f A Practical Sequence Stratigraphic Framework for the<br>East Balingian Sub-Province, Offshore Sarawak

Exploration activity in the East Balingian Sub-province (Figure 1) commenced in the 1960’s and resulted in a few discoveries which were predominately gas. Currently there are only two producing fields in this area, the Temana and West Patricia oil fields. In view of the relatively mature stage of exploration in the basin a new sequence stratigraphic scheme was needed in order to provide a detailed framework from which new play concepts could be identified by analysis of the key components of reservoir, seal and source. The present study has established a new practical sequence stratigraphic scheme for the East Balingian Subprovince that follows Vailian sequence stratigraphic principles. The Shell ‘Cycle’ stratigraphy (Ho, 1978 and van Borren et al., 1996) which has been commonly used in Sarawak was innovative for its time. It can be viewed as a forerunner to Galloway-style sequence tratigraphy, as it was largely based on biostratigraphically defined, shale prone marine flooding events. However, review of the Shell Cycles in the East Balingian wells indicates that they are not consistent with seismic correlations defined on modern 2D and 3D seismic. Shell has moved on from the Cycle nomenclature to a sequence stratigraphic approach and recently published the results of its internal study (Morrison & Lee, 2003).