After three-month blockage, Exspan's oil wells reopened
Thursday, February 22 2001 - 03:00 AM WIB
After being blockaded by local people for three months, 20 oil pumping units in Payarumbai village, Siberindan subdistrict, Indragiri Hulu district, belonging to PT Exspan Nusantara Lirik, have been reopened and running normally since Saturday.
The spokesman of Exspan Nusantara Lirik, H. Marwan Umar, said the activation of the 20 oil pumps was made possible after negotiations involving the company, representatives of local people, and officials at the Indragiri Hulu administration.
In the negotiations conducted on Friday, it was agreed that the company would rehabilitate roads linking to Payarumbai village to increase economic activities of the villagers. It was also agreed that the villagers dropped their demand for the company to supply electricity to the village.
To realize its promise, the company sent heavy equipment on that day, Friday, to the village to do road rehabilitation works. And on the next day, the villagers ended their blockage and opened access to the 20 oil-pumping units.
The 20 pumping units, which produce around 3,500 barrels of crude oil per day, have run normally since then. (*)