Oil and coal mining firms pollute Balikpapan Bay

Nurni Sulaiman, The Jakarta Post 30 Jan 09;

The Balikpapan Bay is one of the city's landmarks, a place where foreign and domestic companies, mostly in the coal and oil sectors, have been carrying out their business for dozens of years.

It is also a place that traditional fishermen and small-scale businesses rely on for their livelihood.

However, the companies have not paid enough attention to the environment and the water quality in the Balikpapan Bay is deteriorating.

The Office of the State Minister of the Environment's Kalimantan Regional Environmental Management Center (PPLH) has noted that oil, gas and coal production had played a significant role in polluting the bay.

"The exceeded level of phenol indicated the presence of pollution caused by oil refineries and the coal oxidation process," B. Widodo, PPLH head, told The Jakarta Post.

Pollutants in the bay area also originated from domestic activities, pesticide use in agriculture, fuel leaks in ships and other activities using organic chemicals.

"Domestic waste has also contributed significantly to the problem," Widodo said.

"These activities have further increased the phenol, or the carbolic acidic level of water, indicating that spatial planning around the Balikpapan Bay should be reviewed immediately.

"The rising level of phenol is attributed to activities at the coal docks, oil refineries, domestic activities and shipping traffic."

The PPLH conducted a water quality analysis in the Balikpapan Bay on Dec. 6 last year and took water samples from a number of observation points, such as at the Semayang Port, the Penajam Port, Baru village and the oil refinery of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina.

According to Widodo, the water quality test referred to the Environmental Ministerial Decree No. 51/2004 on field parameters, comprising the water alkaline level, the turbidity, dissolved oxygen and temperature.

Based on lab tests, the turbidity and temperature at Pertamina's waste water cooling outlet had exceeded tolerable levels.

Analysis indicated that total suspended density (TSS) and phosphate content at every observation point had surpassed tolerable levels.

The highest concentration of TSS was at the Semayang Port and the highest concentration of phosphate was at Pertamina's waste outlet.

The high water temperature near Pertamina's waste outlet was caused by the high temperature of waste water that flows from their cooling towers into the sea.

"The oil refinery contributed to these environmental problems. Pertamina should improve its environmental management, especially its waste cooling system, which have made it harder for everyone to cope with this environmental damage," Widodo said.

He added that the high levels of TSS and phosphate at every observation point indicated a high level of pollutants, especially those from domestic waste.

He said the level of phosphate was a concern because it could cause algae booming, which has also occurred in the Jakarta Bay and reduced water quality by limiting oxygen content and decimating marine life.

"This is an early warning sign so stakeholders can coordinate with the local administration and other related agencies to prevent environmental damage," Widodo said.

Meanwhile, Balikpapan Pertamina spokesperson Fety said water quality at the oil refinery continued to meet the required standard.

"We always measure the water standard every day and report it to the Balikpapan Environmental Impact Management Agency," she said.

"The water quality still meets the port's standards and there are no leaks at the oil refinery or with the cooling process.

"However, we are grateful to the PPLH for the warning and we will take action immediately."

Fety added that Pertamina used the water standard parameter for the port while PPLH used the standard for marine tourism.