Perth, Australia- PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field’s flagship CSR initiative, the Akar Basah Program (Aliansi Kerja Bebas Sampah), attracted attention at the 2024 Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition (APOGCE) as one of the featured presentations. The event was held in Perth, Australia, on October 15-17. This year, APOGCE 2024's theme was "Advancing Energy in Asia Pacific: Opportunities, Challenges, and Solutions."

In the APOGCE 2024 technical session, Dony Indrawan, the Manager of Communication Relations and CID at PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), represented the Akar Basah team, which includes Dony Indrawan, Isrianto Kurniawan, Dharma Saputra, Abrar Siregar, Riduansyah, and Aditya Cahya Kurnia Rahman. The program was presented under Improving Local Potential and Attempting to Save the Environment Along the Indonesia-Malaysia Border.

“At APOGCE 2024, we presented the success of the Akar Basah Program in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, which maximizes local potential through seaweed farming utilizing floating rope farming methods and innovatively repurposing plastic bottle waste into long-lasting floating grow media products,” said Dony.

Since its inception, the Akar Basah Program has successfully developed superior, durable floating grow media for seaweed farming, reducing the increase in plastic bottle waste, which is predominantly PET plastic used by farmers for seaweed cultivation. “PET plastic bottles used as floats previously lasted only around two harvest cycles or approximately 80 days. The new floats made from HDPE plastic waste, developed by the Akar Basah Program, can now last up to 8-12 months,” Dony added.

In 2023, according to Dony, the Akar Basah Program successfully recycled 7.8 tons of HDPE plastic waste into high-quality, durable floats, thereby reducing the potential increase of tens of tons of PET plastic bottle waste in seaweed farming.

“This program enables seaweed farmers to save approximately IDR 385,800,000 (USD 24,839) by replacing used bottles with environmentally friendly float products,” Dony explained.

The event, attended by hundreds of participants from various Asia Pacific countries, showcased pragmatic approaches to energy transition and topics emphasizing practical strategies and steps needed to navigate the complexities of transitioning to a cleaner energy system. In line with APOGCE 2024’s theme, the Akar Basah Program represented a topic discussing the diverse nature of the energy industry, especially within the Environmental category.

“Now, around 200 seaweed farmers are using the new, durable, eco-friendly floats, promoting both business sustainability and environmental preservation,” he added.

The success of the Akar Basah Program has raised community awareness of the importance of plastic waste management and highlighted the economic value of recycling or selling it as plastic flakes. “We hope that this Akar Basah Program inspires attendees from various countries with small steps and innovations that position the upstream oil and gas industry as a driver for environmental and community sustainability in the regions where we operate,” he concluded.

PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Tarakan Field, a part of Subholding Upstream Regional 3 and led by PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia (PHI), operates within Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Through partnerships with SKK Migas, PEP Tarakan Field, and other PHI subsidiaries and affiliates, carry out innovative Corporate Social Responsibility programs in Economics, Education, Health, Environment, Infrastructure, and Disaster Response to support sustainable community empowerment and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PHI’s head office is located in Jakarta. More information about PHI is available at https://phi.pertamina.com.