Publications

Tangguh Integrated Drilling Project (TIDP) is being rolled out by BP in Indonesia as part of long term development plan for Tangguh LNG plant in Bintuni Bay, Papua Barat Province. The complex scope of work for TIDP and regulatory requirement demand a systematic yet holistic approach for appropriate drilling fluids and cuttings waste management strategy. The strategy for mud and cuttings management for TIDP according to AMDAL (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment) is a Drilling Cuttings Re-injection (DCRI) with overboard discharge as a secondary method. The types of mud that are going to be injected are Synthetic Based Mud and Water Based Mud, including the cuttings. DCRI is uncommon in Indonesia and it requires a special permit from Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF). Prior to DCRI permit application submission, a multidisciplinary team consists of: Drilling Engineering, Operations, Health Safety and Environment, Subsurface, Regulatory Compliance & Environment, Communications & External Affair, and Permits were established to discuss the overall strategy. Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) tool was decided to be used. The assessment model incorporates weighting of criteria which enables more important criteria to be emphasized and also enables sensitivity checking. BPEO process flow is as follows: define objectives, define decision criteria and scoring matrices, weight the decision criteria, identify all possible options, pre-screening, full assessment, review, rank options, and finally identify the best option. Another crucial aspect of the permit application is the subsurface study. This study covers more on the technical aspect of DCRI such as: geology, hydrogeology, reservoir engineering, and geomechanics to provide assurance of the process. Current Indonesian Regulation on Hazardous Waste Management stipulates stringent requirement on offshore overboard discharge post 2025. Therefore, cuttings reinjection could be one of the alternatives to be considered by oil & gas companies in Indonesia.