RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Nineteen officers from Indonesian State-owned Oil and Gas Company PT Pertamina International Exploration and Production (PIEP) have been repatriated from the Middle East following heightened geopolitical tensions that affected the company’s operations.

The relocation involved 11 personnel from Basra, Iraq, and eight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The evacuation was carried out by ground and air transport with inter-agency coordination, including the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic representatives in several countries. The step was taken to ensure the safety of workers assigned to areas affected by regional security dynamics.

Pertamina Subsidiary Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) President Director Awang Lazuardi said rapidly changing geopolitical conditions had impacted the company’s operations in Iraq.

“Alhamdulillah, thanks to the excellent coordination between PIEP, PHE, Pertamina, and the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian embassies in several countries, our colleagues were safely evacuated,” Awang said in Jakarta on Friday, March 13, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He explained that the return journey from Basra to Jakarta took around 14 days due to the closure of several international airports in the region, including Kuwait City, Dubai, and Doha.

PIEP President Director Syamsu Yudha emphasized that the company prioritizes the safety of its officers in every operation. He said PIEP strictly implements Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) procedures and a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in coordination with Pertamina Holding, Subholding Upstream, and relevant authorities. “We also continue to monitor the situation in real-time to ensure optimal protection for all personnel,” Syamsu said.

He added that the company had conducted a contingency plan assessment on evacuation routes to ensure personnel transfers could continue if regional airspace was closed.

Pertamina Iraq Exploration & Production (PIREP) previously activated its Emergency Response Team (ERT) after receiving information about United States and Israeli attacks on Iran. The team strengthened coordination with Indonesian embassies in Baghdad, Kuwait City, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The officers traveled by road from Basra to the Safwan border, entered Kuwait, and continued to Dammam, Saudi Arabia. From there, they flew to Jeddah before returning to Indonesia.

Some personnel arrived in Jakarta on March 10, while the rest landed on March 11. PIEP also communicated directly with the officers’ families and provided a 24-hour hotline to ensure information and support remained available. ***