Jakarta – On 13 March 2023, an amendment to the Implementing Arrangement (IA) for the Korea Indonesia Offshore Cooperation Center’s (KIORCC) establishment was signed between the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia (KKP) and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea (KMOF).

This IA transfers the operations of KIORCC from the Maritime and Fisheries Research and Human Resources Agency (BRSDMKP) to the Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management (DJPRL) of the KKP.

“Since 2014, Indonesia and Korea have been working together in conducting feasibility studies and FGDs between stakeholders. We also succeeded in carrying out a Pilot Project for dismantling offshore platforms, with a research grant of USD $21 million from Korea,” explained Inspector General Victor Gustaaf Manoppo, Director General of Marine Spatial Management, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Signing along with Inspector General Manoppo was Mr. Song Myeong-Dal, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea.

KIORCC serves to enhance cooperation between governments and companies of the two countries engaged in offshore services. In this case, the scope of work for offshore services also includes the fisheries and energy sectors.

This intergovernmental cooperation began in 2016 after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment and KMOF. This step gave way to the Implementing Arrangement which became the basis for the establishment of KIORCC in 2019.

Scope of Cooperation with DGPRL

Based on the amendments to the Implementation Arrangements, DGPRL and KIORCC plan to work together on several maritime themes, including cooperation in handling aging and abandoned offshore platforms; project development construction; sharing educational and information facilities between the two countries; as well as marine and fisheries training and capacity building.

Feasibility study

Since the existence of the Indonesia-Korea maritime cooperation in 2016, the Governments of Indonesia and Korea, various business partners of the two countries, as well as the Korea Maritime and Oceans University (KMOU) which is the intermediary for KMOF and KIORCC, have successfully carried out several feasibility studies (F/S) for offshore platforms that are no longer fit for use.

In 2017, the F/S of Offshore Platforms in the Attaka and Yakin fields were completed. The operation of this platform was previously transferred from PT Chevron Indonesia to Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT), which includes three platforms in Attaka and four in Yakin.

Two years later, the F/S for Offshore Platforms at the ONWJ field was implemented. The three platforms used by Pertamina Hulu Energi-Offshore North West Java (PHE-ONWJ) have been studied for their planned demolition.

Next was in the Kangean Energi Indonesia field, which was an F/S for two Offshore Platforms carried out in 2020. The latest F/S is in the form of a study of eleven platforms at PHE-Offshore South East Sumatra (OSES) between 2021 to 2022.

Attaka-EB Offshore Platform Demolition Pilot Project

After the completion of the F/S in the Attaka field, the dismantlement of this platform was then decided. SKK Migas, KMOF, KHAN Offshore, KIORCC, and other stakeholders from Korea and Indonesia were able to carry out the dismantling of an offshore platform for the first time in Indonesia.

In October 2022, the Hyundai HD2500 brought in by Korean engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, KHAN Offshore, sailed to the Attaka field for a period of two weeks. Within a few weeks, together with PHKT, this project was successfully implemented.

The Attaka-EB platform was cut and lifted, and for the first time, an offshore platform in Indonesia was then reused as an artificial reef, through the Rig-to-Reef method, in the waters off Bontang.

Stakeholders hope that through this Pilot Project, all unused platforms in Indonesian waters can be dismantled and reused to help water conservation and/or support other sustainable offshore sectors.

After the reefing of the Attaka-EB platform, KKP plans to carry out monitoring of the artificial reef to gain a deeper understanding of the benefits and conservation method; which also will involve oil and gas industry players in Indonesia. The monitoring plan will be carried out once a year for the next five years with the support of Korea and also KIORCC.

Future Hope

This new cooperation is expected to further develop the maritime industry of the two countries, while contributing to enhancing the sustainable aspects of marine security and preservation. In the future, in addition to focusing on offshore platform dismantling activities, KIORCC can assist DGPRL of KKP in achieving its vision and mission to control the use of marine and coastal areas.

“We hope that this collaboration can continue Rig-to-Reef projects, and also develop policies to be implemented in Indonesian waters. Regarding the topic of cargo of sunken ships and maritime archaeology, Indonesia and Korea can further work together in sharing knowledge and methods of preserving such objects,” concluded Inspector General Manoppo.