Pertamina and Penajam Paser Utara Local Government to Set Reconstruction Strategy of Oil Spillage Impacts

Penajam Paser Utara – As the bay cleaned, Pertamina and the local government established a Balikpapan Bay Oil Spill Recovery Verification Team to identify remnant of oil spillage in a number of affected areas since Tuesday (10/4).

The team id divided into 4 zones, Zone 1 to 3 is in Balikpapan and Zone 4 is in Penajam Village, Penajam Paser Utara. Pertamina’s team that consist of head office team and Refinery Unit V Balikpapan team, held a hearing and discussion related to the making of recovery strategy at Penajam Village, today.

The strategy consist of several steps. First, the verification of initial conditios, then oil spill recovery strategy followed by post-recovery verification. 

The verification team comprises representatives from District Government, related agencies, Pertamina and community representatives. In performing its duties, the verification team is given a form to describe the condition seen visually in the field. Aspects that need to be consideration include the soightings of oil on water and land, and the impact of oilspill in the monitored location, for example whether oil spill still attached to the mangrove or not.

The verification team also assessed the level of cleanliness in the monitored areas in accordance with the established criteria. This criteria has a percentage ranged of 0 to 100%. Range 0 to 25% means there are a lot of oil on waters and shoreline and there are a lot of oil residue attached to the breakwater walls and mangroves. 76 to 100% means no visible film and oil residue on water and shoreline and no oil attached to the breakwater walls and mangroves.

In line with visual verification, Pertamina and the government are conducting a water quality post-cleaning test. It is needed to determine whether or not the water is polluted so it can be followed up according to the conditions occure.

After assessing the level of cleanliness, the team then sets out a work plan, one of which determines areas that still need to be clean and identification of the required equipment.

Until yesterday (13/4), 6 out of 13 villages have been verified 100% cleaned. Pertamina will continues the recovery process in the rest of the village so it can be verified 100%. Effective recovery patterns in the six village will be implemented in the recovery process in another villages.

"The final target of this recovery activity is all areas are 100% cleaned. After the recovery was completed, the level of cleanliness will be verified again to ensure that the target has been reached,” added Yudi.