TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina prepared 22 pipe joints to replace the broken underwater pipeline in Balikpapan Bay, which caused a major oil spill in the area. Each of the joint measures 12 meters in length.
“The replacement pipes will be brought from Balongan to Balikpapan,” said Pertamina’s Region Manager Communication and CSR for Kalimantan Yudy Nugraha in a written statement on Sunday, April 15, 2018.
Yudy explained that following the oil spill incident, crude oil is still being channelled using underwater pipes measuring 16 inches in diameter. Meanwhile, the broken pipe has been left at its original location for investigation purposes.
The team from Pertamina claimed that they can only install the new pipes after the broken pipes have been removed. Pertamina is also waiting for clearance from the investigators.
Pertamina claimed that the broken pipes were initially in good condition. The company also said that it had conducted periodic inspection of the pipes’ quality. For example, the company had carried out visual inspection on December 10, 2017.
Yudy added that before the visual inspection, Pertamina had also conducted a certification examination. Yudy stated that the feasibility certification for the equipment that was issued by the Directorate General of Oil and Gas is still valid until October 26, 2019.
