Pertamina Hulu Rokan Presents Innovative Constructed Wetland for Managing Produced Water Waste at COP28 Event

Dubai, December 2, 2023 – PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR) showcased its innovation in creating constructed wetlands to manage wastewater produced from its operational activities. The innovation, aimed to support the Net Zero Emission (NZE) achievement by 2060, was presented at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 2023 Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This Nature-Based Solution (NBS) innovation manages produced water or wastewater generated after energy production processes. The water management is implemented through constructed wetlands based on hydro technology. The constructed wetlands are formed using hydraulic loading rate techniques, allowing gravity-based management.

PHR has constructed a 5,000 m2 wetland in one of the Rokan Block working areas. It marks the initial phase of the company's waste management innovation project. Currently, PHR is developing 14 constructed wetland structures in its working areas.

The constructed wetland has reduced 1,341 tCO2eq of emission from January to October 2023. Another positive impact is the reduction in water discharge. Before the construction, water discharge reached 11.30 barrels of water per day (bwpd), whereas now it is only 7,217 bwpd.

Erwin Sinisuka, Vice President of Facility Engineering at PHR, stated that the constructed wetlands development is one of PHR's tangible efforts in carrying out environmentally friendly operations in line with environmental standards.

"We created the wetlands so that wastewater could effectively be managed according to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry standards," he said during the "Unlocking the Potentials of Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change" session at the COP-28 on Friday (1/12).

The constructed wetlands creation is not only an activity for waste management but can also benefit the community. "The community will always be the center because their involvement can be the key to the success of wetland management," Erwin added.

PHR also collaborates with the local community to manage these wetlands. Materials and support plants used in the location come from local sources, including coconut husks used as filters. Additionally, the community-filtered water could be utilized, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

Nyoman Widaryantha Naya, Vice President of Upstream Business Operational Excellence Health, Safety, and Environmental at PHR, added that the constructed wetland also becomes a water absorption area, reducing the risk of floods.

"This constructed wetland has many other benefits for the community. Local residents now use the area as a small-scale transportation route using boats," Nyoman said.

In the same session, Nani Hendiarti, Deputy Coordinator for Environmental and Forestry Management at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, stated that Indonesia has significant potential to develop NBS, with 15 percent of the world's NBS potential located in Indonesia.

Considering this diverse potential, the government will develop a roadmap for blue carbon. The Presidential Regulation No. 98 of 2021 on the Economic Value of Carbon strengthens the optimization of blue carbon. "We will also include the marine sector and blue carbon in the Nationally Determined Contribution target," Nani said.

Victor Gustaaf Manopo, Director General of Marine Spatial Management at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, who also attended the session, mentioned that blue carbon is part of climate adaptation through ecosystem resilience.

Additionally, Mohamed Salman Alhammadi, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in the UAE, Ambroise Beriner, Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist at the World Bank, Jodi Triananda Hasjim, President Director of Sucofindo, and Jack Hurd, Executive Director of the Tropical Forest Alliance at the World Economic Forum, were present at the event.

Pertamina, as a leading company in the energy transition, is committed to supporting the Net Zero Emission 2060 target by continuously promoting programs that directly impact the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) achievement. All these efforts align with Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) implementation across all Pertamina's business lines and operations.**