Reviewing the Rokan Block, President Joko Widodo: Our Human Resources Are Competent, Production Has Increased

January 5, 2023 - President Joko Widodo visited the Rokan Working Area (WK), Riau, one of the national energy's backbones. During his visit, the President inspected Pertamina Hulu Rokan's tank farm and saw the Rokan Block workers' performance in Dumai.

President Joko Widodo arrives at the storage tank located at the Pertamina Complex in Dumai on Thursday (5/1/2023). The President was greeted directly by the President Director of Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati; the President Director of Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), Wiko Migantoro; and the President Director of Pertamina Hulu Rokan, Jaffee Arizon Suardin, in the Control Room Building. During this visit, President Joko Widodo was also accompanied by State Secretary Minister, Pratikno, the Minister of SOE, Erick Thohir, and the Minister of PUPR, Basuki Hadimuljono.

In this review, Nicke Widyawati explained the storage tanks' condition and PHR's reliable performance to the President. She conveyed for Dumai City, there are 16 storage tanks with a storage capacity of 5.1 million barrels. Meanwhile, the total storage tanks owned by PHR at the Rokan WK are 26 units with a total storage capacity of 5.8 million barrels.

President Joko Widodo appreciated PHR's performance after the management transfer on August 9, 2021. The President said the decision to transfer management was taken because he believes in the qualified Human Resources (HR).

"From the start, why did we take over this Rokan block and not extend it, is because we want to make sure that our human resources are competent," said the President.

He added that since transferred, the Rokan Block production has continued to increase. "And this is what I asked the President Director of Pertamina, is production going up or down?  It turns out it is going up. Previously, when it was managed by Chevron, it was down. Now, it is starting to go up from 156-158 thousand barrels per day to 166 thousand barrels per day. But what we want is an increase that multiplied," said the President.

The President also reviewed the existing crude oil transportation pipeline network at that location. For Dumai, the pipeline network is 337 km long. In addition, the Crude Oil Terminal Operation Center Hydrocarbon Transportation (HCT) operating unit in Dumai has four shipping pump units, eight electric booster pump units, a control room (control room), and a laboratory and pump house.

Meanwhile, Nicke said that Pertamina has a mission to increase production levels at PHR to support the government in realizing national energy security, independence, and sovereignty.

"With the workers' and Working Partners' enthusiasm, as well as massive and aggressive efforts, we are committed to increasing the oil and gas production amount for energy security. This is our mission, which will certainly be realized with the enthusiasm and hard work of all of us," she said.

PHR, which in 2022 succeeded in drilling 413 wells, will be challenged to fulfill the even more massive drilling target in 2023, namely 600 wells. In its efforts to produce oil for national needs, PHR can increase production to 160 thousand barrels per day level, while if it did not drill new wells, production could fall to 105 thousand barrels.

At the beginning of this year, PHR even managed to find a new oil well field capable of producing thousands of barrels per day. This will greatly support the government's expected achievement of 1 million barrels in 2030.

In the second year of WK Rokan's management transfer, this reliable PHR operation has provided a multiplier effect. Namely, by opening many new jobs, before the transfer of management, there were only 22 thousand, now there are 37,500 people and increasing the economic pulse and increasing investment in Riau.

This follows with the addition of 26 Rigs in the operation of new wells, which before the transfer of management was only 9 Rigs, and 49 to 52 Rigs Workover & Well Service (WOWS), which before the  management transfer of WK Rokan were only 25 Rigs.

"The achievement in 2022 will be our encouragement to increase production. For example, through the Rig operation, the number of PHR partners will increase by 20 to 25 percent. And the most important thing is to always prioritize safety and health," she said.**