Balikpapan – PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM) implemented the Green Air Conservation: After Burner Preservation Program as part of its upstream oil and gas asset maintenance efforts aimed at ensuring operational safety and improving production facility efficiency. The program aligned with PHM’s commitment to sustainability principles in managing the environmental and social impacts of its operations and business activities in the surrounding areas.

Launched on July 31, 2025, the program marked a follow-up to the discontinuation of the liquid burning method, previously used to dispose of liquid well fluids by burning them through flare systems or open burners. The initiative was part of well offloading activities, an engineering process designed to reduce wellbore pressure, allowing wells to resume or enhance production rates.

PHM General Manager Setyo Sapto Edi explained that this initiative went beyond technical considerations, representing an operational transformation aligned with the sustainability policies of PHE and PT Pertamina (Persero) to advance low-carbon upstream operations, supporting Indonesia’s net-zero emission target by 2060 or sooner. “We want to ensure that every upstream asset is managed responsibly. The discontinuation of liquid burning and the preservation of burners are tangible steps showing PHM’s progress toward more efficient, safer, and environmentally friendly operations,” said Setyo.

The liquid burning method was initially used to clear production pipelines of liquids so that gas from reservoirs, rock formations beneath the Earth’s surface capable of storing and transmitting oil or gas, could flow optimally to the surface. PHM has now introduced a more eco-friendly solution by installing specialized fixed offloading pumps at the Peciko offshore platforms. With these pumps, liquid from wells can be directly transferred and reused without combustion, allowing production processes to run cleaner and safer for the environment.

The Green Air Conservation: After Burner Preservation Program focused on the liquid burner units across seven Peciko platforms. With the discontinuation of the liquid burning method, the burner equipment previously installed on Peciko Offshore Platforms was no longer required. To ensure proper handling, PHM prioritized preservation activities—removing and safely securing burner units from the platform structures. This complex process required strategic planning and cross-functional coordination involving Production, Maintenance, Logistics, Construction, and Well Intervention teams.

In 2025, the program’s first implementation took place at the MWP-B platform, marking the start of preservation activities and reaffirming PHM’s commitment to environmentally responsible and sustainable asset management. Through this initiative, PHM reinforced its commitment to maintaining safe and sustainable operations while also applying environmentally conscious energy management practices.

With this strategic step, PHM reaffirmed its role as an energy company committed to supporting sustainable energy production in the Mahakam Working Area, East Kalimantan. PHM believes that success in the oil and gas industry is measured not only by production achievements but also by the ability to ensure operational safety, build stakeholder trust, protect the environment, and contribute to community empowerment and resilience.

PT Pertamina Hulu Mahakam (PHM), a subsidiary of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), manages upstream oil and gas operations and business in accordance with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles within the Mahakam Working Area in East Kalimantan. In collaboration with SKK Migas, PHM, and other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates, we continuously pursue various innovations and technology applications to produce safe, efficient, reliable, compliant, and environmentally friendly energy, supporting #EnergiKalimantanUntukIndonesia. For more information about PHI, visit https://phi.pertamina.com.