JOB PPEJ pipeline resumes normal operation

Upstream authority SKK Migas said that a subsea pipeline in Tuban, East Java, owned by JOB Pertamina-Petrochina East Java (JOB PPEJ) has resumed normal operation Saturday following completion of repair work at a leaking part Friday afternoon.

?Today (Saturday), oil transfer through the pipeline runs normally,? said SKK Migas Head of Public Relations Elan Biantoro in a statement Saturday, adding that JOB PPEJ continued monitoring to prevent new leak incident.

A leak occurred Thursday on the subsea pipeline that transmits the oil production of the Sukowati and Mudi fields, owned by JOB PPEJ, as well as Pertamina EP Aset 4 Cepu and PEPC (Geolink) from the Central Processing Area in Rahayu village, Soko district, Tuban regency, to the Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) Cinta Natomas. The incident has forced JOB PPEJ to deactivate two of three existing transfer pumping units and shut off the valve at the Palang station to stop oil flow to the subsea pipeline.

Elan said that in parallel with the pipeline repair work, JOB PPEJ also focused on cleaning up and localizing the oil spill. ?The oil spill is estimated at 43 barrels,? he said.

He added that JOB PPEJ obtained vessel assistance from Pertamina Hulu Energi West Madura Offshore (PHE WMO) and ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd (EMCL) to clean up the oil spill.

He also said that the oil production of Banyu Urip field in Block Cepu, operated by EMCL, has been affected by the incident as the latter?s subsea pipeline is located near the leaking JOB PPEJ pipeline. Production dropped to 30,000 bpd from the normal level of 80,000 bpd. ?After knowing that the leaking pipeline belongs to JOB PPEJ, production at Banyu Urip field returned to normal Friday,? Elan said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak