Banten Bottled Gas Pipe is Leaking due to Inappropriate Vessel Instruction

Img source : caribbeanmarine.net

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has found the cause of the breakdown of the undersea gas pipeline belonging to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) stretching from the Pabelokan gas terminal to Cilegon.

Director of Engineering and Environment Oil and Gas (Oil and Gas) Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Soerjaningsih said the breaking of the subsea gas pipeline due to ship anchor concerning the pipeline. The vessel is located 60 meters from the pipe break site.

"The pipe was broken, because there are allegations that the ship is nearby 60 meters distance," said Soerjaningsih, in Jakarta, Wednesday (18/07/2018).

Unloaded cargo ship is just doing the maintenance (docking), then withdrawn the guide ship. But before getting the instruction this ship lowered the anchor then about the gas pipeline.

While the gas pipe line is indeed allowed to cross the ship, but should not do Lego anchor at that location.

"The ship again docking there is finished to go out the same boat docking master, not time to throw anchor anchor throw there," he explained.

According to Soerjaningsih, the ESDM Ministry has handed over the leakage of gas pipes to the Police, the vessel causing the leaking pipe is also being held for investigation.

"That's the police affair, the ship was detained at the Banten Police, actually it's okay through it as long as do not throw anchor," he said.

Previously, gas pipes in Bojonegara waters, Serang, leaked. This condition affected the halting of the gas supply to one of the Gas and Steam Power Plant (PLTGU) turbines to stop the gas leak into the sea.

On the leakage of this gas pipeline, PLTGU Cilegon claimed to lose about Rp 7 billion per day. This is because they do not produce one of their power plant turbines.

"Counts per day, our loss is 350 million hours per hour, about Rp 7 billion more," said General Manager (GM) PLTUG Cilegon, Irwan Edi Syahputra Lubis, when met at his office on Tuesday (10/07/2018).

The dead electric turbine generates a total of 350 Mega Watt (MW). Where, 240 MW is produced from the main turbine and 110 MW is generated from the turbine stim.