Pertamina through its subsidiary Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) Jambi Merang has successfully conducted a 2D Regional Seismic Sea Survey in open areas along 23,063 km or 77% (as of May 25, 2020) from a target of 30,000 km. The largest seismic survey in Asia Pacific and Australia in the last 10 years is expected to find new oil and gas reserves and become a giant discovery for Indonesia.

Head of SKK Migas Dwi Soetjipto stated, Indonesia has 128 basins and only 21 basins have been produced and 38 basins are still being explored. The rest, there are more than 70 basins that have not been touched to become Indonesia's potential oil and gas reserves.

"This seismic survey, for SKK Migas, has a very important meaning in encouraging the achievement of national oil and gas production targets," Dwi said.

According to Dwi, SKK Migas fully appreciates Pertamina Group, in this case PHE and Elnusa, who have supported the implementation of this activity. Dwi assessed that Elnusa, a subsidiary of Pertamina as a ship operator, has pioneered this survey well and is in line with high K3LL standards, but with optimal and competitive costs.

"This survey is very proud because it is the longest in Southeast Asia and is carried out by Indonesian children," Dwi added.

Dwi hopes that this achievement can be passed on and transmitted to other Cooperation Contract Contractors (KKKS).

Dwi added, currently SKK Migas has developed an IOC (Integrated Operation Center) that can provide added value benefits to KKKS. SKK Migas expects all KKKS to proactively integrate all their activities in this IOC.

On the same occasion, Pertamina Upstream Director Dharmawan H. Samsu stated, in the midst of the Corona outbreak, seismic survey activities continued to advance by promoting health protocols. This survey activity is targeted to be completed by mid-July 2020.

"We thank the Government in this case the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and SKK Migas for fully supporting Pertamina's efforts in the largest seismic survey activity to support the achievement of 1 million barrels per day of oil production to strengthen national energy sovereignty," Dharmawan said.

Dharmawan added, amidst the pandemic challenges, Pertamina was optimistic that the survey work would be completed according to the target. Pertamina has fulfilled licensing requirements, especially environmental permits in all areas traversed, from Bangka waters in western Indonesia to Papua waters in eastern Indonesia.

"The survey process went smoothly with the latest technological equipment so that it can produce sufficient basin data to stimulate investment in Indonesian oil and gas exploration. Some technical obstacles in the field have been successfully overcome," added Dharmawan.

According to Dharmawan, seismic survey activities have begun in November 2019 and are part of the Jambi Merang Work Commitment (KKP) in the open area with an investment of USD30 million. Cumulatively, the Jambi Merang MPA investment until 2024 amounted to USD 239.3 million for exploration and exploitation activities.

This seismic survey, continued Dharmawan, could be carried out well after SKK Migas gave confidence to Pertamina through PHE to continue the management of the Jambi Merang working area (WK) from 10 February 2019 to the next 20 years. SKK Migas and PHE have also signed the Jambi Merang Definite Work Commitment with a gross split cooperation contract scheme and followed up with the largest 2D seismic survey in Indonesian waters.

"We hope that with the support of SKK Migas, Pertamina Upstream can continue to maintain its primary role in the management of the national upstream oil and gas industry. This survey activity is expected to be able to stimulate the upstream oil and gas investment climate amid the challenges we are currently facing, "concluded Dharmawan.

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