and is regarded as a foreland (back-arc)
ing the Early Tertiary (Eocene-Oligocene) as a series of basin bounded by the Barisan mountains to the southwest,
half grabens arid horst blocks developed in response to and the pre-Tertiary of the Sunda Shelf to the northeast
an East-West direction of extensional regime (Eubank & (de Coster, 1974). The South Sumatra Basin was formed
Makki, 1981). A divergent transform boundary (non- during east-west extension at the end of the pre-Tertiary
coupling) between the Sunda Microplate and the Indian to the beginning of Tertiary times (Daly et d., 1987).
Oceanic Plate during Paleogene gave rise to extensional Orogenic activity during the Late Cretaceous-Eocene cut
regime and crustal stretching of the western part of the the basin into four sub-basins. The following details are
Sunda Land resulting in the formation of Pematang type after van Gorsel (1988).
grabens (Davies, 1984). Pematang Graben Development
The structural features present in the basin are the result
can be divided in 3 stages: 1. Pregraben Stage, minor of the three main tectonic events (de Coster, 1974). They
block rotation along pre-existing zone of weakness, be-
are Middle-Mesozoic orogeny, Late Cretaceous-Eocene
ginning of the Lower Redbeds deposition; 2. Graben tectonism and Plio-Pleistocene orogeny. The first two
Stage, rapid block rotation/subsidence, development of
events provided the basement configuration including the
a deep anoxic lake with slow deposition of the Brown formation of half grabens, horsts and fault blocks (Adi-
Shale Formation associated with lateral facies variation widjaja and de Coster, 1973; de Coster, 1974; Pulung-
such as alluvial fan along graben and lake margins; 3. gono et al., 1992). The last event, the Plio-Pleistocene
Post Graben Stage, slower rate of subsidence coupled orogeny, resulted in formation of the present northwest-
with a major sea-level drop in Upper Oligocene caused southeast structural features and the depression to the
worn-down of the graben rim and the lake was dried up. northeast (de Coster, 1974).
Subsequently, the lake was fill with coarser clastic de-
posits of the Upper Red Beds Formation. A mild tec- In the South Sumatra Basin the best surface sections are
tonic event occurred during Late Oligocene marked by found around the Gumai Mountain anticline. From old
a major unconformity relationship with the overlying Si- to young the following lithostratigraphic units were de-
hapas Group. Lower Miocene marine sediments of Siha- scribed:
pas were mainly derived from the Malacca Land direc- 2.3.3.1. STRATIGRAPHY
tion, while older section is thought to be locally derived.
Biostratigraphy and seismic data indicate an important 2.3.3.1.1. Cretaceous
non-depositional break separating the Telisa and Petani The complexly folded Pre-Tertiary in the Gumai Moun-
Formations. This break probably corresponds to an im- tains contains two different units, the relations of which
portant tectonic pulse at the initial time of the Barisan are unclear : - Saling Formation: Mainly poorly-bedded
uplift coincident with a major low-stand event during volcanic breccias, tuffs and basaltic-andesitic lava flows,
Middle Miocene. It reflects the reversal of sedimenta- hydrothermally altered to greenstones,. Three interca-
tion from the Malaysian Shield (Lower Miocene) to the lations of dark gray reefal limestone occur, with Meso-
Barisan source (since Middle Miocene) and is considered zoic fossils like the coral Lovcenipora and the gastro-
to be N7 to N12 in age. Structuring in the Central Suma- pod Nerinea. The Saling Formation rocks may be a Late
tra Basin is related to the first order NW-SE trending Jurassic-Early Cretaceous volcanic island arc association
right lateral strike-slip fault (the Sumatra Fault System), with fringing reefs.
in response to an oblique northward low angle subduc-
-- Lingsing Formation: Mainly grey-black, thin-bedded
tion of the Indian Ocean Plate beneath the Asian Plate
shales or slates, with minor interbeds of green andesitic-
which gave rise to a transpressional stress system. Neo-
basaltic rock, radiolarian-bearing chert and one several
gene structures within the basin are dominantly WNW
tens of meters thick limestone bed rich in the Early Cre-
to NW trending folds and high angle reverse faults and
taceous foraminifer Orbitolina, but without corals. The

Lingsing Formation rocks suggest an Early Cretaceous
deep water facies. Whether it is a deep water equiva-
lent of the Saling Formation or whether it is younger or
older is not clear. Both formations were intruded by Late
Cretaceous or Early Tertiary granodiorites. Pulunggono
and Cameron (1983) regarded the Gumai Mountains Pre-
Tertiary as part of their Woyla basement terrane, and in-
terpreted it as a possible Cretaceous subduction complex.
2.3.3.1.2. Paleogene
- Lahat Formation (Musper, 1937)
Unconformably overlying the Pre-Tertiary, but con-
formable under “Talang Akar” and Baturaja sediments is
a thick (up to 3350m) series of andesitic volcanic brec-
cias, tuffs, lahar deposits and lava flows, with a remark-
able quartz-sandstone horizon in the middle. Except for
some silicified wood, fossils are absent and exact age is
uncertain. The formation is possibly an equivalent of the
widespread “Old Andesites” of Sumatra and Java. On
Java these are dated as Oligocene, overlying marine Mid-
dle and Late Eocene beds. Three members are distin-
guished, from old to young:
1. Lower Kikim Tuff Member: Andesitic tuffs, breccias
and some lava beds. Lava beds seem to decrease in north-
ern direction. Thickness is variable (0-800m). 2. Quartz-
sandstone Member: This member is conformable, or
with a minor unconfformity over the Lower Kikim tuffs,
or may directly overlie Pre-tertiary rocks. It could be
mapped all around the Gumai anticline. The base is a
.5 to 3m thick conglomerate, followed by finer conglom-
erates and sandstones. Cross-bedding is common. Al-
most all grains are quartz (polycrystalline; probably de-
rived from granitic rock), but dark cryptocrystalline vol-
canic rock fragments were found, too. Thickness varies
between 75 and 200m.
3. Upper Kikim Tuff Member Conformable over, the
quartz sandstone, and with a gradual transition, is another
series of greenish andesitic volcanics. Overall grain size is
finer than that of the lower member. Fine-grained, well-
bedded tuffs and tuffaceous claystones are interbedded
with coarse-grained, lahar-like deposits. Lava flows are
extremely rare; most material appears to be redeposited
volcanics. Thickness decreases to the NW from 2500 to
309o, suggesting an eruption center somewhere to the SE
(Musper, 1937). The Lahat Formation underlies the Ta-
lang Akar Formation and consists of fluvial or alluvial
fan sands, lacustrine and fluvial clays and coals and it is
questionable whether these are the same as the Lahat vol-
canics.
2.3.3.1.3. Pre-Baturaja Clastics
In the South Sumatra basin a highly variable complex of
clastic sediments is found between the Lahat volcanics
and the Early Miocene marine Baturaja or Telisa Forma-
tions. Thick series are found in predominantly N-S trend-
ing grabens (Benakat gully, Lematang trough), which
formed in the Oligocene, perhaps also somewhat earlier.
9
The basal part with volcanoclastic sediments and lacus-
trine clays is called Lemat Formation, and is either a distal
facies of the Lahat Formation or, more likely, a younger
unit rich in debris from the Lahat Formation. The upper
part of the graben-fill series is the fluvial and deltaic Ta-
lang Akar Formation, which is mainly Late Oligocene in
age. Thickness in the oilfield areas is up to 800-1000 m.
Neither the Lemat, nor the Talang Akar Formation have
been properly defined and no type sections were desig-
nated.
No good outcrops of these graben fill sediments are
known. In surface sections around the Gumai Mountains
clastic sediments between the Lahat Volcanics and Batu-
raja Formations are very thin or absent.
Musper (1937) called the thin clastic interval below the
Baturaja the “Wood-horizon”, because large silicified tree
trunks are common at the base of the unit. Thickness
is about 20-30m. In the Cawang Saling section it is a
transgressive series, with at the base a few meters of
poorly sorted conglomerates with pebbles of quartz, vol-
canic rock and silicified wood, and cross-bedded sand-
stone (fluvial or alluvial fan deposits). These are overlain
by 2 m of lenticular-bedded sand and clay, overall fining-
upward (intertidal), followed by l m of calcareous sand-
stone with common shallow marine larger foraminifera
(Early Miocene; marine transgressive sand).
2.3.3.1.4. Baturaja Formation
Limestones found in various places near the base of the
Telisa Formation are usually attributed to the Baturaja
Formation. It is locally developed shallow water facies of
the lower Telisa shales and should probably be regarded
as a member of this formation. Surface outcrops of Bat-
uraja limestone are found at several places around the
Gumai Mountains. Maximum thickness is about 200m,
but is usually less. Both massive reefal facies and deeper
water fine-grained well-bedded limestone with thin marl
intercalations are present. In the subsurface, Baturaja
limestones are found only on paleohighs and along the
basin margin. It is absent over low areas with thick
graben-fill, where a marine shale facies with a typical, rich
foraminifera assemblage is found (Vaginulina zone; basal
Telisa). Age of this formation is within the early part of
the Early Miocene (Upper Te larger foram assemblages,
equivalent of planktonic foram zones N5-N6).
2.3.3.1.5. Telisa Formation (Tobler 1910) / Gumai For-
mation (Tobler 1906)
The thick series of Early (and locally also early Middle)
Miocene deep marine shales and marls in South and Cen-
tral Sumatra was described under two different names.
The Gumai Formation is based on sections along the Gu-
mai Mountains, while the Telisa Formation is named af-
ter the Telisa river near Surolangun, Jambi. The forma-
tion is characterized by a thick series of dark grey clays,
usually with common planktonic foraminifera that may
form thin white laminae. Whitish tuffs and brown tur-
biditic layers composed of andesitic tuffaceous material
10 3 2.3. SUMATRA BACK ARC BASINS

are locally common. Layers with brown, lenticular cal- (sand, clay, coal) at the top. Sands may be glauconitic and
careous nodules up to 2 m in diameter are most common contain volcanic debris. Especially the upper part of the
in the upper part of the formation. member clear bipyramidal quartz and light-colored acid
Thickness of the Telisa Formation is highly variable tuffs are common. In most of the basin, the coals are low-
(from a few hundred to 3000m or more). This is mostly grade lignites. Only around young andesite intrusions,
controlled by differential subsidence; but it probably also like Bukit Asam, the lignites were altered to high-grade
reflects the fact that in the thick, basinal areas the Telisa coal. In this area coal occur in three groups: an upper
may include marine lateral equivalents of the upper Ta- (with 6-7 seams), a middle, and a lower group (Merapi
seam; 8-l0 m). The roofs of coalbeds may be silicified,
lang Akar, Baturaja and Lower Palembang formations.
especially where overlain by tuff beds (volcanic ash falls).
Towards the top the open marine Globigerina marls grade At their base root horizons and in situ true trunks may
into brownish prodelta clays with fewer planktonics, but be found, suggesting most coals are autochtonous. Tree
until more carbonaceous material and common rotalid species identified from the coal point to upland forest con-
foraminifera. Where sands become frequent (whether ditions, no elements of mangrove swamp vegetation have
deltaic, shallow marine or turbiditic) the overlying Palem- been reported (Musper, 1933). Age of the member has
bang Formation is reached, but since the transition is usu- never been determined accurately, but must be within the
ally gradual there is a great element of subjectivity in Late Miocene - Early Pliocene.
picking the boundary.
- Upper Palembang Member (Kasai Fm.) Most surface
Age of the formation varies. Where no Baturaja lime- sediments in the South Sumatra basin are of this unit, but
stone is developed the basal Telisa beds have zone N4 due to its soft rocks exposures tend to be poor and far
planktonic foraminifera (earliest Miocene). Where Bat- apart. The lower 250-350m are characterized by com-
uraja is thick the oldest Telisa beds have zone N6 or mon fine-grained, rhyolitic tephra (acid air-transported
N7 faunas (within Early Miocene). The top also varies, volcanics), i.e. yellow-white pumice tuffs (often with
from within zone N8 (latest Early Miocene) to zone N10 clear bipyramidal quartz crystals and black hexagonal bi-
(within Middle Miocene), depending on position in the otite flakes and tuffaceous sandstones. Coals are absent.
basin and where the formation boundary is picked. Conglomeratic sandstones and plant material are rare.
2.3.3.1.6. Palembang Formation (Air Benakat, Muara The upper part of the member (300-500m thick) still
Enim and Kasai Formation) This formation is the “regres- has common quartz-rich pumice tuffs, but also contains
sive” stage of the South Sumatra basin fill. Facies show common cross-bedded coarse sandstone and pumice-rich
an overall shallowing-upward trend from predominantly conglomerate beds. For the first time erosional prod-
shallow marine at the base; through coastal deposits to ucts from older formations (Telisa, Lahat, Saling, etc.)
fluvial beds in the top member. In detail the formation are found, suggesting uplift and significant erosion of
is composed of numerous thin transgressive-regressive the Gurnai Mountains within this period. Much of the
para-sequences. Three members are distinguished: upper Palembang may be regarded as synorogenic de-
posits, developed mainly in synclines. Depositional fa-
- Lower Palembang Member (Air Benakat Fm.) The cies are fluvial and alluvial fan with frequent ashfalls (non-
lower boundary is where significant, continuous sand andesitic:). Fossils are rare, only some fresh-water mol-
beds are found and where the clays have few or no plank- luscs and plant fragments have been reported (Musper
tonic foraminifera. The upper boundary is at the base 1933, 1937). Most likely age is Late Pliocene to Pleis-
of the lowest coal beds. Sands are usually glauconitic. tocene.
Clays contain glauconite, carbonaceous material, shallow
marine molluscs and foraminifera. The basal sands may 2.3.3.1.7. Quaternary The youngest beds in the region,
either be coastal facies (beach, tidal flat, deltaic) or, in that are not affected by the"Plio-Pleistocene” folding,
some areas, deeper water turbidites. Thickness of the for- were grouped under the term Quaternary. They may un-
mation is ranging from 100 m to 1000 m. Outcrops are conformably overlie Palembang or older formations, and
poor due to softness of the beds. Age is Middle Miocene, can usually be distinguished from Palembang beds by the
possibly ranging up into the Late Miocene. presence of dark-coloured andesitic and basaltic volcanic
rocks. Quaternary andesitic volcanism was particularly
- Middle Palembang Member (Muara Enim Fm.) Top abundant in the Barisan Mountains, but also between the
and bottom of this unit are defined by the upper and lower Lematang and Enim rivers, where numerous intrusions
occurrence of laterally continuous coal beds. Thickness and extrusive products now make up the Bukit Asam,
in the area around Muara Enim and Lahat is around 500- Serelo and Djelapang groups of hills. Other rocks in-
700m, about 15% of which is coal. Where the member cluded: in the Quaternary are the “liparites” (ignimbrites)
is thin, coal beds become very thin or are absent; sug- filling valleys in the Pasumah region south of the Gumai
gesting subsidence rates played an important role in coal Mountains, the andesitic tuffs and lahars in the Pasumah
deposition and preservation. Where studied in detail, the region derived from Barisan volcanoes like Dempo, and
formation consists of stacked shallowing-upward parase- terrace deposits along the major rivers.
quences, typically l0m-30m thick, with shallow marine or
bay clays at the base, and shoreline and delta plain facies

4 2.4. BARISAN MOUNTAIN
RANGE (after Nishimura, 1980)
2.4.1. ACEH AREA The most prominent topographic
element of the island is the Barisan Range, 1650 km long
and about 100 km wide. This range skirts the southern
end of the Andaman Basin. In this area, the stratigraphy
and tectonic structure of the Barisan Range corresponds
more with to the northern part of the Sunda mountain
system more than to that of the Sumatran section. The
Sumatran trendIines, paralleling those of the Malayan
Peninsula, begin with the N-S trending van Daalen Range
which meets the main body of the Barisan Range at right
angles. Here occurs an intersection of Pre-Tertiary trend-
lines which belong to two different centres of orogenic
activity, that of Mergui and that of the Sunda Area. The
foothills, formed by truncated Tertiary anticlines skirt,
the central Pre-Tertiary mountains of northern Aceh. The
Puncak Lemby (2,983 m) is a central knot from which the
van Daalen Range extends northward, the Central Gajo
Range westward, and the Wilhelmina Range southeast-
ward. In southern Aceh, south of Blangkedjeren, a NW-
SE trend of the Barisan System prevails.
2.4.2. TOBA AREA (NORTH SUMATRA) Between
the Wampu and the Barumun Rivers, the Barisan Range
display a typical oblong culmination (NW-SE acis of 275
km length and 150 km width). This culmination has
been called by van Bemmelen the “Batak Tumor”. In this
“Batak Tumor”, which is about 2,000 m high (Sibuatan,
2,457 m), lies the great Toba area with Lake Toba.
2.4.3. CENTRAL SUMATRA The Barisan system of
central Sumatra consists of a number of NW-SE trend-
ing block mountains. The system is narrowest at its
transition into the ”Batak Timor” near Padangsidem-
puan from which point it gradually widens south- east-
ward to 175 km in the Padang section. These block
mountain ranges are highest on the southwestern side of
the Barisan System, which they attain altitudes of over
2,000 m. They descend towards the east Sumatran low-
lands. The Pre-Tertiary core of the Suligi-Lipat Kain
Range can be traced, via some anticlinal ridges of Ter-
tiary formations to the northwestern corner of the Tiga-
puluh Mts., which are situated in the middle of the Ter-
tiary basin of east Sumatra. The Lisun-Kwantan-Lalo
Range plunges southeastward, disappearing under a 50
km wide basin, called the Sub-Barisan Depression, which
separates the Tigapuluh Mts. from the main Barisan Sys-
tem. The fore-Barisan begins in the Ombilin area, east of
Lake Singkarak, where it wedges out between the Lisun-
Kwantan-Lalo Range and the Schiefer Barisan; southeast-
ward it disappears under the Tertiary deposits of the east
Sumatra basin. The schiefer Barisan can be traced along
the entire length of the island. The High-Barisan is par-
ticularly well developed in the southern half, south of
Padang. In the northern half of the island no distinction
can be made between the Schiefer-Barisan and the High-
11
Barisan, because Pre-Tertiary rocks are exposed over the
entire area, capped by more or less isolated young volca-
noes.
2.4.4. SEMANGKO ZONE (SOUTH SUMATRA) One
feature which characterizes the Barisan geanticline along
its entire length is a median depression zone on its top,
called the Semangko zone named after a prototypical
section in the Semangko valley of south Sumatra. This
Semangko zone begins in the Semangko Bay of South
Sumatra and can be traced from there to the junction of
the Aceh Valley with Banda Aceh at the northern end of
the island. Some sections have been silled and capped by
young volcanoes.
Total view of the main structural Trendlines of Sumatra
Based upon the above descriptions, the main structural
trendlines of Sumatra may be outlined as follows: The
west flank of the Barisan Range, extending west from
the Semangko Zone, is rather regularly formed in the
southern half of the range, south of Padang. This south-
ern part of the west flank was formed by a long crustal
block, which tilted toward the Indian Ocean, while the
elevated northeastern edge breaks down along the Se-
mangko Zone. This tilted block, called the Bengkulu
Block, is similar to the southern mountains of Jawa. The
escarpment along the Semangko Zone general forms the
divide between the east and the west coast of Sumatra.
This is the High-Barisan. The west coast rivers are short,
having a steep grade towards Indian Ocean. The rivers
descending eastward are much longer, flowing through
an erosional plain, which truncates the anticlines of the
Neogene Basin, and then flowing through a wide alluvial
lowlands until they empty into the Sunda Shelf sea and
the Strait of Bangka. The southern end of the Barisan
in the Lampung district is nearly 150 km wide. Here
one may distinguish between the west flank, or Bengkulu
Block, the top part of the Lampung Block, and the east
flank, or Sekampung Block. North of Lake Ranau the
range narrows to less than 100 km because the Sekam-
pung Block disappears under the Neogene South Sumatra
basin and the Lampong Block becomes covered by Neo-
gene strata. The Pre-Tertiary besement complex of the
latter reappears in the culminations of the Garba, Gumai-
and Tambesi-Rawas Mts., which belong to the Schiefer
Barisan, while the edge of the Bengkulu Block, capped by
a series of young volcanic cones, forms the High-Barisan.
Between Padang and Padangsidimpuan the structure of
the Barisan Range is less distinct. It is cut into a number
of longitudinal block-mountains both in the east flank and
in the west flank. The latter are exemplified by the Batang
Gadis after it has left the Batang Angkola trough of the
Semangko Zone. The Batak tumor part of the Barisan
Range is a great dome, traversed by an arcuate section of
the Semangko-rift zone. The northern part of the Barisan
range, of the Batak Tumor, is the most complicated por-
tion of the range. It is into a number of block mountain
structures. The Leuser Block and the western mountains
occupy a position in the South of the Bengkulu Block.
12 5 2.5. SUMATRA INTRA-ARC BASIN

The Barisan Range forms a section of the volcanic inner in Indonesia which exposes early to middle Tertiary la-
arc of the Sunda Mountain System. It is separated from custrine sediments, thick sequences of stacked braided
the old Sunda landmass by the Sumatra back-arc basins stream deposits, and marginal alluvial debris fans. The
This downwrap of the Pre-Tertiary basement complex a presence of economically important coal bearing strata in
backdeep, is filled with Neogene sediments which were the Sawahlunto Formation has generated much geologic
folded in Plio-Pleistocene time. During or after the main interest in the area. The Ombilin Basin has a complex his-
phase of folding, a dome was elevated in the center of tory of reverse, wrench and extensional tectonism. Initial
this backdeep which now forms the Tigapuluh Mts. In basin configuration and quantity of sediment in the Om-
other places the basement complex is exposed in the cores bilin Basin is due to a north- south compression which
of Tertiary anticlines. These anticlines have eroded to created a graben dog leg or pull apart style basin in the
their basement levels during their folding so that a pri- Ombilin and Payakumbuh region. This compression was
mary peneplain of subaerial erosion truncates the Ter- introduced by the subduction of the Indian- Australian
tiary anticlines. The Pre-Tertiary basement complex of plate beneath the Sunda Craton (Figure 4). Subduction
the Sunda area crops out at some places in the alluvial started in the early middle Eocene (Daly 1990) and cre-
marshes along the east coast. These are, in fact, former ated an extensional tectonic regime which formed numer-
islands in the Sunda Shelf Sea which have been connected ous grabens in a back arc extensional tectonic setting. The
with the main land of Sumatra by depositions in subre- Bengkalis trough, Aman, Kiri, Jambi and Palembang de-
cent time. Physiographically, the backdeep of the Sunda pressions are examples of this type of basin development.
Mountain System now forms a lowland in the Sumatra The Ombilin Basin is believed to be similar in evolution
section, while in other sections, with less sedimentation to these grabens and portray an early example of one of
in Neogene time, the backdeep forms sea basins such as these features.
the Andaman Basin of the Mergui section in north Suma- 2.5.2. STRATIGRAPHY Many authors proposed differ-
tra. West of the Barisan Range stretches the interdeep of ent stratigraphic nomenclatures of this basin. The follow-
the Sunda Mountain System which forms the sea basin ing stratigraphic description is after Kosoemadinata &
between Sumatra and the island festoon to the west. This Matasak (1981), Kastowo & Silitonga (1975), and sum-
island chain is part of the non-volcanic outer arc of the marized by Fletcher & Yarmanto (1993).
Sunda Mountain System.
2.5.2.1. PRE-TERTIARY STRATIGRAPHY The pre-
Tertiary framework of Sumatra consists of a mosaic of
continental and oceanic microplates accreted in the late
5 2.5. SUMATRA INTRA-ARC Triassic when the Mergui, Malacca, and East Malaya mi-
BASIN croplates were joined together to form the Sunda Craton.
Further accretion followed during late Mesozoic times
In terms of overall geomorphology of Sumatra, the Om- involving the Woyla Terrains (Pulunggono & Cameron,
bilin Basin is a median graben which is situated between 1984). The Ombilin Basin is largely floored by meta-
the East and West Barisan mountain range (Fig. 2.1). volcanics and meta-sediments of the Mergui accretionary
This median graben extends from south of Solok and terrain. These consist of limestones and marbles from the
trends northwest past Payakumbuh, a distance of approx- Carboniferous Kuantan Formation and meta-volcanics
imately 120 km. Towards the northern end of the basin from the Permian Silungkang Formation. West of the
the median graben is covered by Quaternary and recent Ombilin Basin fenesters of the Woyla oceanic accre-
volcanic products of the Malintang, Merapi, Singgalang, tionary terrain sporadically outcrop between Quaternary
and Maninjau volcanoes. Despite the relatively small volcanic deposits. The sequence consists predominantly
size of the basin, 1500 sq km, (25 x 60 km, Figure 2), of limestones from the Permian Silungkang and Triassic
the basin fill is very thick. Up to 4,600 meters of Ter- Tuhur Formations. Pre-Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the
tiary sediments, ranging in age from Eocene to early mid- Mergui and Woyla accretionary terrains were intruded by
dle Miocene is preserved in the Ombilin Basin (Koning, granites, granodiorites, quartz diorites, and quartz por-
1985). Major river drainage of the Ombilin Basin is pro- phyries of various ages. Radio- metric dating indicates
vided by the Ombilin, Sinamar and Palangki Rivers along an Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous age for most outcrops
with their many tributaries. Mean elevation of the cen- (Koning, 1985). However, samples have been dated from
tral basin is approximately 400 meters. However, in the Permian to Quaternary (Figure 8).
northern portion of the Ombilin Basin, Merapi and Mal- 2.5.2.2. TERTIARY STRATIGRAPHY PALEOGENE
intang volcanoes reach elevations of 2891 and 2262 me- The coarse grained Brani Formation consists of fanglom-
ters respectively. erates and debris flow sediments deposited along ac-
2.5.1. TECTONIC SETTING The Ombilin Basin is tive basin bounding faults from late Paleogene to middle
a northwest-southeast trending, elongate, sedimentary Eocene (Fletcher & Yarmanto. 1993). They are predom-
basin. The basin is located within the Barisan Moun- inantly reddish brown to purple with mottling indicating
tain range of West and Central Sumatra. The area is the presence of rootlets or burrows. Style of sedimen-
unique since it is one of the few intermontane basins tation indicates these deposits are fanglomerates and de-
 13

bris flows are a result of rapid uplift along the flanks of calcareous shales and marls representing a major marine
newly formed grabens (Whateley & Jordan, 1987). Dur- incursion which inundated the Ombilin Basin area as-
ing the early evolution of the Ombilin Basin in Eocene well-as much of Sumatra. Increased tectonic coupling
times, organic rich lacustrine sediments of Sangakare- between the Sunda Craton and Indian-Australian plate
wang Formation was deposited in the central portion of in the late Miocene-Pliocene marked the culmination of
the basin. These sediments rapidly thinned towards the the Barisan orogeny creating the complex wrench tec-
basin margins where they coalesced with alluvial fan and tonic framework we presently observe in West Sumatra.
debris flow sediments which contributed conglomeratic The Ombilin Formation consists of grey, silty to slightly
and breccia material from up-thrown fault blocks where sandy, moderately calcareous mudstones with common
basement was exposed. Concurrently, the surrounding carbonaceous material. Interbedded with mudstones are
margins of the basin were the site of coarse grained, allu- off-white to white, very fine to fine grained, calcareous,
vial fan sedimentation. These fan sediments were sourced glauconitic sandstones and soft, off-white, calcareous silt-
from up thrown fault blocks around the margin of the stones. Thickness of Ombilin Formation varies dramat-
basin (Figure 11). Sawahlunto Formation is late Eocene ically in different portions of the basin. In the northern
to early Oligocene in age and unconformably overlies arm of the basin seismic interpretation show up to 4000
Sangkarewang, Brani and basement. This formation is meter of marine shales have accumulated (Per. comm.
the most economically important unit in the area due to its Vard Nelson, 1993 in Fletcher & Yarmanto, 1993). How-
large coal reserves, outcrops extensively along the west- ever, in Sinamar-1 well only 692 meters were encoun-
ern margins of the Ombilin. It is a fining upward se- tered. Volcanic activity in the area reached its peak
quence deposited in a flood plain/mire type depositional during Late Pleistocene-Holocene time and the volcanic
environment (Whateley and Jordan, 1987). The base of products are grouped as Ranau Formation. Composition
the sequence consists of grey, fine to medium grained, of the deposits varies but generally consists of andesite to
well sorted sandstones. Sands commonly have an ero- basalt lava flows, lahar deposits and tuffs. Provenance for
sional base and are interbedded with finer grained, clays, the Ranau Formation is from a combination of the Man-
and coals. This sandstone rich basal sequence is overlain injau, Merapi, Malintang, and Singallang volcanoes. The
by ripple laminated, carbonaceous, si1tstones and shales. volcanoes are situated both along and at right angles to the
The entire sequence is capped by a series of interbed- Sumatra Fault zone. The northwest-southeast volcanic
ded grey mudstones, coal, and organic rich shales. The trend is easily explained by formation along a weaker
Rasau Member of the Sawahtambang Formation is re- crustal zones created by strike slip rnovement along the
ported to be locally developed along the western portion Sumatra Fault Zone. However, the east-west trend is
of the Ombilin Basin and represents a transition between more difficult to explain and is postulated to be a response
the meandering stream sediments of the Sawahlunto For- to crustal weakening around releasing bends between the
mation and braided stream sediments of the Sawahtam- Ombilin Basin and Payakumbuh Subbasin.
bang Formation. It is included in Koesoemadinata and
Matasak’s classification as a basal member of the Sawah-
tambang Formation and is dated as lower to late early
Oligocene. The Rasau Member is characterized by in- 6 2.6. REGIONAL STRUC-
terbedded coarse grained sandstones and argillaceous silt- TURES
stones During Oligocene times, the basin became domi-
nated by parasequence sets of continental sediments de-
Along the Java-Sumatran trench system the Indo-
posited in a flood plain or meandering river depositional
Australian plate is subducting under the Eruasian plate
environment of Sawahtambang Formation. These de-
with a convergence rate of 75 mm/yr (Minster and Jorda,
posits consist of interbedded siltstones, claystones and
1978; DeMets et al., 1990). Analysis of slip vectors de-
fine to coarse-grained sandstones commonly represent-
ducted from earthquake focal mechanisms suggests an ap-
ing alluvial channel fills (DeSmet, 1991). Locally, coals
proximately N-tending convergence between these two
up to 18 meters thick were deposited in interlobe, ”mire-
plates (Jarrard, 1986; McCaffrey, 1991). Off Java, where
type” depositional environments along the western mar-
the average trench azimuth is approximately N100oE,
gin of the basin (Whateley & Jordan, 1989). In the late
the convegence is nearly normal to the Java Trench and
Oligocene the Ombilin Basin became increasingly flu-
is essentially accomodated by the subduction process.
vial, dominated by braided stream deposits of Sawahtam-
Conversely, because the azimuth of the Sumatra Trench,
bang Formation. The areal extent of these formations in-
West of the Sunda Strati, is N140oE, the convegenceis
creased during this phase of deposition and reached its
oblique. Mechanically, this convergence obliquity has to
maximum during late Oligocene to early Miocene (Situ-
be accomodated both by subduction (aconvegence com-
morang, 1991). Thick sequences of fine to coarse grained
ponent normal to the trench) and strike-slip deforma-
channel sandstones are commonly stacked several tens up
tion (a convergence component parallel to the trench).
to 100’s of meters thick (Plate 3).
The strike-slip deformation is interpreted as being located
NEOGENE Conformably overlying the braided stream along the Great Sumatran Fault System (Fitch, 1972;
sediments of late Oligocene age are Ombilin Formation Beck, 1983; Jarrard, 1986b). This NW-trending fault
14 7 2.7. SOURCES

zone is a major, 1650-km-long structure of, right-lateral

strike-slip fault segments that follows the Sumatra mag-
matic arc and parallesl the trench, from north to south,
from the Andaman Sea back-arc basin to the Sunda Strait
extensional fault aone. The slip rate of the Great Suma-
tran Fault has been indirectly estimated, from global plate
motions and the opening rate of nearby basins, and di-
rectly calculated from measurements of offsets along its
trace. Assuming that the Great Sumatran Fault zone is
accomodating all the trench-parallel component of the
convergence between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian
plates. The slip rate of the Sumatra Fault System should
range between 30 and 50 mm/yr (Jarrard, 1986). This
high slip rate on the Sumatra Fault System appears high
when compared to the relatively moderate activity of the
crustal seismicity and the slip rate estimated in south-
ern Sumatra (Pramudmijoyo, 1991; Pramumijoyo et al.,
1991). High resolution SPOT image analyses of the
Great Sumatran Fault trace have confirmed its right lat-
eral strike-slip style. These images show right lateral off-
sets of geomorphologic surface features such as streams,
calderas and lineaments. Precise offset measurements
performed along the Sumatra Fault System have shown
that its dextral slip rate increases to the northwest (Bel-
lier et al., 1993), from 6+4 mm/yr in southern Suma-
tra (at about 5oS) (Bellier et al., 1991) to 28 mm/yr
(Shieh et al., 1991) in norther Sumatra near Lake Toba
(at about 2o10’N). However, the northern Sumatra Fault
slip rate is still too low to accommodate the whole trench-
parallel compnenet of the convergence. This suggests that
a combination of two models should accommodate the 30
mm/yr slip rate difference between northern and south-
ern Sumatra; that is, slip transfer to the Mentawai Fault
Zone (Diament et al., 1991, 1992; Malod et al., 1993)
along the Batee Fault link and northwestward stretching
of the fore-arc platelet (McCaffrey, 1991), to explain the
along-strike variation in slip rate south of the Batee Fault.

7 2.7. SOURCES
Bona Situmorang: research on North Sumatra Danny
Hilman: PhD on Sumatra Fault

Structural framework map of Sibolga Basin and North Sumatra

 15

north sumatra basin and tectonic map

16 8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

8 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1 Text
• The Geology of Indonesia/Sumatra Source: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/The_Geology_of_Indonesia/Sumatra?oldid=2961362 Con-
tributors: Mike.lifeguard, Herman Darman, Adrignola, Aldnonymous, Herman darman and Anonymous: 3

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• File:Tectonic_setting_map_of_Sumatra.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Tectonic_setting_map_
of_Sumatra.jpg License: CC BY-SA 4.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Herman darman

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