TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pertamina will compensate residents who participated in collecting and cleaning up the oil spill in Cilacap's Donan River in Central Java. The oil spill was first discovered by fishermen on Monday afternoon around 17:30 local time. At around 19:00 that evening, locals said that there was a pungent smell.

"Currently we are still focusing on mitigation efforts. We will also coordinate with the Environment Agency regarding the next steps," Cecep Supriyatna, area manager of communication, relations, & CSR at PT KPI RU IV Cilacap, told reporters on Tuesday, June 28.

He said that based on its physical form, what spilled was crude oil, and the volume is estimated at around 1,900 liters.

Sarjono, head of the Indonesian Fishermen Association (HNSI) of Cilacap Regency, said that the oil spill was first noticed by fishermen on Monday, June 27, at 17:30 local time. At around 19:00 that evening, locals said that there was a pungent smell.

"This morning the wind blew from east to west, so a lot of [the oil that spilled] accumulated in the Donan River around the Wijayapura Pier or Batre Pier," he said.

Sarjono hopes that the parties responsible for the oil spill incident will respond.

Before the oil spill, there was an oil loading activity at Area 70 Pertamina Cilacap to transfer oil from the pipeline to a tanker. According to Cecep, the company is now investigating whether the oil spilled from the tanker or the distribution pipe.

A team sent to the location is now trying to localize the oil spill by using an oil boom, after which the oil will be skimmed and put back into the tank.

Antara

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