Government Approves Rig Conversion to Artificial Coral Reef

TheIndonesia.id - Government of Indonesia through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investments has approved the demolition of an offshore oil and gas platform to become an artificial coral reef. The conversion project will be carried out at the Attaka-I, Attaka-UA, and Attaka-EB oil and gas platforms of East Kalimantan Block and Attaka Block which both are located in East Kalimantan.

"This pilot project can be a solution for post-operation activities in Indonesian waters," said Deputy for Coordinating Maritime and Energy Sovereignty at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs, Basilio Dias Araulo, in a statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, February 1, 2022.

The work will be carried out in collaboration with South Korean government in the form of converting oil and gas platforms (rigs to reefs). Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has issued an Approval for the Implementation of Post-Operation Activities and the Elimination of State Property ownership.

Previously, on October 13, 2021, Indonesian and Korean governments strengthened maritime cooperation in the offshore platform service industry. The cooperation was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding by Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan with the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea Moon Seong-Hyeok.

Besides the three platforms in the East Kalimantan and Attaka Blocks, other platforms need to be decommissioned with the same or different schemes, of course in an economical and environmentally friendly way.