TEMPO.CO, Bojonegoro - ExxonMobil Cepu Limited (EMCL) has temporarily shut down C and B oil wells in Gayam District, Bojonegoro, on Thursday, August 20.
The move was made following a leak in the oil pipeline owned by Joint Operating Body Pertamina East Java (JOB-PPEJ) off the coast of Palang District, Tuba, East Java.
EMCL public and government affair manager Rexy Mawardijaya said C oil well in Gayam Village and B oil well in Mojodelik Village, Gayam District, had to be shut down Thursday afternoon for safety and health of the people and marine environment in Palang district and surrounding areas.
The capacity of the two wells is 50,000 barrels per day, with C oil well 10,000 barrels a day anf B oil well 40,000 barrels a day.
Rexy said EMCL had found out about oil sheen in the offshore are of Palang District. EMCL team also investigated the source of the oil sheen as well as notified JOB-PPEJ which also has pipe facilities in the waters in Palang District.
The news about the leak came from fishermen in Palang, Tuban, on Thursday at around 9:30 am. Crude oil spill was reported by the fishermen to JOB-PPEJ in Tuban. The location of the leak for now is in pipe in depth of five meters under the sea and 1.5 kilometers from shoreline.
JOB-PPEJ senior security and public relations Yiga S. Utomo said JOB team has blocked the pipe so that the oil stops flowing. “The oil duct has been shut down,” he told Tempo on Thursday.
He said the oil storage is in Mudi Rahayu Village. The oil is distributed using 36-km pipe through district of Rengel, Plumpang and Palang. The oil then enters the ocean. There is also a Cinta Natomas tanker offshore.
SUJATMIKO
