PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam Manpatu Project Enters Load Out and Sail Away Jacket Phase

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) successfully carried out the Load Out Jacket Manpatu activity from the Manpatu Development Project which took place at the fabrication yard owned by PT Meindo Elang Indah in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, on March 26, 2026.

The Load Out Jacket activity on this project is a continuation of the first cut of steel which was carried out in May 2025 and will be continued with the planned Sail Away Jacket.

General Manager of PHM, Setyo Sapto Edi explained, the Manpatu Project is the development of the Manpatu Exploration well findings on the South Mahakam offshore field which is located about 35 km from the coast of Balikpapan, within the PHM operating area in East Kalimantan, with water depths reaching 50-60 meters.

"This project is designed to support the increase in gas and oil (condensate) production of PHM, with a design capacity of up to 80 MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day)," he said, Monday, March 30.

He added that the scope of work for this project includes the fabrication and installation of one new platform, namely the Jacket and Piles with a total weight of ± 1380 Tons and the Topside with a weight of ± 1100 Tons, as well as modifications to an existing platform.

In addition, this project includes the installation of an underwater distribution pipe with a diameter of 14 inches along approximately 2.5 km, as well as the implementation of subsea work with a high level of complexity and risk. In total, this project also includes the drilling of 11 development wells. "We are consistently encouraging innovation and the application of technology that refers to best practices in the upstream oil and gas industry, both nationally and globally, which are implemented in an integrated manner in all aspects of the company's operations and business," continued Setyo.

Through this Project, PHM has also managed to achieve an important milestone in increasing the Domestic Component Level (TKDN). The Manpatu Project has implemented the use of local distributor pipes or Electric Resistance Welding (ERW) in a comprehensive manner (top-to-toe) which includes, subsea piping systems, risers and pipe bends, which are the first to be applied in the Mahakam area.

On the other hand, PHM ensures that each project is carried out optimally while prioritizing the aspect of occupational safety, with a target of zero accidents (zero incident).

In its implementation, the Manpatu Project has recorded significant work safety achievements, namely more than two million work hours (manhours) without Lost Time Incident (LTI) until March 2026. With a very large total scope of work, this activity is projected to reach more than three million work hours (manhours) at the time of completion.

The Manpatu project is a fast track project with a very tight schedule since the discovery of gas in the Manpatu-1x exploration well in Q1 2022. In line with Pertamina's efforts to manage wells that have entered the aging phase, continuous innovation and creativity are needed at every stage of project implementation. This effort is a key factor in supporting the acceleration of the realization of national energy security as proclaimed by the government.

The process of loading out the jacket or moving the Manpatu jacket structure and the Manpatu jacket sail away is one of the strategic achievements in the implementation of the Manpatu Project. This will be followed by the load out and sail away of the topside in mid-April 2026. The target for the installation of the jacket and topside is scheduled for April-May 2026, so that the entire platform is expected to be installed in the PHM operating area in early Q3 2026. The target onstream is expected to start in Q1 2027.