Network With Purpose
NWP-Labi Trip to Belait 4
(13/14-Feb-1999)
1984 SLAR IMAGE OF BELAIT AREA
BL-4
Active radar system are often used to image the ground surface. This can be
carried out from spaceborne or airborne systems. Sideway Looking Airborne
Radar (SLAR) image here was taken in 1984 and it gives a very good image of
the ground texture. Sometimes ground texture can indirectly revile the structural
geology underneath the vegetation canopy. Interpretation of radar images depends
on the play of light (strong radar return) and shadow (little or no return) from the
ground. Linear features such as roads, clearings and logging trails can clearly be
seen in this image.
Image and Text prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22 ( Image 1)
1974 Aerial Photo
of Labi area taken at different
time of day and about 1 month apart
Aerial photos are used very
often in map making where
topographic features such as
roads and buildings can be
traced out and digitised.
Height information can also
be extracted using stereo
photos.
In the first photo on the left,
we can see some of the
problem due to cloud covers
and cloud shadows.
BL-4
Sun angle also plays important
role in the final outcome of the
photo. Hill shadowing effects give
us an impression of surface
textures and thus the roughness
of the ground below.
In the next slide, we can see the
map produced from the
combination of photo
interpretation work, land survey
and hard copy map digitising
method to compile the
topographic map of Labi.
BL-4
Image and Text prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22 ( Image 2)
Topographical map of Labi area
Image prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22 ( Image 3)
Access Description to Old Belait Well
No.4 (based on description from
Sept.1992 survey by XTD/21 team
updated in 1999 (dxt/15))
Belait Well BL-4 was spudded in 1914. To reach the
well site, we have to drive to Labi village. Within
meters of the road marker Labi-1Km there is a sand
track leading off to the left (Red mailbox on left of
the road). Follow this track for a few hundred meters
and when the main track turns left go straight, uphill
a rough rutted muddy track for about hundred
meters.
Park at the clearing top of the track. Then walk the
downhill (about 100m) till the place where the track
intersects Sungei Talingan (some concrete pipes
under the road).
Continue walking along the stream against direction
of flow until a waterfall is reached.
The journey up to this point takes about 30 minutes.
Walk further for about 10 minutes and a second
waterfall will be found, which is smaller than the first
one. Approximately 250 meters from this waterfall is
a small tributary stream, joining Sungai Telingan
from the right hand side. Roughly 50 meters
upstream
from this point (along the main stream) an old steam
engine will be found (now pieces of this have been
moved down stream below the waterfall 28/1/99).
Walk for another 5 minutes (100 meters) to the well
location.
In 19992 the well head for BL-4 was a conductor,
sticking out 2.5 meters about ground level, with its
top sealed off.
At the base is a small pool of water with gas bubbles
could be seen on the surface. A strong gas/oil odour
was smelt. Now (1999) the casing has been cut off
just above the surface and the conductor can be
seen bubbeling away about 40cm below the
soilsurface. H2S smell is very clear and the flow of
water is estimated as at least 100bbl/day which
causes the casing to tremble notably.
Image and Text prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22, XTD/2 ( Image 4)
Belait; Exploration History
Eighteen wells have been drilled in the Labi area between 1912 and 1988, but only the last ten (post-1953)
were wireline logged and drilled deeper than1300 metres. The first Belait well, at Bukit Puan, near the Belait
river, did not test the Belait structure.
The early history was of cable-tool drilling with repeated oil shows and gas blow-outs. Well 2 was the only
significant producer. Other wells found a variety of crudes ranging from 15-44° API (970 to 800 kg/m3).
Reservoirs are very thick coastal plain sands with few marine intercalations. The Miocene sedimentary
sequence is overall regressive from the deep marine, Setap Shale Formation at the base to the coastal plain
sediments of the Belait Formation at the top.
Closures probably occur in both the box-folded upthrust block and in the underthrust block. Most exploration
activity was in the Talingan area. This and the area further south are structurally very complex. The very
sandy (main objective) sequence of the Belait Formation and the main regional cap rock, the Belait Clays,
both crop out in the anticline. The structure is therefore prone to leakage in these areas as shown by
numerous oil seeps. Northeast of the area () and away from the fault zone, the axis of the Belait anticline
swings towards a more northeasterly orientation and plunges towards the Belait river (). This area was
tested by exploration well Belait-11 on the river bank at Bukit Kandol with negative results.
All parts of the Belait structure connect with potential oil kitchens on both flanks in the Badas and Belait
synclines. These synclines contain thick coaly horizons (locally true coals) which are excellent source rocks.
The deeper basinal Setap Shales could also contain good source rocks.
In the extreme south of the structure around Bukit Teraja, where well Belait 14 was drilled, uplift on the
fault-zone is very considerable, as is removal of former overburden by erosion. Reservoir properties are
hence rather poor even at shallow depths. Geological exploration of the Belait anticline began about 1911,
with geologists of the British Borneo Petroleum Syndicate, mapping the area as far south as Bukit Teraja.
The first well was spudded in 1912 at Bukit Puan, on the south bank of the Belait river, to satisfy license
obligations. In 1913, the syndicate acquired the Rampayoh Mining Lease, covering an area of strong surface
hydrocarbon indications. They started drilling at sites no. 2 and no. 3 in the Talingan area, at the crest of
the Belait anticline, with oil impregnated outcrops nearby. The Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company (part of the
Shell group of companies) took over the drilling operations in 1914. They struck oil in well no. 2 at a TD of
559 metres; the first oil in Brunei. Well no. 3 was discontinued at 165 metres, without hydrocarbons. AngloSaxon and the Nederlandsche Koloniale Petroleum Maatschappij were intermittently active in the area from
1914 to 1922.
They drilled well no. 4 in an area with numerous gas seepages. The well had many gas and few oil
shows. The British Malayan Petroleum Company (Shell) took over the British Borneo Petroleum Syndicate
concessions in 1924. Subsequently the area was remapped. Well no. 2 was cleaned out and put on
production in 1924. Between 1924 and 1931 some 5,000 m3 of 22° API (920 kg/m3) oil was transported by
rail to Kampar and from there shipped down the Belait river. The company drilled six more wells from 1924
to 1931. Wells no 5, 8 and 9 appraised the producing Talingan area. They discovered mainly gas and minor
amounts of heavy and light oil. Wells no. 6 7 and 10 (the first rotary well in Brunei) were outsteps to the
north and east. They found new hydrocarbons, but none was considered commercial. Production and
exploration activities stopped in 1931.The Seria oilfield provided better opportunities during this period of
world economic depression. Exploration returned in 1948 with a seismic survey at Medarram and Teraja, but
without delineating distinct prospects. Contractual obligations led to the drilling of wells Belait-11 to 14
between 1953 to 1955. The results of the widely spaced wells were disappointing as they failed to find new
hydrocarbons. Exploration turned to the offshore in the late 1950's and only returned to the Belait area in
the early 1970's. New seismic was acquired between 1975 and 1977 and two wells (Belait 15 and 16) were
subsequently drilled in 1978. Belait 16 found interesting gas shows, but these could not be adequately
tested because of technical problems.
The Talingan area appeared to be the only one with further opportunities. New seismic was shot over this
area in 1985 and Belait-17 was spudded in 1987 as a twin well of Belait-5. Belait-18 spudded in 1988 as a
sidetrack of Belait-17 to evaluate the east flank of the Talingan accumulations. This well was the first one in
60 years with new, but non-commercial, hydrocarbons in the Belait area.
Text Prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by DXT/15 Data (from Sandal 1996)
BL-4
STRUCTURAL SETTING
The Belait anticline is situated some 30 km inland from Seria in the
Labi hills (). The area has a rugged topography and is predominantly
covered by primary rainforest. The geology is dominated by a
northerly trending anticline with numerous surface hydrocarbon
indications. Despite intensive exploration campaigns since the
beginning of this century, no large hydrocarbon accumulations have
been discovered.
BELAIT 4
Drilling commenced on 1 June 1914 and the well drilled to a depth of
1490’. In November 1914 work was abandoned after derrick and
casing troubles. Drilling resumed in April 1915 to depth of 2132’
(TD).Shows of oil were reported at 1718’ and strong gas shows at
2049’. Numerous mechanical difficulties followed and the well was
abandoned in June 1916.
At the beginning of 1924 gas was flowing wildly through the damaged
7” casing. This flow was controlled and gas production began from
the well in April 1924 at a rate of 0.5 mmscfpd . The well was
connected by a 3” gas pipeline to the BL-5 well and was used to run a
pump at the BL-2 well.
Gas production stopped in April 1929, the casing apparantly collapsed
or rotted away.
Prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by, DXT/15 Data (DXT/3) ( Image 5)
ROUTE MAP TO BL-4
Pictures taken from previous
trips to BL-4 showing the beautiful
if somewhat wet jungle of Labi.
Spot the labi-labi in the top picture
(on the left).
Prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22, DXT/15 ( Image 6)
An extract from ‘ The Discovery & Development of the
Seria Oilfield’ by G.C.Harper. 1975
Drilling In the Good Old Days………..
Prepared for NWP Labi Jungle Trip :13/14-Feb-99 by XGM/22 ( Image 7)
Photos from
Latest walk to Bl-4
Starting at the end of a dirt
track we park and walk
along a hunting path
Some natural seeps
near the start of the
track
Soon we reach the
Telingan river and follow
this for about half an
hour till the first
waterfall
Tough climb from the river
bank up steep slope on the
way to Belait-4 from the
1st waterfall.
Some more metal bits found
downstream from previous
‘clean-up’.
Some metal
parts of an old
steam engine
found at BL-4 in
1995. The
following cleanup
campaign left lots
of pieces scattered
in the river. These
where spottted
during
our last visist on
the 27/1/99.
The path towards BL-4 leads
through the river over
slippery rocks and fallen trees so
make sure you are sure footed.
You will have to climb around two
waterfalls but ropes are provided
on the difficult bits. There are
Plenty of beautiful natural
waterfalls like this one with
plenty of chance for bathing and
taking lots of pictures (if
you haven’t dropped your camera
in the river yet, that is!).
Photos from
Latest walk to Bl-4
(here we can see
Dullah(DXT) wants to
prove that he had
been there, seen it,
took the photo but
not quite bought
the T’shirt yet)
Sign posted but the group nearly
missed it! Thick jungle and wet
ground ensure that the task of
finding the well head a challenging
one, especially if you never been
there before.
The well conductor is bubbeling
wildly and feeds a small waterfall