Balikpapan Bay Looks Cleaner
Balikpapan – After the addition of water cleaning fleet on Wednesday (4/4), the environment condition looks much better than the previous day. Pertamina has dispatched four teams to work simultaneously to clean the water from oil spill with zone division. First zone consists of LLP Station, Jetty and Kampung Baru. Zone two consists of Rede and Kolam Labuh area. Zone three consists of Monpera Beach and Zone four consist of the Outer Beach area. In order to clean the four zones, 15 vessels with equipment as necessary are deployed.
Oil spill restoration in jetty 1 is performed by using vacuum truck equipped with oil boom and Oil Spill Dispersant. Restoration in Kampung Atas Air and Kampung Baru is conducted with vacuum truck supported by oil absorbant.
As for Semayang Port to Balikpapan Plaza, the restoration is conducted with vacuum truck to clean the remaining oil spill. Moreover, oil spill in Penajam is taken care of with the Oil Spill Dispersant.
In addition, restoration of oil spill is performed offshore in Balikpapan bay area using oil skimmer and tug boat.
To anticipate health complaints experienced by the community, Pertamina cooperates with Pertamina Hospital Balikpapan to provide health posts in Kampung Baru Ulu and Kampung Atas Air, as well as preparing medical team if medical check-up is needed in other locations. This posts serves medical check-up and free medication.
To provide the community concern, gas test is performed several times to ensure there were no gas concentration exceeds the normal level. In addition, the Company conduct socialization on things which needs more attention and countermeasure required to encounter these conditions.
The coastal cleaning process which has been ongoing since Saturday (31/3), continue to get support from Oil and Gas Companies in Balikpapan, community, students, and individuals.
At least 500 people joined in 67 communities participated in the cleaning process on Wednesday (4/4). The cleaning process in the coastal area is conducted manually considering that it is a more effective way to collect the oil spill swept to shore. The cleaning is conducted in nine points scattered in West Balikpapan, South Balikpapan and the City of Balikpapan. Communities involved in the activity, is equipped with adequate protective equipment such as gloves and maskers. This activity also cleans garbage out of the water considering the volume of oil spill has reduced to almost nil.
The effort of cleaning process using equipment and techniques, as well as the support from oil and gas companies in Balikpapan such as Pertamina Hulu Mahakam, Pertamina EP Asset V, Petrosea.