2-5 August 2025 – In fulfilling the third and final in-kind commitment of the Rigs-to-Reefs Pilot Project by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia (MMAF), successfully completed their commitment to monitor the three-year-old artificial reef. This third monitoring period was conducted at the reefing site in offshore Bontang City and was supported by KIORCC, Mulawarman University, Oceanogen, and local authorities.

This monitoring activity concluded the monitoring commitment of the Indonesian government following the conclusion of the Pilot Project for Decommissioning and Rig-to-Reef Re-Utilization of Offshore Plants in Indonesia, a government-to-government project implemented in 2022; collaborated and supported with the Government of the Republic of Korea. This project, implemented between the KHAN Consortium of Korea and PT Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur (PHKT) of Indonesia, decommissioned and disassembled PHKT’s Attaka-EB platform in offshore Bontang, and transported the platform nearby to a conservation area close to Bontang City to be sunk and re-utilized as an artificial reef.

This third monitoring period utilized comparable methodology as the previous monitoring periods. These methods include diver visual analysis by fisheries experts from Mulawarman University, e-DNA sampling and analysis by Oceanogen, as well as water quality checking by MMAF. Initial findings show similar results to previous monitoring activities, which show stable growth of corals, abundance of surrounding wildlife, as well as a clean and stable water quality of the surrounding area.

The conclusion of the Rigs-to-Reefs pilot project marks a significant shift in Indonesia’s offshore plant service industry. As oil and gas companies seek sustainable and cost-friendly solutions for retired offshore platforms, this project shows a viable option to tackle concerns surrounding abandoned platforms. With potential developments in supporting regulations for decommissioning and the Rigs-to-Reefs method, it is expected that oil and gas companies operating in Indonesia will opt for this solution in the near future.