Alternative Safety Assurance for SPM Buoys Operating in Indonesian Waters by Implementing a New Verification Scheme

Abstract Unlike FPSO where demands follow oil discovery, there are not many SPM buoy assets around being newly fabricated. SPM buoy is considered for offloading operation as an alternative where water depth is limited as compared to jetty terminal. Apart from nearshore operation, deep water SPM buoy has also been an option for offloading operation at location where the hydrocarbon fluid is transferred out either from PLEM or fixed offshore platforms. Within Indonesian waters, SPM buoys are mandatory to be classed following new regulation PTK–015/SKKMA0000/2022/S9 issued by SKK MIGAS. This document provides both operational and maintenance guidance for special terminals 1 . However, some SPM buoys are in existence as non-classed assets (pre–PTK–15/2022) which would have been operating at reduced maintenance scope to lower operating cost. For this type of SPM buoys, an alternative method exists through verification scheme. A verification scheme introduces performance checking based on appropriate standards on safety-critical elements in terms of their availability, and survivability. Through this performance checking, SPM buoys operators (and most importantly the regulator) would have sufficient level of assurance for SPM buoys safe operation during the remaining of design service life. The paper’ objective is to illustrate the adoption of new verification scheme for SPM buoys operating within Indonesian waters, particularly applicable for assets built before 2022. Firstly, safety–critical elements are identified, then the performance standards are defined with agreed acceptance criteria based on international codes and standards. The safety-critical elements are then assigned with performance statement for basis of approval by the regulator, and where any deviation shall be deemed non–compliance for basis of rectification by the operator. The introduction of such verification scheme is an alternative to full classification scheme that would otherwise be challenging for existing SPM buoys in operational for more than 10 years that could initially have been built without proper Class certificate.