TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dito Ganinduto, deputy chairman of DPR's Commission VI, said the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry must monitor all wells that hold crude oil. Dito said this in response to the Energy Ministry statement that the government is not obliged to supervise the drilling of illegal oil wells.
"That's their sector; they cannot just throw the responsibility away," Dito said here on Wednesday, April 25.
Previously, an illegal drilling of oil well occurred in Pasir Putih village, East Aceh. The drilling caused fire around the well site.
On Wednesday, April 25, one of the drilling wells discharged crude oil until it spilled onto the ground. Later, sparks appeared and turned into large flames.
Dito asked the government and law enforcers to close the illegal oil wells because as they can pose harm to the public. Dito suggested Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) to manage wells in their respective areas, so that the operation adheres to "petroleum criteria".
Earlier, the Energy Ministry's head of communication, public information and cooperation services Agung Pribadi said that the crude well drilling was illegal. The well is located in and area owned by PT Pertamina (Persero).
Because it is illegal, the government has no obligation to supervise the oil wells. The government, said Agung, does not foster illegal drilling.
"If we do that it would mean that we approve of something illegal," Agung remarked.
LANI DIANA WIJAYA
