A strategic research project, “Geological and Geophysical Evaluation of Hydrocarbon Prospectivity in Sedimentary Rock of Tawau Basin, Sabah,” has commenced to strengthen understanding of Sabah’s petroleum systems and hydrocarbon prospectivity.

Running from 14 July 2026 to 14 January 2029, the project is a collaboration between Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), PETRONAS; VIRIDIEN; and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), led by Professor Baba Musta of UMS. The collaboration brings together multidisciplinary expertise in geophysics, sedimentology, stratigraphy, geochemistry, and subsurface modelling.

The project’s three primary objectives are to develop subsurface structural models of potential hydrocarbon-bearing formations; assess the geochemical characteristics of selected sedimentary rock formations; and produce a detailed geological map of Sebatik Island.

Sebatik Island occupies a strategic geological position along the Malaysia–Indonesia border. The Malaysian sector is predominantly underlain by the Neogene Kalumpang Formation, comprising shallow-marine sandstone and shale sequences.

The presence of anticlines, reverse faults, and natural oil seeps indicate geological conditions that warrant further petroleum system evaluation, particularly as the Tawau Basin remains relatively underexplored.

The study integrates field geological mapping, geophysical surveys, structural analysis, rock sampling, laboratory investigations, and available offshore subsurface data to improve understanding of geological continuity, facies distribution, structural evolution, reservoir characteristics, and overall basin evolution.

The methodology combines Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) with sedimentological, petrographic, biostratigraphic, mineralogical, organic geochemical, and trace element analyses to evaluate depositional environments, reservoir quality, source rock potential, thermal maturity, and the geological evolution of the basin.

Expected project deliverables include updated geological maps, subsurface structural models, reservoir characterisation, and organic geochemical datasets. These outputs will improve understanding of key petroleum system elements, including source rocks, reservoirs, seals, migration pathways, and traps—while reducing subsurface uncertainty.

The project is intended to support future exploration by strengthening the technical basis for resource evaluation and is not designed to confirm commercially recoverable oil or gas reserves.

The collaboration is expected to enhance Sabah’s geoscience database, strengthen academia–industry partnerships, build local geoscience capability, and provide valuable scientific input to support Malaysia’s future energy resource assessment and exploration planning.