Eocene to Miocene Composite Total

Petroleum System, Irrawaddy-Andaman

and North Burma Geologic Provinces,
Myanmar

By C.J. Wandrey
Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8,
South Asia
Edited by Craig J. Wandrey

U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2208–E

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
Gale A. Norton, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006

Posted online February 2006

Version 1.0
This publication is only available online at
http://www.usgs.gov/bul/2208/E/
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natural hazards, and the environment:
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Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to
reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:
Wandrey, C.J., 2006, Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Irrawaddy-Andaman and North Burma
Geologic Provinces, Myanmar, Chapter E in Wandrey, C.J., ed., Petroleum systems and related geologic studies in
Region 8, South Asia: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2208-E, 26 p.
 iii

Foreword
This report describing the petroleum resources within a total petroleum system in Myan-
mar was prepared as part of the World Energy Assessment Project of the U.S. Geological
Survey. For this project, the world was divided into 8 regions and 937 geologic provinces,
which were then ranked according to the discovered oil and gas volumes within each (Klett and
others, 1997). Of these, 76 “priority” provinces (exclusive of the United States and chosen for
their high ranking) and 26 “boutique” provinces (exclusive of the United States and chosen for
their anticipated petroleum richness or special regional economic importance) were selected
for assessment of oil and gas resources. The petroleum geology of these priority and boutique
provinces is described in this series of reports.
The purpose of the World Energy Project is to assess the quantities of oil, gas, and natural
gas liquids that have the potential to be added to reserves within the next 30 years. These
volumes either reside in undiscovered fields whose sizes exceed the stated minimum-field-
size cutoff value for the assessment unit (variable, but must be at least 1 million barrels of oil
equivalent) or occur as reserve growth of fields already discovered.
The total petroleum system constitutes the basic geologic unit of the oil and gas assess-
ment. The total petroleum system includes all genetically related petroleum that occurs in
shows and accumulations (discovered and undiscovered) and that (1) has been generated by a
pod or by closely related pods of mature source rock, and (2) exists within a limited map-
pable geologic space, along with the other essential, mappable geologic elements (reservoir,
seal, and overburden rocks) that control the fundamental processes of generation, expulsion,
migration, entrapment, and preservation of petroleum. The minimum petroleum system is
that part of a total petroleum system encompassing discovered shows and accumulations
along with the geologic space in which the various essential elements have been proved by
these discoveries.
An assessment unit is a mappable part of a total petroleum system in which discov-
ered and undiscovered fields constitute a single, relatively homogeneous population such
that the chosen methodology of resource assessment based on estimation of the number and
sizes of undiscovered fields is applicable. A total petroleum system may equate to a single
assessment unit, or it may be subdivided into two or more assessment units if each unit is
sufficiently homogeneous in terms of geology, exploration considerations, and risk to assess
individually.
A graphical depiction of the elements of a total petroleum system is provided in the form
of an events chart that shows the times of (1) deposition of essential rock units; (2) trap forma-
tion; (3) generation, migration, and accumulation of hydrocarbons; and (4) preservation of
hydrocarbons.
A numeric code identifies each region, province, total petroleum system, and assessment
unit; these codes are uniform throughout the project and will identify the same type of entity in
any of the publications. The code is as follows:

Example
Region, single digit 2
Province, three digits to the right of region code 2004
Total Petroleum System, two digits to the right of province code 200401
Assessment Unit, two digits to the right of petroleum system code 20040101
The codes for the regions and provinces are listed in Klett and others (1997).
Oil and gas reserves quoted in this report are derived from Petroconsultants’ Petroleum
Exploration and Production database (Petroconsultants, 1996) and other area reports from
Petroconsultants, Inc., unless otherwise noted.
iv

Figures in this report that show boundaries of the total petroleum system(s), assessment
units, and pods of active source rocks were compiled using geographic information system
(GIS) software. Political boundaries and cartographic representations were taken, with permis-
sion, from Environmental Systems Research Institute’s ArcWorld 1:3 million digital coverage
(1992), have no political significance, and are displayed for general reference only. Oil and gas
field centerpoints shown on these figures are reproduced, with permission, from Petroconsul-
tants (1996).
 

Contents
Foreword.........................................................................................................................................................iii
Abstract............................................................................................................................................................1
Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2
Acknowledgments..........................................................................................................................................2
Geologic and Tectonic History......................................................................................................................2
Stratigraphy.....................................................................................................................................................9
Exploration and Production.........................................................................................................................11
Total Petroleum System...............................................................................................................................17
Source Rocks.......................................................................................................................................17
Source Rock Richness...............................................................................................................18
Maturation...................................................................................................................................18
Generation and Migration..................................................................................................................18
Reservoir Rocks...................................................................................................................................18
Traps and Seals....................................................................................................................................19
Assessment Units.........................................................................................................................................19
Cumulative Production Data.......................................................................................................................22
Assessment Comparisons...........................................................................................................................22
Summary........................................................................................................................................................22
Selected References....................................................................................................................................24

Figures
1–3. Maps showing:
1. Location of Irrawaddy-Andaman (8048) and North Burma (8035)
geologic provinces.................................................................................................................3
2. Geologic province and total petroleum system boundaries...........................................4
3. Generalized geology and geologic province boundaries................................................5
4. Tectonic map of Myanmar and Andaman Basin......................................................................6
5. Generalized stratigraphic column of Central Burma Basin, Myanmar.................................7
6–11. Paleogeographic maps from perspective of study region, showing:
6. Middle Jurassic (approximately 166 Ma)...........................................................................8
7. Early Cretaceous (approximately 130 Ma).........................................................................9
8. Late Cretaceous (approximately 94 Ma)...........................................................................10
9. Latest Cretaceous (approximately 69 Ma).......................................................................11
10. Middle Eocene (approximately 50 Ma).............................................................................12
11. Late Oligocene (approximately 27 Ma).............................................................................13
12. Maps showing generalized early and late Eocene paleogeography and
associated cross sections.........................................................................................................14
13. Maps showing generalized early Miocene and Pliocene paleogeography and
recent cross section...................................................................................................................15
14. Map showing generalized geology and some oil and gas fields.........................................16
vi

15–19. Graphs of data for the Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic province, showing:

15. Cumulative number of new-field wildcat wells versus completion year....................17
16. Known oil and gas field sizes grouped in thirds by discovery date and
ranked by size.......................................................................................................................18
17. Cumulative number of oil and gas fields versus discovery year..................................19
18. Cumulative known (cumulative production plus reserves) oil and gas volumes
versus discovery year..........................................................................................................20
19. Reservoir depth versus field discovery year for oil and gas.........................................21
20. Diagram showing mean vitrinite reflectance of rock samples in Gulf of Martaban........22
21. Pie diagram showing temporal distribution of producing reservoirs by
youngest age................................................................................................................................22
22. Pie diagram showing distribution of trap type........................................................................24
23. Events chart summarizing stratigraphy, source rocks, reservoirs, seals, traps,
timing, and petroleum information for the Eocene to Miocene Composite Total
Petroleum System........................................................................................................................24

Table
1. USGS estimates of undiscovered oil and gas resources by assessment unit and
aggregated for the total petroleum system (Wandrey and others, 2000)...........................23
Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System,
Irrawaddy-Andaman and North Burma Geologic
Provinces, Myanmar
By C.J. Wandrey
Abstract
The Eocene-Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System
(804801) was divided into two units for the purpose of assess-
ment, the Central Burma Basin Assessment Unit (80480101)
and Irrawaddy-Andaman (80480102) Assessment Unit.
The Irrawaddy-Andaman (80480102) Assessment
Unit is located in the southern central basin of Myanmar,
the Irrawaddy Delta, and Andaman Basin. It is a gas-prone
onshore and offshore basin developed subparallel to the con-
verging continental and marine plate boundaries. The rocks
that compose this assessment unit include Eocene sandstones
and shales and the Oligocene-Miocene Pegu Group, which in
places exceeds 6,500 meters in thickness. This group is made
up of interbedded, shallow marine shales, limestones, and
sandstones, and the sandstones, shales, and coals of deltaic
and lagoonal facies.
Source rocks include the lower Oligocene shales of the
Yaw, Shwezetaw, and Okhmintaung Formations and shales of
the Pegu Group. Total organic carbon percent is generally low
(<1.75 percent) where sampled. Organic material is primarily
terrestrially derived type III kerogen. Maturities are generally
low, from R0 0.2 to 1.5 percent where sampled in the Gulf of
Martaban. Maturities are likely higher in areas of the basin
where burial depths are greater.
Significant generation commenced during the Pliocene.
Migration is primarily vertical through fault and fracture sys-
tems associated with the plate collision. These fault systems
have been periodically reactivated through the present. Short
updip migration along the flanks of the basin is also likely.
Primary reservoir rocks are interbedded sandstones of the
Pegu Group. Permeability ranges from less than 32 millidar-
cies (mD) to as high as 3,200 mD. Porosity ranges from less
than 20 percent to 30 percent. Reservoir quality is fracture
enhanced in many cases.
Traps include anticlines, faulted anticlines, and a few
stratigraphic traps. Seals include interbedded Oligocene
and Miocene shales and clays, and the thick clays of the
upper Miocene−Pliocene Irrawaddy Group. Although few
stratigraphic traps have been discovered, potential for more
discoveries exists in the deltaic sequences. There is also poten-
tial for growth-fault related traps and in the offshore fans.
The Central Burma Basin Assessment Unit (80480101)
is located in the north and central basins of Myanmar. It is an
oil-prone onshore basin developed parallel to the converging
continental and marine plate boundaries. The rocks that com-
pose this assessment unit include the Eocene Laungshe Shale,
Tilin and Pondaung Sandstones, and the Oligocene-Miocene
Pegu Group, the thickness of which exceeds 6,500 meters.
This group includes interbedded sandstones, shales, and coals
of deltaic to fluvial facies, and shallow marine shales, lime-
stones, and sandstones.
Source rocks include the upper Eocene–lower Oligocene
shales of the Yaw, Shwezetaw, and Okhmintaung Formations.
Total organic content is generally low where sampled (>1.7
percent). Organic content is primarily terrestrially sourced
type III kerogens. Maturities are generally low, from R0 0.2
to 1.5 percent where sampled outside of this assessment unit
to the south in the Gulf of Martaban. The onset of generation
probably occurred in late Miocene. Migration is primarily
short updip and vertical through fault and fracture systems
associated with the plate collision. These fault systems have
been periodically reactivated through the present.
Interbedded sandstones of the Pegu Group are the pri-
mary reservoirs. Permeability ranges from less than 32 mD
to as high as 3,200 mD. Porosity ranges from less than 20
percent to 30 percent. The Eocene Pondaung and Tilin sand-
stones may also have reservoir potential and have a combined
thickness of as much as 3,500 meters, including the interbed-
ded shales.
Traps include anticlines, faulted anticlines, fault trunca-
tions, and stratigraphic traps. Seals include interbedded Oli-
gocene and Miocene shales and clays, and the thick clays of
the upper Miocene and Pliocene Irrawaddy Group. Structures
in the Chindwin Basin area and stratigraphic traps developed
in alluvial and deltaic systems have been only lightly explored
and may have significant potential.
   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia
Introduction
Among the 26 boutique provinces identified for the U.S.
Geological Survey World Energy Assessment (2000) was the
Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic province (8048) (fig. 1). The
Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System (TPS)
(804801) (fig. 2), as defined for this assessment, extends north
and also encompasses most of the North Burma geologic prov-
ince (8035); therefore, that province is also included in this
report. Located in central Myanmar, Gulf of Martaban, and
the Andaman Sea, it is an onshore and offshore TPS covering
approximately 800,000 km2 (fig. 3).
The North Burma and Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic
provinces are bounded on the north and west by the Indo-
Burman and Arakan Yoma Mountain Ranges and on the east
by the Sino-Burman Ranges, Shan Plateau, and Tenasserim
Ranges. The area includes the Chindwin Basin, Salin Basin,
Prome Embayment, Irrawaddy River Delta, Gulf of Marta-
ban, and the Andaman Sea east of the Andaman Islands. The
area described is essentially a complex back-arc/fore-arc
basin (fig. 4), with portions of, or the entire onshore part
being variously referred to as, the Central Basin, Central
Burma Basin, Inner or Central Burma Tertiary Basin, and
Central Burma Tertiary Geosyncline. In this report the entire
onshore part will be referred to by the most commonly used
term—the Central Burma Basin.
In the Central Burma Basin, the Cretaceous Kabaw
Group (fig. 5) or younger rocks rest on the marine basement
in the western basin and on continental basement rocks in
the eastern basin. In the ranges to the west, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks as old as Early Triassic have been identi-
fied. East of the Central Burma Basin, rocks younger than
Cretaceous were not deposited or were almost completely
removed by erosion, leaving a nearly continuous strati-
graphic section from Cambrian to Lower Cretaceous. The
offshore portion of the TPS consists of Eocene and younger
rocks (Curray and others, 1979; Pivnik and others, 1998).
Structurally, the TPS consists of a north-south-trending
trough or fore-arc/back-arc basin that developed as a result of
Eocene oblique multi-plate collision.
The Eocene-Miocene Composite TPS was further divided
into two assessment units (AU) (fig. 2). These AUs are the
Irrawaddy-Andaman AU (80480102) and the Central Burma
Basin AU (80480101). The Irrawaddy-Andaman AU is located
in the southern part of the Central Burma Basin of Myanmar,
the Irrawaddy Delta and Andaman Basin. It is a gas-prone
basin, developed both on and offshore subparallel to the con-
verging continental and marine plate boundaries. The Central
Burma Basin AU is located in the northern and central part
of the Central Burma Basin of Myanmar. It is an oil-prone,
onshore area, and it also developed parallel to the converging
continental and marine plate boundaries.
Acknowledgments
The author thanks Hugh Balkwell and technical reviewers
D.K. Higley and R.R. Charpentier for their valuable sugges-
tions and insight.
Geologic and Tectonic History
The total petroleum system (TPS) and assessment units
(AU) discussed herein owe their primary structural and strati-
graphic features to a series of plate tectonic events dating from
latest Paleozoic time to the present. The continental plates that
were involved in the development of present-day Myanmar are
the Indian and Eurasian plates and the Burma or Sunda micro-
plate or fore-arc sliver. The Burma plate has been described
as a micro-plate or fore-arc sliver bounded on the west by a
subduction zone, on the east by a strike-slip fault, on the south
by a spreading center, and on the north by a compressional
plate boundary (Curray and others, 1979; Pivnik and others,
1998). This sliver or micro-plate has also been described as
an accretionary prism that consists of sedimentary, meta-sedi-
mentary, intrusive, and volcanic rocks (Curray and others,
1979; Bender, 1983) (fig. 4). Studies of the eastern part of the
Indian plate suggest alternatively that the Burma plate may
have been located north of the Indian plate prior to collision,
and then underwent extrusion and 90° of clockwise rotation to
reach its present position (Tapponnier and others, 1982; Besse
and Courtillot, 1984; LeDain and others, 1984; Everett and
others, 1990). Lee and Lawver (1995) and Pivnik and others
(1998) suggested that the Burma plate originated as a part of
the early Tertiary continental shelf of southeast Asia located
southeast of its present location.
From Permian through Middle Jurassic time, the Eurasian
plate (or plates) and probably the Burma plate extended just
south of the equator. The Indian plate was located farther to
the southwest, between the African, Antarctic, and Australian
plates, making up part of southern Gondwana (fig. 6). During
the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, Southeast Asia and the
area of the Burma plate moved northward across the equator to
between lat 10° and 20° N.
During the Cretaceous, the Indian plate continued to drift
northward toward the Burma and Eurasian plates (figs. 7 and
8), and by latest Cretaceous time the sea floor of the Bengal
Basin began to form (Scotese and others, 1988). Along the
Ninety East Ridge a transform fault became active (fig. 9),
and in the Assam area, a southeasterly dipping block-faulted
shelf developed. Counterclockwise rotation of the Indian plate
began, and the western part of the Indian plate that is now the
Seychelles began to break away from the Indian plate (Waples
and Hegarty, 1999) (fig. 9). During Paleocene time, oceanic
plate subduction occurred along the west edge of the Burma
 60°E 70°E 80°E 90°E 100°E
8001 Southeast Afghanistan
40° 8002 Himalayan
Region 3 8003 Indian Shield
Region 1 8004 Sri Lanka
8005 Indo-Burman
8006 Tenasserim-Shan
8023 8021 Makran
8002
8001 8026 8022 Baluchistan
Region 2 8024 8023 Central Afghanistan
8022 North Burma 8024 Afghan
30° 8025 8025 Sulaiman-Kirthar
8026 Kohat-Potwar
8028 8028 Himalayan Foreland
8021 8034 8035
8042 8030 Chindwara
8032 8031 Satpura-Brahmani
8031
8032 Damodar
8030
8033 Pranhita-Godavari
8006

Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   

8043 8047 8034 Assam
20° 8033
8046 8035 North Burma
Arabian 8003 8042 Indus
Sea 8043 Bombay
8045 8044 Cauvery
Bay
8045 Krishna-Godavari
of Bengal
8046 Mahanadi
8048 8047 Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta
8048 Irrawaddy-Andaman
10° 8062 8044 8005 8061 Maldives
8062 Lakshadweep
8063 8004 8063 Konkan
Irrawaddy-
Andaman
8061 Indian
Ocean
0°

Figure 1.  Location of Irrawaddy-Andaman (8048)and North Burma (8035) geologic provinces shown in green; other assessed provinces in region 8 shown in yellow.
   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

85°E 90°E 95°E 100°E 105°E

INDEX MAP
People’s
Republic
Ú
Ê
of
China
India 8035
25°
Bangladesh

Mandalay

Myanmar
20°

Thailand
Rangoon

15°

8048
Indian
Ocean
10°

0 500 1,000 KILOMETERS

EXPLANATION
Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System 804801
Irrawaddy Province 8048
Other province boundary
Irrawaddy-Andaman Assessment Unit 80480102
Central Burma Basin Assessment Unit 80480101
Gas field
Oil field

Figure 2.  Geologic province and total petroleum system boundaries.

 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar 5

Osm

Mzim Osm

Pz

Mzim

Pzu Pz

Pzu
Mzim
Mzim Mzim
EXPLANATION
pe Trms

Pzu Cs
dms MzPz
MzPz
Pr
Geologic province boundary
Pzu Mzim
Q
Ts pe
Pr

Trms
Geologic contact
Jd
Pr

Trms

Evident fault
JTr Ts

Mzim z pe
N
Jd Pz zP Pr

M Pr

Inferred fault
Trms

MzPz
Jms
Pz Pzu
Trms

pe N Ts
River
MzPz

am
pe Trms
Ti Mzim pe Pr
Q
ss
Pz
Trms
Ts
Pz MzPz
A
TKim
Pr
Cs
Water depth contour
pe Osm

Q - Quaternary sediments
MzPz Pr
pe MzPz Ts N Osm
Pr

pe
Osm CsPr
Pg
N - Neogene sedimentary rocks
pe
N Cs

India N Q
N

pe Ts
Cs
Pr

Q
pe Pg - Paleogene sedimentary rocks
pe
Ts
Q Pg Pg

pe pe
Cmsm
Ts
Pg Osm

People’s
N
pe
N
N
Ts
Ts Tv
Ts - Tertiary sedimentary rocks
pe TKimTs
Pg
Pg
Pg Ts
Pg Ts

TiQMzim
Republic of Ti - Tertiary igneous rocks
China
Ts Q

N Pg Ts
Ks Mzim
Tv - Tertiary volcanic rocks
pe TKim
Basin

Q
TKim - Tertiary and Cretaceous igneous and metamorphic rocks
N

Ts
N
Pr

N TrmsPz
Ranges

Q Ts Tv
Pr
Q Q
Mzim - Mesozoic intrusive and metamorphic rocks
S

Ts Pr
Pr

Bangladesh
S
Chindwin

Q Ks
Pz
Pr
N
Pg Pz
Ks - Cretaceous sedimentary rocks
Q Jms

Pg
pe
dms
Cs
Jms - Jurassic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks
Indo-Burman

Pr

Jd- Jurassic and Triassic rocks

N Cs
Shwebo Basin

CsCs
Jms Jms

Ts
Q Pg

Pg
dms - Triassic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks
N
Pzl
Jms Pzl JmsTs

Pg
Pzu

Q Pzl
MzPz - Mesozoic and Paleozoic undivided
N Q

N N pe

Pzu

dCs - Lower Triassic to Upper Carboniferous rocks

Ti

Q N Q Pzl
Mzim
Mzim
Pzl

Pz- Paleozoic rocks

Jms Cs

pe
Pg
QQ Q
N Pzu Cs

pe
Mandalay Pzu pe
Pg Pzu Pz

Pzu - Upper Paleozoic rocks

Jms
Ts
N
Pg
Pz
Cs
Q QQ Pg pe
Q Pzl
Ks

N
Pzl - Lower Paleozoic rocks
Shan Pzi
Q Pzu

Q N Q Pzu
pe Pzi
Pzi

pe Pzi - Paleozoic igneous rocks

Plateau
Q
pe
Pr TrPr
Q S
Ts

Mt Popa
Jms

Q Mzim Cs - Carboniferous sedimentary rocks

Trms
Tv
Q
Jms
Cs

N Jms
Ts S

S - Undivided Silurian rocks

Pz
Mzim

pe
Arak

Jms
Pg
Pr
Salin B

N N Pzi

Q
Osm - Ordovician sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
Pr
Pr
S
Pr

pe
N
TKim TKim
asin

S TKim

emsm - Cambrian sedimentary and metamorphic rocks

an Y

Pzl S

Myanmar N N pe
Pg pe - Undivided Precambrian rocks
oma

dms I - Undivided igneous rocks

Bay

Ten

N pe
Surface water
TrCs
Pg
Pg
Pzi
TrCs

Unmapped area
a

of
Prom

sse

Ks
e Em

rim

N
Pegu

Bengal

baym

Q
N Q
Yoma
ent

Ra

Pzl

Thailand
nge

Pzu pe
s

Pg
Yangoon Q
Pzu
0 500 1,000
S

Q N Q
Pzu

Gulf Q S

Pzl
of KILOMETERS
Irrawaddy Martaban
Pzl
Ti
S

Delta
Jms

N Ti

Figure 3. Generalized geology and geologic province boundaries

(Wandrey and Law, 1999).
Q

Ti

Ti Q I

Ti

Pzl

Pg Ti

Pzl
Pzl
Pzl
Pg

Ks
Q
Pzl
Ti
Andaman Islands

Andaman
Pzl

Pzl
Ks
Pg
Pzl
Pzl

Sea
Pzl
Pg
Ts
Cs
Pz
Pg

Ks Pzl
Pzl Pz
Ks

Pg Pzl Pzl

Pzl

Ti

Pg
   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

96°E
Southern Tethys suture
^ Foredeep (Indonesian-
^
YAS
HIMALA Andaman trench=
^ subduction zone)
^ ^ ^
^

^
^ ^ ^ ^
^

Inner volcanic arc

^
^
^ ( Cenozoic volcanoes)
R

^
PE M ^ ^
UPSSA ^
A lls
Hi
^

S
^
au Major fault zones

ga
Shillong Plate
^

Na
^

I
^
24° S
GE

N
^
RAN
Chin Hills

O
Ganges Delta
BURMAN

Pl
| |

Sh eau
at
| |

l
l Shan boundary fault zone
an
l
B

l
| |
INDO

^ Thrust complexes
| |

^
U
| |
a
Yom

Oceanic spreading ridge

R
| |

Bay
Arakan

| |

of
M
| |

Bengal YANGOON
16°
A

0 100 500 KM
N

Gulf of
Martaban
Narcondam BANGKOK
R

Island
dge

Andaman
A

Barren
East Ri

Island Gulf of
N

Islands
Thailand
G

Andaman
Sea
Ninety

E
S

8°

Figure 4.  Tectonic map of Myanmar and Andaman Basin (modified from Bender, 1983).
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   

FORMATION
Southwest
PERIOD

GROUP
EPOCH
Irrawaddy Prome Salin Chindwin
Delta Embayment Basin Basin

Pleist-
ocene
Plio-
Irrawaddy

cene

Mingin
Kaungton
Miocene

Kathabung
Obogon
Shwethamin
Kwingyaung
Pegu

Kyaukkok Kyaukkok
Natma
Tumyaung
Pyawbwe Pyawbwe
Oligocene

Letkat

Okhmintaung Okhmintaung
Tertiary

Padaung/Tiyo Padaung/Tiyo

Shwezetaw/ Shwezetaw/
Kyaukpon Kyaukpon EXPLANATION
Yaw/Nakyila Unconformity
Yaw Yaw
Eocene

Pondaung Pondaung Oil production

Pondaung
Taunggale Gas production
Taunggale Tabyin
Jaintia

Tabyin/Tilin
Laungshe Laungshe Source rocks
Paunggyi Paunggyi Shale
Kanbala
Kanbala Sandstone
Paleocene

Siltstone, shale,
and sandstone

Kabaw Shale, siltstone,

Group and sandstone
Kabaw
Cretaceous

Kabaw Limestone
Group
Volcanics

Figure 5.  Generalized stratigraphy of Central Burma Basin, Myanmar (modified from Stamp, 1927; Khin and
Win, 1969; and Bender, 1983).
   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

EURASIAN PLATES

BUR
PLA MA
TE

AFRICAN
INDIAN
PLATE PLATE
AUSTRALIAN
PLATE

Marine
ANTARCTIC Shelf
PLATE Lowlands
Mountains

Figure 6.  Middle Jurassic (approximately 166 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from Scotese
and others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).

plate (Pivnik and others, 1998). Paleocene oblique subduction
of the oceanic plate may have also detached the Burma plate
from the Eurasian plate. Initial collision of the northeastern
Indian and Burma plates occurred during the Eocene, possibly
resulting in the coupling of the plates and accelerating the
northward movement of the Burma plate (Pivnik and others,
1998). From Eocene to early Miocene time, tectonic activity
increased due to plate collision and rotation (figs. 10 and 11).
During the Miocene, faulting, sedimentation, and the opening
of the Andaman Sea were controlled primarily by northwest-
southeast extension and rifting. Regionally, terrestrial sedi-
ment influx from the rapidly rising Sino-Burman, Indo-Bur-
man, and Himalayan ranges significantly exceeded carbonate
accumulation rates on late Miocene platforms (Roychoudhury
and Deshpande, 1982); and this influx smothered carbonate
reef formation along the shelf areas. The former shelf areas
along these collision zones were either subducted or became
emergent fluvial-deltaic environments.
Early Pliocene collision of the Burma plate resulted in
southwest-northeast transpressional forces that created reverse
faults and north-south elongate anticlinal features such as the
Pegu Yoma (fig. 3). The Pegu Yoma rose 900–1,200 m in the
middle of the Central Burma Basin, dividing it into east and
west subbasins. During the Pliocene, Mount Popa and other
volcanoes along the volcanic arc to the south became more
active, depositing volcanic mud and ash. The proto-Chind-
win, Irrawaddy, and Sittang drainage systems developed.
East-west uplift and faulting occurred near Mandalay, caus-
ing the Irrawaddy River to turn abruptly west and capture the
Chindwin River. By Holocene time, anticlinal ridges in the
eastern part of the Central Burma Basin were again uplifted
and 300–450 m of sediments were stripped off. To the west,
300–900 m of the newly uplifted Pegu Yoma were eroded.
Myanmar now consists of three primary features; from east to
west these are the Sino-Burman Ranges and Shan Plateau, the
Central Burma Basin, and the Indo-Burman Ranges (fig. 3).
The TPS rests on both marine and continental crusts, and the
oceanic-continental plate boundary trends north up through
the Central Burma Basin and coincides approximately with the
northern boundary of the Irrawaddy-Andaman AU.
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   
EURASIAN PLATES
AFRICAN
PLATE
INDIAN
PLATE
ANTARCTIC
PLATE
Figure 7.  Early Cretaceous (approximately 130 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from
Scotese and others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphic sequences ranging in age from Cretaceous
to Pleistocene are shown in figure 5 for four different parts
of the Central Burma Basin. The discussion that follows,
however, includes mention of rocks (mostly older, but some of
Cretaceous age and younger) not shown in figure 5; some of
these strata are described from observations within the basin,
but others are described from exposures elsewhere.
From Carboniferous to Jurassic time, extensive carbon-
ates such as the Plateau Limestone Group and Shan Dolomite
Group were deposited in what is now eastern Myanmar,
including the area of the Shan Plateau and Tenasserim Moun-
tain Ranges (Rau and Sethu, 1933; Hobson, 1941; Brunsch-
weiler, 1974; Bender, 1983) (fig. 3).
The Jurassic Tati Limestone Formation in northeastern
Myanmar and the Shan Plateau and the Kamawkala Lime-
stone Formation in the east and southeast accumulated in a
shallow marine environment before a period of uplift that was
marked by a regional unconformity. On this unconformity,
BUR
PLA MA
TE
AUSTRALIAN
PLATE
Marine
Shelf
Lowlands
Mountains
Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous redbeds of the Hsipaw, Kalaw,
Mergui, and Khorat Formations were deposited (Bender,
1983). Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous rocks are missing or not
identified in the Central Burma Basin and in most of the Indo-
Burman Ranges to the west. Following this hiatus, in the area
of the Indo-Burman Ranges, Early Cretaceous volcanic tuffs
and cherts of the Kyauknimaw Formation were deposited.
Throughout the Central Burma Basin, the Albian to Turonian
age Lower Kabaw Group Paung-Chaung and Ywahaungyi
Formation limestones were deposited. Campanian-age graded
volcanoclastics then covered much of the Central Burma Basin
and what are now the Indo-Burman Ranges. Following this
episode of volcanic activity, extensive limestone reefs such as
those in the Upper Cretaceous–Paleocene Falam Formation
were deposited in the area of the Indo-Burman Ranges.
Along the eastern portion of the approaching Indian plate,
Rajmahal Trap volcanics and carbonates of the Bolpur and
Ghatal Formations accumulated. Although these carbonates
are recognized today primarily on the eastern and western
shelves, they were also likely deposited over much of the
10   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia
EURASIAN
PLATES
AFRICAN
PLATE
INDIAN
PLATE
Kerguelen
Hot Spot
Mascarene
Basin
ANTARCTIC
PLATE
Figure 8.  Late Cretaceous (approximately 94 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from Scotese
and others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).
northern Indian shelf and the area of the Burma plate. This
shelf environment persisted through Late Cretaceous when
regressive sandstones such as the Tura Formation in the east
and Pab Formation in the west were deposited.
From Paleocene through middle Eocene time, shales of
the Kanbala and Taunggale Formations were deposited in the
Irrawaddy Delta and Prome Embayment areas. Upper Creta-
ceous–Paleocene Kabaw Group (the Laungshe Shale of Stamp,
1927) shales, limestones, and sandstones (fig. 5) were depos-
ited in the Salin Basin. The lower Eocene Paunggyi Formation
limestones rest unconformably on the Kabaw Group in the
Salin Basin and conformably in the western Chindwin Basin
(Bender, 1983). Overlying the Paunggyi Formation are the
shales and sandstones of the middle Eocene Laungshe Forma-
tion of Bender (1983) (a different formation than the Laungshe
of Stamp, 1927). Deposited on the Laungshe are the upper
Eocene shales and sandstones of the Tabyin and Tilin Forma-
tions. Tabyin Formation shales have good source potential
BU
PL RM
AT A
E
AUSTRALIAN
PLATE
Marine
Shelf
Lowlands
Mountains
in the Salin Basin (Khin, 1991). Conformably overlying the
Pondaung Formation (fig. 5) in the Central Basin, southwest
Chindwin Basin, Prome Embayment, and Thayetmyo area are
the shales and sandstones of the middle Eocene Yaw Forma-
tion. The eastern portion of the Central Burma Basin, which is
part of the Asian plate, was emergent during the early Eocene.
The area south of Mandalay and west of the Irrawaddy River
was primarily a shallow marine environment, with the excep-
tion of the area of the present-day Indo-Burman Ranges (figs.
4 and 12). The area north of Mandalay and in the eastern
Chindwin Basin was emergent with a shallow marine environ-
ment only in the west.
The Eocene to upper Miocene lower Pegu Group in the
Salin Basin and Prome Embayment area contains many of the
identified source rocks and reservoirs within the Eocene to
Miocene TPS. For example, upper Eocene–lower Oligocene
Shwezetaw or Kyaukpon Formations of the Pegu Group consist
of shallow marine interbedded clays, shales, and sandstones.
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   11

EURASIAN
PLATES

Teth
yan S
ea BU
R
PLA MA
AFRICAN TE
PLATE

INDIAN
PLATE

ge
d
Seychelles

Ri
st
Madagascar

Ea
M rif
as t b
ca as

ty
re in

ne
ne

Ni

Kerguelen
Hot Spot
AUSTRALIAN
PLATE
Marine
Shelf
ANTARCTIC
Lowlands
PLATE
Mountains

Figure 9.  Latest Cretaceous (approximately 69 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from Scotese
and others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).

The Shwezetaw and Kyaukpon Formations contain both source
and productive reservoir rocks, and they are conformably
overlain by the Padaung Formation (fig. 5) clay and sandstone,
which produces both oil and gas. Upper Eocene–lower Oligo-
cene rocks were not deposited, or were eroded, in the western
Irrawaddy Delta (Bender, 1983). Following this hiatus, shallow
marine shales, sandstones, and limestones of the upper Oligo-
cene Tumyaung Formation were deposited in the Irrawaddy
Delta area. To the north, in the Prome Embayment and Salin
Basin, the sandstones and limestones of the Okhmintaung
Formation accumulated. On an unconformable late Oligocene
surface marking the top of the Okhmintaung, as much as 1,000
m of sandy shales and fine- to medium-grained sandstones
of the upper Oligocene−lower Miocene Upper Pegu Group
Pyawbwe Formation was deposited. The Pyawbwe sandstones
produce both oil and gas. As much as 1,500 m of sandstones
of the lower to middle Miocene upper Pegu Group Kyaukkok
Formation overlies the Pyawbwe Formation. The Kyaukkok
Formation also produces both oil and gas. The middle Miocene
Obogon Formation (as much as 1,000 m thick) consists of fine-
to medium-grained sandstones, sandy shales, and siltstones.
The unconformity at the top of the Obogon Formation marks
the top of the Pegu Group. Deposited in alluvial environments,
on the unconformable top of the Pegu Group, was as much
as 3,000 m of nonmarine medium- to coarse-grained massive
crossbedded sandstones, clays, and conglomerates of the upper
Miocene to Quaternary Irrawaddy Group (fig. 13).
Today the total sedimentary column in the Central
Burma Basin exceeds 12,000 m in places, with the greatest
thickness in the Irrawaddy Delta and the thinnest along the
east edge of the basin.
Exploration and Production
Oil seeps and production from hand-dug wells were
reported in the Yenangyuang area as early as the thirteenth
century. By 1797 production at Yenangyuang (fig. 14) from
12   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

EURASIAN
PLATES

Indus Assam-
Shelf Arakan BURMA
Shelf
Bombay PLATE
Shelf INDIAN Bengal
PLATE Basin
AFRICAN
PLATE Som
Bas ali
in

e
idg
Se
yc
he

st R
Ma lle
Ba sca s
sin ren

Ea
e

ety
Nin
Madagascar

AUSTRALIAN
PLATE
Marine

Shelf
ANTARCTIC
Lowlands
PLATE
Mountains

Figure 10.  Middle Eocene (approximately 50 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from Scotese and
others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).

several hundred hand-dug wells on 12.8-m spacing yielded
a total of 200–400 barrels per day. Hand-dug wells were
reported as late as 1949, and to be as deep as 120 m. In 1888,
the first “drilled” (cable tool) well was brought in, and rotary
drills were used as early as 1911 (Stamp, 1927). Although
the total number of exploratory wells drilled was not large,
successes continued until World War II, when the petroleum
industry infrastructure was almost completely destroyed.
Following that war, rehabilitation of the industry was slow. In
1959, the Payagon oil and gas field was discovered, and the
rate of exploration increased (fig. 15). The oil industry was
nationalized in 1965 and the national oil company Myanma
Oil Company (MOC) was formed. In 1970 MOC discovered
Mann oil field, and between 1972 and 1974 MOC drilled 12
wells in the Gulf of Martaban. That drilling effort resulted in
several uneconomic gas discoveries. In 1974 MOC invited
foreign oil companies to bid on offshore blocks. Thirteen
offshore blocks were awarded. After numerous dry holes and
one gas discovery off the Arakan coast, all of the blocks were
relinquished by 1977.
Interest in offshore exploration was revived in 1982,
when Yadana gas field was discovered 70 km offshore in
the Irrawaddy Delta fan at a water depth of 45 m (fig. 14).
Reserves are estimated at more than 5 trillion cubic feet of
gas (TCFG), with the nearby Sein and Badamyar discoveries
adding 0.7 TCFG of reserves. Total Myanmar Exploration
and Production (TMEP), Unocal, Petroleum Authority of
Thailand Exploration and Production International Limited
(PTTEP), and Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), in a
joint venture, began development of the field in 1992, and in
1998 Yadana field came on line (www.energy.gov.mm/MOGE;
accessed 2003). Yetagun gas field, with reserves in excess of
3 TCFG and 80 million barrels (mmb) of condensate, in the
Taninthayi offshore area of the eastern Andaman Sea (fig. 14),
was discovered in 1992 (www.energy.gov/mm/MOGE_2.htm;
accessed 2003). As demand for gas in the region increases and
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   13

EURASIAN
PLATES

INDIAN
M
PLATE ya
AFRICAN nm
ar
PLATE
Somali

dge
Basin

t Ri
Sey
che
Ma lles

Eas
s
Bas caren
in e

ety
Nin
Madagascar

AUSTRALIAN
PLATE

Marine

Shelf
ANTARCTIC
Lowlands
PLATE
Mountains

Figure 11.  Late Oligocene (approximately 27 Ma). Perspective lat 20° S., long 68° E. (modified from Scotese
and others, 1988, and Scotese, 1997).

a pipeline system is developed, further exploration and devel-
opment in the area are likely. Recently a large gas discovery
has been made off the west coast of Myanmar.
Within the Central Burma Basin at least 59 fields were
discovered between 1864 and 1996 (Petroconsultants, 1996).
These fields contain at least 76 reservoirs that have produced
oil, gas, or condensate. The largest fields are Yenangyuang
(>200 mmbo), Yadana (>5 TCFG), and Yetagun (>3 TCFG)
discovered in 1889, 1983, and 1992, respectively (fig. 14).
The plot of cumulative new-field wildcat wells versus
completion year for the Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic prov-
ince (fig. 15) shows that, although the total number of explo-
ration wells drilled is low, the rate of exploration increased
substantially in the 1960s and the rate has remained relatively
constant since the 1970s.
The plots of known oil and gas fields ranked by size and
grouped in thirds by date of discovery do not show a signifi-
cant decrease in field size in progressive thirds (fig. 16). The
small decrease in field size through time indicates that the
province is still not mature in terms of exploration; a mature
province would show a larger decrease in field sizes between
the first and third thirds. The largest fields were found in the
first and third thirds for oil and the second and third thirds
for gas. Known field size versus discovery year plots (fig. 17)
also show that relatively large gas fields are still being found.
The plots of cumulative volume of known (cumulative
production plus proven reserves) oil and gas versus the field
discovery year (fig. 18) show recent large increases in cumula-
tive known volumes. The reservoir depth versus field discovery
year plots (fig. 19) indicate that, although generally deeper, in
some cases the reservoirs found later were very shallow. This
may indicate that significant resource is to be found that was
previously bypassed. These are also areas where seismic data
acquisition and interpretation are difficult. Application of the
most recent seismic technology and methods to these areas
may reveal additional shallow traps. Note that data for gas
14   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

95°E 99°E 95°E 99°E

28° 28°
INDIA INDIA

PEOPLE’S PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC REPUBLIC
OF CHINA OF CHINA

24° 24°

MYANMAR MYANMAR

20° 20°

THAILAND THAILAND

16° 16°
Gulf Gulf
of of
Martaban Martaban

EXPLANATION
Land area
Marine
Alluvial/deltaic

WEST EAST WEST EAST

60 Ma 40 Ma

Molasse sediments
Flysch sediments

Paleozoic shelf sediments

Granodioritic intrusions

Crystalline Asian plate

Oceanic plate
Fault

Figure 12.  Generalized early (left) and late (right) Eocene paleogeography (modified from Khin and Win, 1968) and associated
cross sections near lat 20° N. (modified from Bannert and Helmcke, 1981).
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   15

95°E 99°E 95°E 99°E

28° 28°
INDIA INDIA

PEOPLE’S PEOPLE’S
REPUBLIC REPUBLIC
OF CHINA OF CHINA

24° 24°

MYANMAR MYANMAR

20° 20°

THAILAND THAILAND

16° 16°
Gulf Gulf
of of
Martaban Martaban

EXPLANATION
Land area
Marine
Alluvial/deltaic
EAST
WEST

Molasse sediments
Flysch sediments

Paleozoic shelf sediments

Granodioritic intrusions

Crystalline Asian plate

Oceanic plate
Fault

Figure 13.  Generalized early Miocene (left) and Pliocene (right) paleogeography (modified from Khin and Win, 1968) and recent
cross section near lat 20° N. (modified from Bannert and Helmcke, 1981).
16 Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

Ch
ind 95°E

Mandalay
EXPLANATION
win
Riv

Quaternary sediments
er

Neogene sedimentary rocks

X

Yenangyat Shan Plateau Paleogene sedimentary rocks

Mt.
Sa

20°
Chauk Popa Tertiary sedimentary rocks
lin
Ind

Yenangyuang Tertiary intrusive and extrusive rocks

Ba
o-B

Mann
sin

Mesozoic and Paleozoic igneous and

SAG
urm

Minbu metamorphic rocks

Irraw
KA

AIN
BA

Cretaceous sedimentary rocks

an

addy
W

G FA
Ra

Jurassic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

Ten
ng

ULT

Prome Triassic metamorphic and sedimentary rocks

es

Prome
a

Embayment Lower Triassic to Upper Carboniferous

sse

Myanauang

Shwepyitha Mesozoic and Paleozoic intrusive and

rim

metamorphic rocks
River

Undivided Paleozoic rocks

Ran

Upper Paleozoic rocks

Yangoon
Lower Paleozoic rocks
g

Syriam
es

Payagon Undivided Permian rocks

Irrawaddy
Gulf of Carboniferous sedimentary rocks
Delta Martaban Undivided Carboniferous to
15° Ordovician rocks
Sein Undivided Silurian rocks
Yadana
Badamyar
Undivided Precambrian rocks
Tan
i

Geologic province boundary

nth

Yetagun
ayi

Fault
Inferred fault
River
Andaman Water depth contours
Sea Oil field
nds

Gas field
Andaman Isla

Oil and gas field

Town or city
Anticline

10°
Figure 14. Generalized geology and some
oil and gas fields (modified from Khin, 1991,
and Wandrey and Law, 1999).
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   17
120
CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF NEW-FIELD
100
WILDCAT WELLS
80
60
40
20
0
1840 1860 1880 1900
Figure 15.  Cumulative number of new-field wildcat wells versus completion year for the Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic
province (Petroconsultants, 1996).
discoveries do indicate a slight trend toward deeper discover-
ies. Exploration strategies designed to find larger commercially
viable gas fields offshore are driving this trend toward deeper
drilling.
Exploration is presently controlled by the limited market
for gas within Myanmar as well as the neighboring countries
of Thailand and Bangladesh. When gas demand increases,
exploration for and development of Myanmar’s gas potential
will likely accelerate.
Total Petroleum System
The USGS recognizes several petroleum systems within
the Irrawaddy-Andaman and North Burma geologic provinces.
For assessment purposes, however, they were combined into
one composite petroleum system, the Eocene to Miocene
Composite Total Petroleum System (804801). This combina-
tion was made because correlations between source rocks and
reservoir hydrocarbons were available for only the Central
Burma Basin at the time of the assessment. Oil analyses indi-
cate Eocene and Oligocene–lower Miocene sources (Curiale
and others, 1994; M.D. Lewan, oral commun., 1998). Multiple
stacked source and reservoir rocks, connected by extensive
fault systems, allow mixing of hydrocarbons; this makes iden-
tification of distinct TPS difficult.
The rocks that compose this TPS are of Eocene through mid-
dle Miocene age (fig. 23). These formations include carbonates,
shallow marine shales and sandstones, and the sandstones, silt-
stones, shales, and coals of deltaic, alluvial, and lagoonal facies.
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020
YEAR
Source Rocks
The primary source rocks identified in the Central Burma
Basin are the middle Eocene Tabyin/Tilin, Taunggale, and
Laungshe Formations; upper Eocene Yaw Formation; lower
Oligocene Shwezetaw, Padaung, and Okhmintaung Forma-
tions (Khin, 1991) (fig. 5). Up to 1,200 m thick, the Tabyin
Formation consists of weathered clays with coal particles,
platy limestone, lignite seams, and thin tuffaceous sandstone
layers that increase in number to the north (Cotter, 1914). The
Yaw Formation consists of as much as 300 to 600 m of shales,
interbedded limestones, and bituminous coal in the Chind-
win Basin (Cotter, 1914). The Yaw Formation was primarily
deposited in a marine environment in the western portion of
the Central Burma Basin and lagoonal to alluvial environment
in the eastern portion. The Shwezetaw Formation, as much as
1,200 m thick, consists of sandstones (calcareous in the lower
part), shales, and thin coal seams deposited in shallow marine
to alluvial environments (Vredenburg, 1922). The Padaung
Formation consists of as much as 1,500 m of marine shales
with interbedded sandstones that increase in thickness and
frequency near the top of the formation (Bender, 1983). The
Okhmintaung Formation consists of shallow marine sand-
stones, shales, and infrequent limestones.
Oligocene and Miocene source and reservoir rocks occur
along the north, east, and west sides of the Andaman Sea, but
near the spreading center sediment thickness was probably
insufficient for generation to occur.
 18   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

1,000
Maturation
Burial depths generally increase from north to south
KNOWN OIL FIELD SIZE (MMB)

in the Central Burma Basin, with the youngest source rocks

100 (Miocene) found in the Gulf of Martaban and northern Anda-
man Sea (Matthews and others, 2000). In the Salin Basin
(fig. 3) the thermal gradient is low, with mature source rocks
at depths of 4 km or greater (Khin, 1991; Curiale and others,
1994). Given the low thermal gradient, upper Eocene and
10
lower Oligocene source rocks are likely to be the youngest
mature rocks in the north. Elevated temperatures associated
with the tectonic and volcanic activity are generally local-
ized and would have had little effect on regional maturation
1 (Barker and others, 1984). The R0 value versus depth plot
0 10 20 30 40 50
OIL FIELD RANK
for the Gulf of Martaban indicates that rocks of Miocene
age were sufficiently mature to generate oil and gas (fig. 20)
(Bender, 1983).
10,000
Samples taken from depths of 3,048 m in the Salin Basin
have a maturity of 0.5 percent Rm. In order to reach thermal
maturities sufficient for generation and expulsion, Khin (1991)
KNOWN GAS FIELD SIZE (BCF)

1,000 suggested, the source must be deeper in the Salin Basin.

Curiale and others (1994) argued that Eocene and lower Oligo-
cene source rocks reached the minimum maturity required
100 for generation. Further burial history data and collection of
samples from greater depths may resolve this question.

10
Generation and Migration

1 The onset of generation may have been as early as late

0 10 20 30
GAS FIELD RANK
First third of fields discovered
Second third of fields discovered
Third third of fields discovered
Figure 16.  Known oil and gas field sizes grouped in thirds by
discovery date and ranked by size for the Irrawaddy-Andaman
geologic province (Petroconsultants, 1996).
40 50 Miocene (12 to 8 Ma), and generation is likely continu-
ing today in at least the northern part of the Central Burma
Basin. Generation probably occurred first in the Gulf of
Martaban and Irrawaddy Delta area where burial depths were
the greatest. Miocene rocks in the deep basin entered the oil
window 8 to 5 Ma, the “gas window” 6.5 to 5 Ma, and the
“dry gas window” 6 to 4.5 Ma (Matthews and others, 2000).
Migration is primarily into adjacent reservoirs and vertically
through faults that developed during compressional stages
that created the anticlinal structures present in the Central
Burma Basin.

Source Rock Richness

Reservoir Rocks
Total organic carbon (TOC) content is generally low
where sampled, with a TOC minimum in the Gulf of Martaban Reservoir rocks range through almost the entire strati-
of <0.2 percent and a maximum of 1.5 percent. The kerogen is graphic section from Eocene to Miocene (figs. 21 and 23).
primarily gas prone, terrestrial, type III in the Gulf of Marta- Primary reservoir rocks include sandstones of the Eocene–
ban. API gravities of oils range from 8° to 52°. Sulfur content lower Oligocene Shwezetaw, Padaung, and Okhmintaung
ranges from 0.01 to 0.23 percent. Curiale and others (1994) Formations and the Miocene Pyawbwe and Kyaukkok For-
and Khin (1991) suggested that only one oil family is present mation sandstones. These reservoir sandstones were depos-
in the Central Burma Basin and that variations in chemical ited in alluvial, deltaic, and near-shore marine environments.
characteristics of oil samples are due primarily to biodegrada- Reservoir quality within the Pegu Group reservoirs varies
tion. Khin (1991) also suggested a possible Mesozoic source throughout the province, with porosity ranging from less than
in the Salin Basin, the Cretaceous Paung Chaung Limestone 20 percent to more than 30 percent and permeabilities from
Formation of the Kabaw Group (fig. 5). less than 92 millidarcies to more than 3,200 millidarcies.
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar   19

16

CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF OIL FIELDS 14

12

10

0
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR

25
CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF GAS FIELDS

20

15

10

0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR

Figure 17.  Cumulative number of oil and gas fields versus discovery year for the Irrawaddy-Andaman
geologic province (Petroconsultants, 1996).

Traps and Seals Assessment Units

Anticlines, faulted anticlines, fault blocks, and strati-
graphic traps are the primary traps (Petroconsultants, 1996)
(fig. 22). Seals include interbedded Oligocene and Miocene
shales and clays of the Pegu Group and overlying Irrawaddy
Group.
The primary elements of the Eocene to Miocene Com-
posite Total Petroleum System and their relationship to timing
of events are shown in the events chart (fig. 23).
The Eocene to Miocene Composite TPS was subdi-
vided into two units for assessment purposes: these are the
Irrawaddy-Andaman (80480102) Assessment Unit (AU) and
the Central Burma Basin (80480101) AU (fig. 2).
The Irrawaddy-Andaman AU is located in the southern
Central Burma Basin, the Irrawaddy Delta and Andaman
Basin. It is a gas-prone onshore and offshore basin developed
subparallel to the converging continental and marine plate
20   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

800
CUMULATIVE KNOWN OIL VOLUME (MMB)
700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR
CUMULATIVE KNOWN GAS VOLUME (BCF)

9,000

8,000

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR

Figure 18.  Cumulative known (cumulative production plus reserves) oil and gas volumes versus
discovery year for the Irrawaddy-Andaman geologic province (Petroconsultants, 1996).

boundaries. The rocks that compose this assessment unit Significant generation commenced during the Pliocene.
include Eocene sandstones and shales and the Oligocene- Migration is primarily vertical through fault and fracture sys-
Miocene Pegu Group, with a thickness exceeding 6,500 m in tems associated with the plate collision. These fault systems
places. This group is made up of interbedded, shallow marine have been periodically reactivated through the present. Short
shales, limestones, and sandstones, and the sandstones, shales, updip migration along the flanks of the basin is also likely.
and coals of deltaic and lagoonal facies. Primary reservoir rocks are interbedded sandstones of
Source rocks include the lower Oligocene shales of the the Pegu Group. Reservoir quality is fracture enhanced in
Yaw, Shwezetaw, and Okhmintaung Formations and shales many cases. Traps include anticlines, faulted anticlines, and a
of the Pegu Group. Total organic content is generally low few stratigraphic traps. Seals include interbedded Oligocene
(<1.75 percent) where sampled. Organic material is primarily and Miocene shales and clays, and thick clays of the upper
terrestrially derived type III kerogen. Maturities are generally Miocene−Pliocene Irrawaddy Group. Although few strati-
low, from R0 0.2 to 1.7 percent where sampled in the Gulf of graphic traps have been discovered, potential exists for more
Martaban, but maturities are likely higher in areas of the basin discoveries in the deltaic sequences. There is also potential for
where burial depths are greater. growth-fault related traps in the offshore fans.
 Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar  21

500
RESERVOIR DEPTH, IN METERS

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000
1840 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR

500
RESERVOIR DEPTH, IN METERS

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
FIELD DISCOVERY YEAR

Figure 19.  Reservoir depth versus field discovery year for oil (top) and gas (bottom) in the Irrawaddy-
Andaman geologic province (Petroconsultants, 1996).

The Central Burma Basin AU is located in the north and
central part of the Central Burma Basin of Myanmar. It is an oil-
prone onshore basin developed parallel to the converging conti-
nental and marine plate boundaries. The rocks that make up this
assessment unit include the Eocene Laungshe Shale, Tilin, and
Pondaung Sandstones, and the Oligocene-Miocene Pegu Group,
the latter exceeding 6,500 m in thickness. This group includes
interbedded sandstones, shales, and coals of deltaic to fluvial
facies, and shallow marine shales, limestones, and sandstones.
Source rocks include the upper Eocene–lower Oligocene
shales of the Yaw, Shwezetaw, and Okhmintaung Formations.
Total organic carbon content, generally low where sampled
(less than 1.7 percent), is primarily terrestrially sourced type
II and III kerogens. The onset of generation probably occurred
in late Miocene. Migration is primarily over short distances,
updip, and vertically through fault and fracture systems associ-
ated with the plate collision. These fault systems have been
periodically reactivated through the present.
22   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

Depth
m
0

Precambrian
EXPLANATION 1%
Reliable value Paleocene
Unreliable value unknown 3%
1%
1,000 Eocene
10%

? ? unconformity

2,000
Late Tertiary
samples

Miocene Oligocene
55% 30%
unconformity
3,000
Lower Cretaceous and
Upper Jurassic samples

4,000
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
MEAN REFLECTANCE (percent Ro)

Figure 21.  Temporal distribution of producing reservoirs by

Figure 20.  Mean vitrinite reflectance of rock youngest age. Percentages represent number of reported
samples in Gulf of Martaban (modified from occurrences by reservoir (IHS Energy Group, 2001).
Bender, 1983).

Interbedded sandstones of the Pegu Group are the pri-
mary reservoirs. The Eocene Pondaung and Tilin sandstones
may also have reservoir potential and have a combined thick-
ness of as much as 3,500 m including the interbedded shales.
Traps include anticlines, faulted anticlines, fault trunca-
tions, and stratigraphic traps. Seals include interbedded Oli-
gocene and Miocene shales and clays, and the thick clays of
the upper Miocene and Pliocene Irrawaddy Group. Structures
in the Chindwin Basin area and stratigraphic traps devel-
oped in alluvial and deltaic systems have been only lightly
explored and may have significant potential.
Cumulative Production Data
Based on Petroconsultants International Data Corpora-
tion data to 1996, the Irrawaddy Province (8048) was ranked
103rd in the world (including United States provinces).
This volume is approximately 0.1 percent of world volume
excluding the United States. Known petroleum volumes are
0.7 billion barrels of oil (BBO) and 10.3 TCFG for a total of
2.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BBOE) including natural
gas liquids (NGL).
Assessment Comparisons
Kingston (1986) estimated the mode of undiscovered
petroleum resources in the Irrawaddy basin at 1.1 BBO and at
<2.1 TCFG. Masters and others (1998) estimated the mean for
undiscovered petroleum resources at 1.4 BBO for the Burma
Basin and 6.2 TCFG for the Burma Basin and Andaman Sea.
In this study mean undiscovered resources were estimated to
be 725 mmbo and 20.5 TCFG (table 1).
Differences in estimates for undiscovered oil and gas
result because the areas assessed are not the same size and
significantly more data were available for the most recent
assessment.
Summary
The Eocene-Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System
has produced the majority of the hydrocarbons in the Central
Burma Basin and Irrawaddy Delta. Structural traps are pre-
dominant, but stratigraphic traps are likely to be found in both
ancient and modern delta environments.
Table 1. USGS estimates of undiscovered oil and gas resources by assessment unit and aggregated for the total petroleum system (Wandrey and others, 2000).

[MMBO, million barrels of oil. BCFG, billion cubic feet of gas. MMBNGL, million barrels of natural gas liquids. MFS, minimum field size assessed (MMBO or BCFG). Prob., probability (including both
geologic and accessibility probabilities) of at least one field equal to or greater than the MFS. Results shown are fully risked estimates. For gas fields, all liquids are included under the NGL (natural gas liquids)
category. F95 represents a 95 percent chance of at least the amount tabulated. Other fractiles are defined similarly. Fractiles are additive under the assumption of perfect positive correlation. Shading indicates
not applicable]

Code Undiscovered Resources

and Field MFS Prob. Oil (MMBO) Gas (BCFG) NGL (MMBNGL)
Type (0-1) F95 F50 F5 Mean F95 F50 F5 Mean F95 F50 F5 Mean

80480101 Central Burma Basin Assessment Unit

Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System, Myanmar  23

Oil Fields 1 75 446 1,192 516 158 951 2,751 1,134 9 55 171 68
1.00
Gas Fields 6 133 759 2,011 874 4 26 73 31
Total 1.00 75 446 1,192 516 291 1,709 4,763 2,008 13 81 244 99

80480102 Irrawaddy-Andaman Assessment Unit

Oil Fields 1 27 177 498 209 197 1,285 3,903 1,563 11 74 242 94
1.00
Gas Fields 6 3,710 14,982 36,669 16,949 125 513 1,327 593
Total 1.00 27 177 498 209 3,908 16,266 40,572 18,512 136 587 1,569 686

804801 Total: Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System

Oil Fields 102 624 1,690 724 356 2,235 6,654 2,697 20 130 413 162
1.00
Gas Fields 3,843 15,740 38,680 17,824 129 539 1,399 623
Total 1.00 102 624 1,690 724 4,199 17,976 45,334 20,521 149 669 1,813 785
24   Petroleum Systems and Related Geologic Studies in Region 8, South Asia

Favorable elements of this petroleum province are suit-

able organic material, sufficient maturation, ongoing charging
of reservoirs, short near-vertical migration paths, and early
Fault block Fault trap formation.
Draping structure 3% 1% Facies change
1% 1%
Dome
Regional arch 4%
5% Selected References
Fold nose
3%
Monoclinal fold Bannert, D., and Helmcke, D., 1981, The evolution of the
1% Asian plate in Burma: Geologische Rundschau, v. 70, no. 2,
Asymmetric anticline p. 446–458.
12%
Anticline Barker, C.E., and Pawlewicz, M.J., 1987, The effects of igne-
69% ous intrusions and higher heat flow on the thermal maturity
of Leonardian and younger rocks, western Delaware Basin,
Texas, in Cromwell, D.W., and Mazzullo, L., eds., The
Leonardian facies in W. Texas and S.E. New Mexico and
Guidebook to the Glass Mountains, West Texas: Midland,
Tex., Permian Basin Section−SEPM Publication 87-27,
p. 69–83.

Bender, F., 1983, The geology of Burma, in Bender, F.,

Figure 22.  Distribution of trap type. Percentages represent Jacobshagen, V., de Jong, J.D., and Luttig, G., eds., Beitrage
number of reported occurrences (IHS Energy Group, 2001). zur Regionalen Geologie der Erde: Berlin, p. 298.

75 60 45 30 15 GEOLOGIC
MESOZOIC CENOZOIC TIME
SCALE
Cretaceous Paleocene Eocene Oligocene Miocene Pliocene
PETROLEUM
Lower Pegu Gp. Upper Pegu Gp. SYSTEM EVENTS
Shwezetaw Fm
Paunggyi Cngl

Tabyin Clay

Padaung Cl

Okhmintaun g Ss

Pyawbwe Ss
Yaw Fm
Laungshe Sh
Tiln Ss

Pondaung Ss

Kyaukkok Ss

Obogon Fm

Irrawaddy
Group Rock unit

Source rock
Reservoir rock
Seal rock
Overburden rock
Trap formation
Accumulation
Migration
Generation
Preservation
Unconformity
Unconformity

Unconformity

Figure 23.  Events chart summarizing stratigraphy, source rocks, reservoirs, seals, traps, timing, and petroleum information for the
Eocene to Miocene Composite Total Petroleum System.

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