Pertamina Plaju Refinery Officer Wins Dharma Karya Muda Award from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources After Innovating Mainstay Products

Palembang, October 11, 2022 – Various innovations made by the officers have made PT Refinery Unit III Plaju (Pertamina Plaju Refinery) increasingly becoming a mainstay. 

The PC-Prove Cuan-Cuan Bahagia (CuCuBa) team added to the list of Pertamina Plaju Refinery achievements after getting the Dharma Karya Muda award from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia based on the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 237.K/KP.06/MEM.S/ 2022 concerning the 2022 Energy and Mineral Resources Work Dharma Award.

The group, which included Endah Purbarani, Murtina Dwi Lastuti, Vico Kurniawan, Daniswara Krisna Prabatha, Wahyu Solihin, Budi Yulianto, Dede Pratama and Aliefita Rakhim, successfully become a business initiator in the production of standard fuel of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 on a national scale through production Valuable Product Marine Fuel Oil Low Sulfur (MFO LS) and MFO LS High Viscosity (MFO LS HV) at Pertamina Plaju Refinery.

Converting Low Valuable Product

PC-Prove CuCuBa could recognize Vacuum Residue as a low-value product with the potential to be an MFO LS as a high-value product after the stratification and Pareto results.

The environmentally friendly ship fuel production aligned with policies related to global shipping fuel. It includes the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention) Annex VI Regulation 14, and 2020 IMO (The International Maritime Organizations) Policy, where sulfur fuel is set to a maximum of 0.5%wt as of January 1, 2020.

Producing Sulfur Content According to IMO 2020 Specifications

The Pertamina Plaju Refinery MFO LS's sulfur quality was 0.19% wt in 2020 and 0.24% wt in 2021. It was less than required in the 2020 IMO regulation and the Director General of Oil and Gas ESDM, which is a maximum of 0.5% or according to specifications.

This innovation has also contributed to Value Creation or the company's added value creation to increase potential profit, with value creation in 2020-2021reaching IDR 1.11 trillion or equivalent to IDR 547 billion per year.

High Demand, Penetrating the International Market

With this innovation, Pertamina Plaju Refinery has succeeded in becoming a pioneer in Pertamina and Indonesia for MFO LS products according to IMO 2020. The high demand has also made this product a custom.

Pertamina Plaju refinery continues to develop MFO LS production until in March 2022. The MFO Low Sulfur 180 centistoke (cSt) product managed to penetrate the international market, first exported to Singapore. Until August this year (2022), MFO LS lifting has reached 2.9 million barrels.

Dharma Karya Award

This ESDM Dharma Karya award is given as the government's appreciation for the Pertamina Plaju Refinery's commitment to innovating environmentally friendly fuel products that contributes significant progress in the energy sector.

"I congratulate the ESDM Dharma Karya awardee in 2022, who have contributed progress in national development, especially in the energy and mineral resources sector. I hope that every ESDM can work and improve performance through innovation rapidly, carefully, and productively. Thus, the ESDM sector can contribute maximally to economic growth," said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif on Tuesday (4/9/2022).

Acting General Manager of Pertamina Refinery Plaju Yulianto Triwibowo congratulated the officer for the proud achievement. It strengthens RU III Plaju as Pertamina's flagship refinery that contributes to energy fulfillment in this republic.

"This award is a pride for Pertamina, which is expected to empower officers' spirirt contribute the best for the company, and to innovate in the ESDM sector," he said.

Support for ESG and SDGs

This award is Pertamina Plaju Refinery's proof for the commitment to actively implementing Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) principles in its business and operations.

This eco-friendly ship fuel innovation supports the implementation of goal 7(access to reliable and sustainable energy), goal 9 (sustainable industry and innovation), goal 13 (overcoming climate change) in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yulianto Triwibowo emphasized that ESG and SDGs were integrated in the business processes. "The Pertamina Plaju refinery is fully committed to supporting ESG and SDGs, where the environmentally friendly low-sulfur MFO production is also aligned with the sustainable development agenda as stated in these two aspects," he said.

Yulianto asked for prayers and support from all Indonesian people, especially stakeholders. Thus, Pertamina Plaju refinery could provide quality products. "We ask so that we can always operate safely, smoothly and reliably to meet the the people need and related stakeholders for quality products," he concluded.**