State-owned construction company PT Hutama Karya (Persero) is pursuing the completion of the joint operation project of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the development of the open access of Refinery Unit VII Kasim.

The refinery unit located in Seget sub-district, Sorong district, West Papua, belongs to state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero), with a contract value of Rp684 billion, an official informed.

“The open access development is a national strategic project which aims to maintain the supply and stock stability of crude oil, thus the fuel supply from the Refinery Unit VII Kasim to the Eastern regions of Indonesia — Maluku, Papua, and West Papua – can be sustained,” director of operations II at PT Hutama Karya (Persero), Ferry Febrianto, said in a written statement received here on Friday.

The scope of the company’s work in the project comprises all EPC phases of four oil tanks, with a capacity of 110 mega barrel each, a jetty with a capacity of 50 thousand dead weight tons along with supporting facilities, as well as a piping network, he informed.

However, there are several challenges the company is facing in finishing the project, Febrianto said.

“The main challenge is the remoteness of the construction site, which makes it difficult to get materials, tools, as well as 500 manpower needed for the project. However, by using the existing jetty closest to the site, the supply of the materials and tools has been facilitated,” he said.

The company is not only focusing on project development, but also on its corporate social responsibility towards the local community by improving the roads used by residents, PT Pertamina, as well as construction material transport providers, he informed. The project has also created job opportunities and absorbed the local workforce, and the company has launched a human capital program to optimize the potential of Papuan youth, he added.

PT Hutama Karya (Persero) is also “grateful” and always open for support from various parties to complete the project successfully, Febrianto said.

Meanwhile, in carrying out the work, the company is consistently implementing the zero-working accident and COVID-19 prevention protocols, he added. The company is ensuring that all employees involved in the project have been vaccinated against COVID-19, he informed.

The open access development project is being carried out with the use of floating roof technology in storage tanks to minimize evaporation output to maintain emission, in accordance with regulatory compliance, Febrianto said.

The company is optimistic that the development begun on January 22, 2021 can be completed on time and in accordance with the specifications and planned targets by the end of 2022, he added.

The project is expected to provide benefits and improve the economy of the people in the eastern regions of Indonesia, he said.

Source: Antara News