PDSI Collaborates with Pertamina's Upstream Subholding Zone 4 to Handle Keban Wells Extinguishing
March 3, 2022 - PT Pertamina Drilling Services Indonesia (PDSI) and Zone 4 Regional Sumatera Pertamina's Upstream Subholding has extinguished fires in illegal oil wells in the Keban Area, Keban Village, Sanga Desa District, Muba due to illegal drilling (28/2).
As part of the Upstream Subholding, PDSI in its operations must be ready to support and handle any incidents or accidents, both that occur in their respective work environments or other locations. Following the instructions for Zone 4 Regional Sumatra Subholding Upstream, the well cap is the solution to the wild well fire. Namely, a series of valves installation to control, drain, and close the spray of oil/gas from wells that are flowing uncontrollably.
The Project Manager of PDSI for the Jambi area, Ariento Prabhowo, said that PDSI had worked on the well cap several times. However, this was the first time they had to do it in an illegal drilling well, which structure did not conform to the drilling industry standards.
According to him, there are challenges in carrying out a well cap in illegal drilling. “Because this is an illegal drilling well that does not refer to standard oil and gas drilling standards, the integrity of the well cannot be relied on,” he explained.
In addition, Ariento continued that the weight of the cement base may not be able to withstand the pressure that comes out of the wellbore. It is not certain that the attempt to shut off the well with bullhead can be successful, even inserting the circuit into the well may not necessarily succeed because there are too many factors of uncertainty regarding this well.
The Project Manager of SBS PDSI, Wasis Dwi Atmojo, the coordinator for the activity with Ariento, added that because well data and well integrity were not available, the actions taken were based on an approach so that the capping head could be centered with the last casing.
Besides Ariento and Wasis, there is other PDSI personnel who entered the ring of fire area. It includes two capping supervisors, one lifting engineer, and two capping crews. There are also several other supporting crews to support the attempt. In addition to the PDSI drilling crew, this attempt to extinguish the fire in the wild well also involved the PT Pertamina EP Field Ramba crew.
''Good collaboration and cooperation between the Pertamina EP Ramba Field crew and the Zone 4 drilling crew assisted by PDSI facilitate and maximize our efforts to extinguish the illegal well fires,' explained Wasis.**