RIASSUNTO
Abstract
Increasing public awareness on the limited nature of the environment to absorb wastes generated by various human activities has led to the need to implement sustainable development techniques in real world exploitation practices. Maxus Southeast Sumatra, Inc. has a corporate mandate to practice sustainable development principles for all its operations.
One important manifestation of sustainable development practices within the oil and gas industries is through environmental management aimed at minimizing negative impact of the operations on the receiving environment. Establishing a valid and integrated information base concerning biophysical, socio-economic and cultural entities of coastal and marine ecosystems within the Maxus production area is a vital step in achieving the corporate policy objective.
This paper presents Maxus' research program, ESACOC (Environmental Sensitivity Analysis and Crude Oil Characteristics), as a means of establishing such an information base. ESACOC consists of four interrelated research packages: (1) risk analysis, (2) shoreline sensitivity analysis, (3) laboratory studies and (4) an interactive computer system. The primary objective of this research program is to provide Maxus and the government of Indonesia the capability of managing environmental problems and issues that may arise in an efficient and optimal manner. This is achieved by integration of data collected from these projects by novel application of a simulation database and GIS (Geographical Information System).
Introduction
The need to implement sustainable development has increasingly been felt by nations worldwide as human demands on environmental goods (natural resources) and services (e.g. waste reception and life-supporting systems) have come to a level that is close to or in some cases, surpasses the carrying capacity of the natural system to provide such goods and services. One of the key principles to ensure sustainable development is through the protection of natural systems from environmental degradation such as pollution and overexploitation of natural resources. Hence, the objective of sustainable development is to provide currently available resources to future generations.
The petroleum industry has been the backbone of the Indonesian economic development since the First Five Year Development Plan (1969/1970). Its contribution to GNP ranges from 40 to 70 per cent. In addition, this industry has substantially generated foreign exchange earnings through oil and gas exports.
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