The number of offshore platforms in Indonesia has been increasing since 1969 when the first offshore platform was built. At the moment there are a total of approximately 330 offshore platforms with various types. Planning, design and construction of the first platforms were carried out by American contractors, however, at present there are already a few Indonesian construction companies that build offshore platforms. Standards and regulations used for offshore platforms in Indonesia are according to API RP2A, API RP2L and to the regulation of the Minister of Mining, Republic of Indonesia. There are several problems in offshore platform practice in Indonesia, one of them is the very rapid tropical marine growth. Care should be taken for offshore platform leg which has hard marine growth with thickness of 2 inches. Underwater marine growth surveys and measurements should be conducted during offshore platform inspections.
The producing offshore oilfields in Indonesia are located on the Java sea, north of the island of Java, and the Natuna Sea, the sea between the Malayan peninsula and the island of Kalimantan. Offshore platforms started to be built in 1969. Planning, design and construction of the first platforms were carried out by American contractors for American oil companies. The platforms were, hence, built according to American Petroleum Institute recommended practice which continued to be used as design and construction bases until today. With the presence of offshore platforms on Indonesian seas, Indonesian engineers started to become familiar and to have experiences with them. In 1980 an Indonesian consulting company won a platform design tender in an international competition. API recommended design standard was used. Until mid 1980, approximately 30 Indonesian designed platforms were in successful operation. At present there are a few Indonesian construction companies that build offshore platforms.
