Government Ready To Turn Oil And Gas Platforms Into Artificial Reefs

Photo: Doc. Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources through the Director General of Oil and Gas (Migas) Tutuka Ariadji and the Deputy for Coordination of Maritime Sovereignty and Energy of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Basilio Dias Araujo signed the Implementing Arrangement (IA) on the Pilot Project for Decommissioning and Rig-To- Reef Re-Utilization of Offshore Plants in Indonesia.

This decommissioning work will be carried out in collaboration with the South Korean Government in the form of the conversion of oil and gas platforms to rigs to reefs, namely the practice of converting offshore oil platforms into artificial reefs.

For this collaboration, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has issued an Approval for the Implementation of Post-Operation Activities and the Elimination of BMN Assets.

Previously on October 13, 2021, the Governments of Indonesia and Korea strengthened Maritime Cooperation in the Offshore Platform Service Industry. The cooperation was marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menko Marves) Luhut B. Pandjaitan with the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea Moon Seong-Hyeok.

"Unused offshore platforms will be used for artificial coral reefs, aquaculture, marine tourism and research centers," said Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan at the time.

In his remarks, Basilio said that the signing of the IA hopes that this pilot project can be a solution for post-operation activities in Indonesian waters.

Apart from the three platforms in the East Kalimantan and Attaka Working Areas, there are still many other platforms that need to be decommissioned, with the same or different schemes. Of course, in an economical and environmentally friendly way.

"It is hoped that relevant parties across sectors will continue to oversee this activity, considering that there are still many other issues that need to be resolved," said Basilio in Jakarta, Monday, January 31.

Decommissioning of oil and gas platforms is a series of activities for dismantling equipment, installations, and/or supporting facilities including permanent well closure, site restoration and handling of the release or removal of equipment, installations, and/or facilities in upstream oil and gas business activities carried out before or at the end of the contract. cooperation.

The legal basis for dismantling oil and gas platforms is Government Regulation Number 17 of 1974 concerning Supervision of the Implementation of Oil and Gas Exploration and Exploitation in Offshore areas article 21 and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation Number 15 of 2018 concerning Post-Operation Activities in Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities Article 2 and Article 10.

Article 2 states that KKKS are obliged to carry out post-operation activities whose implementation uses post-operation activity funds. Meanwhile, Article 10 states, in carrying out post-operation activities, KKKS must use the Indonesian National Standard and/or applicable international standards in accordance with the approved post-operation activity plan.