PHM marks first sail away for Sisi Nubi AOI Project

By Romel S. Gurky

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), the operator of the Mahakam block in East Kalimantan, held the Sail Away Jacket ceremony for the WPS-4 jacket of the Sisi Nubi Area of Interest (SNB AOI) Project. The event took place on November 5, 2024, at PT Meindo Elang Indah’s yard in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, marking a significant milestone for the project. This ceremony follows the completion of the initial steel cutting in February 2024.

In a statement released on Saturday, PHM noted that the SNB AOI project is focused on developing the Sisi Nubi offshore field, located approximately 25 km off the Mahakam Delta in East Kalimantan. The field is situated at water depths ranging from 60 to 80 meters.

Faisal Akbar, Senior Manager of Projects at PHM, emphasized the importance of the SNB AOI project in boosting PHM’s gas and condensate production. The platforms are designed with an average capacity of 30 MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day) per platform, with operations slated to begin by late 2025.

“This project involves the construction of highly complex platforms, including six new platforms, modifications to three existing platforms, the installation of approximately 22 km of subsea pipelines, and high-risk underwater operations,” Faisal explained.

The design of the SNB AOI platforms adopts an ultra-minimalist approach, making them the lightest platforms to date. This design standard is applied across all six platforms and incorporates solar panel technology as one of the key energy sources.

Read also: PHI holds first cut of steel ceremony for Sisi Nubi AOI project

PHM’s General Manager, Setyo Sapto Edi, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to continuous investment in both drilling activities for exploitation and exploration, as part of its contribution to national oil and gas production targets. “We also aim to foster innovation and adopt best practices in the upstream oil and gas industry, both in Indonesia and globally, across all aspects of our operations,” he added.

As of September 2024, the SNB AOI Project had achieved two million man-hours without any Lost Time Incidents (LTI). “This project is extensive, with an estimated total of seven million man-hours required for its completion,” Setyo Sapto Edi noted.

Indra Nugraha, Senior Project Manager at PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), PHM’s parent company, highlighted the project’s fast-track nature, noting the tight schedules and challenging performance goals. “Pertamina is currently managing aging wells, which necessitate innovation and creativity throughout the project to support Indonesia’s energy security goals as outlined by the government,” Indra said.

The load-out and sail-away of the WPS-4 jacket mark a major milestone in the SNB AOI Project. Additional jackets are scheduled to sail away starting in November 2024, with all jackets expected to be installed in PHM’s operational area by the first quarter of 2025. Following installation, each platform will sequentially achieve "Ready for Drilling" status between the second and third quarters of 2025, with production targets set for the fourth quarter of 2025.

The load-out process and first sail-away of the WPS-4 jacket mark a significant milestone in the SNB AOI Project. Additional jackets will follow, with sail-away targets beginning in November 2024. All jackets are expected to be installed in PHM’s operational area by the first quarter of 2025. Subsequently, the "Ready for Drilling" status for each platform will be achieved sequentially between the second and third quarters of 2025, with the onstream target set for the fourth quarter of 2025.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak