The Duri Field, located in the Rokan Block of Riau, Sumatra, is one of the most significant oil fields in the history of the global petroleum industry. It is primarily famous for being the site of the world's largest steamflood operation, a feat of engineering that transformed it from a declining asset into a national treasure.
🕒 History: From Discovery to Handover
The history of Duri is defined by three distinct eras:
1. Discovery and Early Challenges (1941–1960s)
Discovery (1941): The field was discovered by Caltex (a joint venture between Chevron and Texaco) just before the Japanese occupation of Indonesia during WWII.
3 Shallow Oil: Geologists found oil at a remarkably shallow depth of only 400–700 feet. However, the oil was "heavy" (viscous like molasses), making it difficult to pump.
First Production (1954): Commercial production began in February 1954. By the mid-1960s, the field reached a primary production peak of about 65,000 barrels per day (BOPD) before natural pressure began to drop.
2. The Steamflood Revolution (1975–2021)
Pilot Project (1975): To combat declining production, Caltex launched a "Steamflood" pilot. This involved injecting high-pressure steam into the reservoir to heat the thick oil, making it thin enough to flow.
Full-Scale Expansion (1985): The project went full-scale, becoming a global benchmark for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).
Record Peaks: The technology was so successful that by 1994–1995, production soared to over 300,000 BOPD, nearly five times its original peak.
3. The New Era (2021–Present)
Transition to Pertamina: In August 2021, after nearly a century of operation by Chevron, the Rokan Block (including Duri) was handed over to the Indonesian state-owned company, PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR).
Continued Importance: As of 2024, the field has produced over 2.75 billion barrels of crude oil and remains a vital contributor to Indonesia’s energy security.
🏆 Key Achievements
The Duri Field is not just an oil patch; it is a record-breaker in several categories:
| Achievement | Significance |
| World's Largest Steamflood | It remains the largest thermal EOR project ever implemented, covering over 30,000 acres. |
| Backbone of Indonesia | At its peak, the Rokan Block (led by Duri and Minas) produced nearly half of Indonesia's total oil output. |
| Technological Pioneer | It proved that "unrecoverable" heavy oil could be extracted profitably on a massive scale, influencing projects in California and the Middle East. |
| Infrastructure Catalyst | The development of Duri led to the construction of the first road connecting the east and west coasts of Sumatra and the expansion of the Dumai export terminal. |
| Environmental Innovation | It utilizes a "zero discharge" system where produced water is treated and recycled back into steam for reinjection. |
💡 Why Duri Matters Today
Even after 70+ years of production, Duri is still a "giant." While production has naturally declined to roughly 100,000–160,000 BOPD (depending on current Rokan Block activities), it serves as a laboratory for modern energy transitions. Recent achievements under Pertamina include:
Digitalization: Implementation of "Real-Time Operations Centers" to monitor thousands of wells simultaneously.
Renewable Integration: The installation of a 17 MWp solar power plant to help power the energy-intensive steam generation process.
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