SE Asia Heatflow Databse
Synthesis of existing data for the Sundaland region suggests it is a region of high heatflow. However, although many measurements must have been accumulated in the last 20 years, few of these have appeared in the public domain since the IPA/SEAPEX publications of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Based on these and NGDC data, the map shown above suggests that high heatflow values are characteristic of much of the region. The high heatflow areas are more extensive than would be expected if generated by arc and backarc processes and the region seems rather hot compared to continental regions elsewhere in the world. What are the causes? Normally, most heat comes from shallow levels of the crust and in some areas there are radiogenic granites, which may be present in the basement offshore, as well as sediments which have been derived from such sources. The presence of many sedimentary basins could suggest that these patterns are extension-related, and if this is the case there are implications for past heatflow.
[PDF of short article in SEAPEX Press / IPA Newsletter]
Compilation map by Helen Smyth, summarising heatflow measurements from the region,
notably data from IPA/SEAPEX publications. Areas in shades of green are within 25% of average
continental values. Yellow, orange and red areas are greater than this.
It would be of great value to increase the coverage and compile heatflow measurements made since 1980. In order to encourage this we have put the compiled dataset from IPA/SEAPEX publications and NGDC in an Excel file which can be downloaded.
We would like to add to this dataset, and would like to ask those with data to provide it. We will post any new datasets which are provided on this web page.
We do not intend to filter the data ourselves, and will be simply be posting it as supplied, so that users can filter it as they wish. We have sought advice from oil company specialists about what information they feel should be in such a compilation. Data will be welcome in any form but the suggested fields to be included are listed below which could be compiled in an Excel, DBF or text file. A template file contains these field headings.
- well name/number
- well location with datum (e.g. longitude/latitude WGS84; easting/northing UTM zone 32 south)
- basin name
- operator
- total vertical depth (metres)
- bottom hole temperature (�C)
- mudline or ground surface mean temperature
- method of correction (if data have been corrected)
- geothermal gradient (if computed)
- heat flow (mW/m2)
- heat flow measurement method (probe, interpolation, model, etc.)
- thermal conductivity per unit (if available)
- data source (any reference and date of measurement)
References
Please send any new data or enquiries to Robert Hall (robert.hall@gl.rhul.ac.uk)
