Balikpapan- PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) celebrated the golden 50th anniversary of Bekapai Field, the first and oldest offshore field in the Mahakam Working Area (WK), East Kalimantan. The special commemoration was held at the Gunung Utara Club House, Balikpapan, on December 7, 2024, and featured a spectacular theatrical performance by PHM employees from various functions.

The 50th-anniversary celebration of Bekapai Field carried the theme "The Legacy of Excellence." The event highlighted collaboration, synergy, and innovation, which have been the hallmark of Bekapai Field's journey since its production began in 1974, marking its place in the history of the national upstream oil and gas industry. The celebration also featured the launch and handover of a book titled "50th Bekapai Anniversary Celebration: The Legacy of Excellence." The book was symbolically handed over by PHM General Manager (GM) Setyo Sapto Edi to PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI) President Director Sunaryanto.

The book documents Bekapai Field’s five-decade-long journey and achievements, following the earlier publication "Our Never-Ending Stories" released during its 40th anniversary.

In his speech, Sunaryanto emphasized the critical role of Bekapai Field in the history of the national upstream oil and gas industry. "Without the discovery of Bekapai Field, the Mahakam Working Area might not exist, and we would not be gathered here today. The year 2024 marks half a century of Bekapai Field's journey in supporting national energy fulfillment," Sunaryanto said.

Anto, as Sunaryanto is familiarly known, recounted how Bekapai Field was discovered through the perseverance and determination of its pioneers. "After six wells were drilled with no success, it was the seventh well that finally yielded oil from Bekapai Field. Inspired by the spirit and optimism of Bekapai Field, we ventured further into exploration, leading to the discovery of Handil, Tunu, Tambora, Peciko, Sisi Nubi, and South Mahakam fields," Anto explained.

Sunaryanto acknowledged the growing challenges in managing upstream oil and gas fields. "However, the spirit of our employees to work, create, and collaborate must remain alive. We can only maintain productivity, workplace safety, and operational sustainability with this dedication," he said. The Bekapai Field celebration commemorates past achievements and strengthens commitments to face future challenges to sustain oil and gas production for national energy needs.

Simultaneously, PHM GM Setyo Sapto Edi stated that Bekapai Field contributes positively to the Mahakam Working Area. "Although it has reached 50 years and is classified as mature, Bekapai Field's performance remains outstanding, capable of producing oil and channeling gas," he explained.

Throughout its 50-year journey, Bekapai Field has not only physically developed through facility and infrastructure improvements but also achieved remarkable milestones in safety, health, and environmental protection (HSSE). "These solid HSSE achievements reflect the commitment of the entire team, both from the Bekapai Field team and supporting teams at PHM and PHI, in conducting production activities with minimal risk, creating a safe work environment, and minimizing environmental impacts," Setyo added.

He further explained that Bekapai Field was intensively developed in six phases between 1974 and 1985. Production capacity increased continuously, peaking at 50,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) between 1978 and 1979. Setyo stressed the company's commitment to leveraging various technologies and innovations to mitigate the natural production decline rate in mature fields. "We believe that good economics in upstream oil and gas projects, especially for mature fields, will ensure the sustainability of investment and oil and gas production in Indonesia," Setyo remarked.

Currently, Bekapai Field operates 30-40 active wells. Moving forward, field development will continue with several projects planned for 2025, including adding new development wells. One strategic initiative is reusing two wellhead platforms, Bravo Juliet and Bravo Bravo. This step reflects innovative approaches and operational efficiency to maintain productivity and optimize resources.

PHM's commitment to supporting national oil and gas production is further demonstrated through the successful completion of the Bekapai Artificial Lift Project (BKPAL), which involved installing a gas-lift compressor with a capacity of 12 MMSCFD on the existing Bekapai platform. This gas-lift system injects gas into wells at the Bekapai BG and BL platforms and was completed on May 24, 2024.

Setyo explained that the BKPAL Project is an important innovation that is expected to increase production by 2,000 BOPD. "We continue to invest in exploration drilling and development drilling activities for oil and gas fields to discover new resources, applying best practices to maintain production levels and slow natural production decline to support Indonesia's energy resilience," Setyo concluded.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), a subsidiary of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), manages upstream oil and gas operations and businesses in the Mahakam Working Area in East Kalimantan, adhering to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. In collaboration with SKK Migas, PHM and PHI's subsidiaries and affiliates continue to innovate and apply technologies to deliver safe, efficient, reliable, compliant, and environmentally friendly energy to realize #EnergiKalimantanUntukIndonesia. For more information about PHI, visit https://phi.pertamina.com.