PHE Completes Drilling Three Exploration Wells, Ready To Develop Natural Hydrogen In Indonesia

PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) as Pertamina's Upstream Subholding has completed drilling for three exploration wells, 163 development wells, 219 workovers, and 8,323 well services as of March 2024.

PHE's Corporate Secretary, Arya Dwi Paramita, said PHE also recorded 12-kilometer (km) and 3D Seismic 2D surveys of 2,602 square kilometers.

Dalam bidang eksplorasi, PHE mencapai total temuan sumber daya 2C sebesar 140 Juta Barel Minyak Ekuvalen/Setara Minyak (MMBOE).

"This time, PHE through the New Venture Function seeks to develop exploration potential for geological hydrogen in Eastern Indonesia," Arya said in his official statement, Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Arya said PHE collaborated with the Faculty of Exploration and Production Technology at Pertamina University and collaborated with the Geological Survey Center, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (KESDM).

PHE started to implement a G&G study on the potential for geological hydrogen in East Sulawesi Ophiolite through the kick-off meeting stage for the exploration study of hydrogen geological or known as natural hydrogen in Sulawesi Opholite, which was held in Bandung City, on Monday, May 6, 2024.

"The purpose of this study is to prepare for the exploration of clean energy as well as a form of support for PHE's vision and mission and roadmap companies related to emission reduction in 2025-2034," he said.

Along with PHE's sustainability policy to become an environmentally friendly company that provides energy access and supports green energy to support the national climate transition agenda.

"It is supported by the latest research from the Geological Survey Center (PSG) in the East Sulawesi Opholite area which has identified the presence of geological hydrogen, through the Tanjung Api and Hot Spring Bahodopi seepage gas on the Matano Fault route," he added.

Meanwhile, PHE Vice President of New Venture, Bintoro Wibowo, said exploration to find geological or natural hydrogen would be one of Pertamina's hopes as a greener and cleaner energy.

Bintoro further said that Pertamina University will lead the first study conducted by PHE to see the geological hydrogen potential, which includes geological mapping, surveys, geochemical data collection, and very complex and complete geophysical data collection.

"This will be the leading energy for the world towards a decade of geological hydrogen and net zero emissions. It is hoped that this study will be the first step for PHE and Indonesia to realize our results or efforts to carry out and find sources of clean energy in the future," he said.

The representative from Pertamina University, Eddy Ariyono Subroto, welcomed PHE's collaboration with open arms and said he was ready for this geological hydrogen potential study.

"We thank you very much for trusting our team to carry out this study. When we gathered the team, some said it was a tough job."

"However, we are sure and therefore we must work with enthusiasm and seriousness," he added.