Have A Potential 400 GT, This Is Pertamina's Step To Develop CCS/CCUS In Indonesia

Pertamina Senior Vice President Research and Technology Innovation Oki Muraza. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - PT Pertamina (Persero) stated its readiness to become the main player in carbon storage in Indonesia.

This was conveyed by Pertamina Senior Vice President Research and Technology Innovation Oki Muraza at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In his presentation, Oki saw a number of opportunities that Pertamina could take advantage of.

He said, there are 400 gigatons (GT) of CCS potential and CCS/CCUS business capacity which reaches 60 million tons per year (MTPA) in Indonesia.

In order to seize this opportunity, Pertamina currently has eight CCS/CCUS locations whose development is collaborated with other strategic partners.

There are two locations in Sumatra, four locations in Java, and two in Sulawesi.

Currently, CCS/CCUS initiatives are in the feasibility study phase which includes subsurface technicalities, surface facilities, and the economy.

"As a state-owned company in the oil and gas sector that is required to meet Indonesia's energy needs, but at the same time run a decarbonization program. Pertamina sees CCUS as an effort to increase the amount of oil and gas we at the same time support the NZE target," said Oki, quoted on Tuesday, December 5.

He added that Pertamina is now developing a CCUS project in Jatibarang District, Indramayu Regency, West Java, which has a carbon storage potential of 146,000 tons.

Pertamina is also developing a CCS project as a platform that supports low-carbon ammonia and hydrogen production.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) from ammonia and refinery plants will later be removed from hydrogen plants, with high concentration technology, and combustion units, with low concentration.

Furthermore, CO2 will be compressed and transported to areas around the plant, then there will be a CO2 injection or CCS process.

After that, hydrogen and ammonia compounds will be formed as low-carbon raw materials. This process has been carried out in the East Kalimantan region, precisely in Kutai Basin.

Oki said, the average CO2 from hydrogen plants in Balikpapan is 1.4 million tons per year. Meanwhile, the storage capacity is 270 million tons.

Meanwhile, ammonia production is carried out at the Banggai Amongia Plant.

CO2 from ammonia plants reaches 1 million tons per year. Its storage capacity reaches 273 million tons.

"If everything goes well, 2030 is finished, and storage can be used," said Oki.

He stated that Pertamina has encouraged the use of CCS and CCUS since the Glasgow Meeting two years ago.

Since then, Pertamina has consistently considered that this technology can be implemented.

"We continue to develop the stage by stage, while waiting for policy certainty from the government," said Oki.

There are many deals to form the policy, including CCS/CCUS calculations into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), collaboration between institutions, and other dialogues.

The aspect that needs to be considered from the development of CCS and CCUS is capital expenditure.

This problem can be solved by developing a nature-based solution (NBS), because it is the cheapest cost. Another solution is the capture of methane.

Oki emphasized that all of this will be realized if all parties synergize with each other.

"CCS/CCUS is a business that we can learn and build knowledge with," he added.

This session was also attended by the Executive Director of the Indonesia CCS Center Belladonna Maulianda.

He added that CCS is the most likely innovation to tackle climate change and drive carbon neutral targets.

CCS has various benefits such as reducing costs, preventing trade risks, creating jobs, and encouraging the development of low-carbon industries.

Meanwhile, General Manager of Advocacy Global CCS Institute Guloren Turan assessed that Indonesia was on the right track to develop CCS.

According to him, Indonesia has storage resources and has made efforts to develop capacity and policy frameworks.