Balikpapan RDMP Refinery Targeted To Operate In 2025

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif has targeted the Balikpapan Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) refinery to fully operate in 2025.

This was revealed when checking the progress of the project directly.

During the visit, Arifin ensured that the large project that entered as one of the National Strategic Projects was running optimally.

During the visit, Arifin also checked various important achievements that have been achieved by the Balikpapan RDMP project. These achievements include the implementation of initial screening or Initial Screening for Gas Turbine Generator A and C, commissioning Utility Cooling Water System, and the completion of the SPM Lawe-Lawe installation.

"These steps are an important part of the full operation of the refinery by 2025," said Arifin, quoted Monday, August 12.

To support the operations of the Balikpapan Refinery, continued Arifin, there are also 2 other important projects, namely the construction of a 78 km gas pipeline from Seinpah to Balikpapan and increasing the capacity of the oil terminal in Lawe-Lawe.

Arifin also had the opportunity to see the production units that had been completed in the project, one of which was the Crude DistILLation Unit (CDU) IV unit. The completion of the CDU IV unit makes the Balikpapan Refinery currently the largest production capacity owned by Pertamina.

According to Arifin, the completion of the construction of the gas pipeline from Seinpah to Balikpapan has a strategic function.

"This pipeline will support a stable energy supply for refinery operations. Moreover, the gas capacity that can be channeled through this pipe reaches a maximum of 125 MMSCFD," explained Arifin.

Meanwhile, the Lawe-Lawe terminal will be a vital component in the raw oil supply chain, ensuring the smooth delivery of raw materials to the Balikpapan Refinery. This project includes the construction of two crude oil storage tanks with a capacity of 1,000,000 barrels each, crude oil reception facilities from tankers via Single Point Mooring (SPM) 320,000 DWT, as well as construction of land and offshore pipeline facilities from SPM to Lawe-Lawe Terminal.

"The additional production capability from the Balikpapan Refinery is certainly expected to further strengthen energy security in Indonesia," said Arifin.

Meanwhile, President Director of PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI) Taufik Aditiyawarman explained the purpose of the Balikpapan RDMP project. In addition to increasing the processing capacity to 360 thousand barrels per day, another goal to be achieved is to improve product quality and refinery complexity.

"The Balikpapan refinery previously had a processing capacity of 260 thousand barrels per day. Through the Balikpapan RDMP project, the processing capacity increased by 100 thousand barrels per day. The CDU IV unit that has been revamped has now operated normally and has produced fuel," explained Taufik.

The technology developed at the Balikpapan Refinery is now capable of producing fuel with the same quality as Euro 5 from the previous one which was only the same as Euro 2.

Regarding the complexity of the refinery, Taufik said that the indicator used in the oil and gas processing industry is known as the Nelson Complexity Index (NCI).

"After the RDMP project is completely completed in 2025, the NCI Balikpapan Refinery will increase to 8. This means that the Balikapan refinery will have the ability to produce various product variants," said Taufik.