TY  - EJOU
AU  - Mulyatno, Bagus Sapto 
AU  - Sarkowi, Muh 
AU  - Dewanto, Ordas 
AU  - Irawan, Asep 
AU  - Suharso, 
AU  - Wibowo, Andy Setyo 
AU  - Gandidi, Indra Mamad 

TI  - Accelerating Hydrocarbon Maturation: The Role of Metals and Unconventional Resources in the Northeast Java Basin
T2  - Energy Engineering

PY  - 2025
VL  - 122
IS  - 8
SN  - 1546-0118

AB  - Rising global energy needs have intensified the search for unconventional hydrocarbon sources, especially in under-selected areas like the Northeast Java Basin. This region harbors promising unconventional hydrocarbon reserves, where source rocks function as dual-phase systems for both hydrocarbon generation and storage. This research investigates how metal-based catalysts, particularly iron (Fe), can expedite hydrocarbon maturation in such reservoirs. Combining well logging, geochemical assessments, seismic data, and advanced lab techniques, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), we pinpoint optimal zones for exploration. Results indicate that the Tuban, Kujung, and Ngimbang formations contain economically viable unconventional deposits, exhibiting tight reservoir properties (permeability: 0.01–1 md) and moderate to good Total Organic Carbon (TOC) levels (1%–2%). Spatial analysis reveals elevated density concentrations in the northern sector, indicative of high-viscosity hydrocarbons typical of unconventional plays. Crucially, Fe additives were found to markedly enhance organic matter conversion, shortening maturation periods and boosting hydrocarbon yield. XRD data confirms that Fe alters crystalline configurations, increasing reactivity and speeding up thermal breakdown (shifting immature organic compounds toward maturity at an accelerated rate). These findings contribute to the evolving discourse on unconventional resource exploitation by proposing an innovative recovery enhancement strategy. The study also sets a precedent for investigating metal-assisted hydrocarbon conversion in geologically comparable basins globally.
KW  - Unconventional hydrocarbons; hydrocarbon maturation; metal catalysis; geochemical analysis

DO  - 10.32604/ee.2025.064336