Arafura
Basin
ARAFURA UNVEILED:
MAPPING ENERGY
FRONTIERS
The Arafura Basin in southern Papua represents one of the last great frontiers in exploration offshore Indonesia. Long overlooked, this vast geological setting within Indonesia is now emerging with immense potential—poised for discovery and growth.
Indonesia has been extensively surveyed, yet its sheer scale leaves many regions underexplored. The Arafura Sea, lying between northern Australia and southern Papua, is one such hidden gem, waiting to be unlocked. Today, new government initiatives and revitalised licensing activity are reshaping the exploration landscape. The Arafura Basin now stands at a decisive turning point.
But this is more than unexplored territory—it is a strategic opportunity. Unlocking the basin’s resources means uncovering new reserves and redefining the energy map of Southeast Asia. For explorers and investors alike, the Arafura Basin offers the chance to be part of a story that is only just beginning.
WHAT'S IN
THE DATA
Our processing and Imaging team has curated a vast seismic database of 652 seismic lines and 41,991 km of 2D data (1957–2020 vintages), delivering a fully processed Pseudo 3D Cube spanning ~76,233 sq km
- Discoveries: The project covers early discoveries such as Kota-1 and ASM-1, drilled south of the Arafura Basin.
- Our experts applied rigorous preconditioning and advanced workflows to legacy data to ensure reliability and consistency.
- The result delivers enhanced amplitude spectral and phase matching, comprehensive denoising, and improved regional structural alignment for a more comprehensive and accurate regional structural interpretation.
- In collaboration with Ellis, PaleoScan™ workflows were used as input into the Pseudo 3D Cube processing and to interpret horizons across complex geology—including gas chimneys and discontinuous reflectors—building robust geological models that improve imaging.
- Structural imaging was prioritised to ensure traps are clearly defined—essential for successful exploration in the basin.
AVAILABILITY
AND ACCESS
Shearwater delivers a fully processed, industry-ready Pseudo 3D Cube from the Arafura Sea, harnessing advanced imaging technology to guarantee clarity, consistency, and exceptional quality.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE
ARAFURA BASIN
While no commercial discoveries have yet been made, hydrocarbons show across the basin paint a compelling picture. Early wells such as Kota-1 and ASM-1, drilled south of the Arafura Basin, have already confirmed the presence of a functioning Paleozoic petroleum system. These results make it clear—the Arafura Basin is not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’.
To accelerate that journey, our multiclient 3D pseudo cube provides explorers with a powerful qualitative tool, delivering sharp clarity and precise well delineation. Each new well pushes the hydrocarbon frontier further, and our expansive 3D coverage serves as the launchpad for tomorrow’s discoveries—empowering explorers to identify fresh prospects with confidence and driving the next wave of licensing and investment opportunities
"The Arafura Basin is no longer just a geological curiosity—it is a frontier on the verge of transformation, with proven petroleum systems, modern seismic imaging, and renewed industry focus unlocking unprecedented opportunity."
-Katherine Kho, Sales Manager
YOUR NEXT DECISION
STARTS HERE
Fredrik Amundsen, our VP Global multi client, will walk you through it.
