Pollution caused by the oil spill in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, is also affecting seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. Data collection on the underwater ecosystems has been hampered by low visibility in the waters.
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JAKARTA, KOMPAS – State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina has promised that it will prioritize the recovery of the environment affected by the oil spill in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan.
According to data provided by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the oil spill affects 270 hectares of mangrove ecosystem in Balikapapan Bay, which has been heavily contaminated by crude oil containing hazardous toxic materials.
The director of pollution control and environmental damage at the ministry, MR Karliansyah, said in Jakarta on Thursday that calculation of the contaminated mangrove area had been completed. Pertamina should, therefore, immediately begin recovery efforts for the affected mangrove ecosystem, he said.
"The restoration of the environment will be a priority," said Pertamina president Elia Massa Manik in a statement. On Thursday, Elia Massa visited the location affected by the oil spill in Balikpapan Bay. He was involved in cleaning up oil spills in a number of locations. He also delivered compensation and assistance to the families of the victims killed in a fire that broke out following the oil spill.
Not finished
The oil spill due to the leak from the oil pipe linking Pertmina’s Oil Refinery Unit V in Balikpapan reached 40,000 barrels in volume, heavily polluting seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. Data collection has not been completed due to low visibility, as is difficult to observe the conditions underwater.
Karliansyah said a team from the ministry had completed data collection on the contaminated area of about 12.6 kilometers along the coast in the western part of the Balikpapan Bay from Banua Patra Beach to Lamuru Beach. Environment and Forestry Minster Siti Nurbaya Bakar estimated the coastal area contaminated by the toxic oil waste reached 29,733.8 square meters.
The ministry’s team is also conducting surveys in Kariangau and North Penajam Paser in the eastern part of Balikpapan Bay. "We hope to finish the survey soon," said Karliansyah. He pointed out that heavy currents and low visibility were inhibiting the team of divers from observing the condition of the coral reefs.
During a meeting on Monday with the House of Representatives\' Commission VII, which oversees energy, natural mineral resources, research and technology and the environment, the ministry was required to complete the survey on environmental losses caused by the oil spill in Balikpapan.
The meeting was attended by Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan and Pertamina president Elia Massa.
Minister Jonan asked the Environment and Forestry Ministry to resolve the problems caused by the oil spill, which had caused heavy pollution to the environment and the deaths of several people due to the oil-related fire. If necessary, said Jonan, the Environment and Forestry Ministry would cooperate with the Transportation Ministry as the oil spill had also spread to the port.
"I have communicated with the Environment and Forestry minister. I asked her to enforce the Environmental Law. What\'s the problem with the ministry? It\'s a safety issue. Try to find out why it occurred. Is it due to the broken pipe? Why? I suggest, after the investigation is completed, solutions should be made," said Jonan.
Legal proceedings
Siti Nurbaya said the ministry was currently working on the legal process, including the preparation for the field identification, the collection of data and evidence of the weaknesses of Pertamina’s environmental protection system.
The preparation consists of risk assessment and environmental audits, environmental permits, waste samples, estimated losses and finding the causes of Pertamina\'s pipe burst.
Separately, the chief executive of the Association of Indonesian Marine Scholars (Iskindo), Moh Abdi Suhufan, said the incident should be used as momentum for the government to revise Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 109/2006 on emergency response to oil spills at sea.
"It is time to revise and adjust the regulation in line the latest policy changes," he said, adding that the changes had occurred at the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister, the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Marine Security Agency and the Port Authority. In addition, the change also occurred in the central regional authority with the introduction of Law No. 23/2014 on regional government.
"The change is needed to ensure the effectiveness of oil spill prevention efforts at sea that can happen at any time. Iskindo urges the government to speed up the revision of Perpres No. 109/2006," Abdi said.