Blockade cleared at Caltex? Rokan Hulu oil well, continues at Mandau

The blockade of a road leading to an oil field operated by PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia in Riau province was cleared late Thursday after police intervention, Poedyo Utomo, CPI spokesman said Friday.

The three-day blockade near the Jorang oil field in the Rokan Hulu regency was staged by villagers who were demanding that Caltex Pacific, pave the road.

The protesters also seized 20 pieces of heavy equipment which were "released" when the demonstration ended, said the Poedyo.

The blockade threatened to disrupt production of 3,000 barrels a day of oil in the Jorang area, where the road gives access to 30-40 wells Caltex operates, he said.

In the worst case scenario, an extended blockade may have spurred CPI to halt operations, but the three-day protest hadn't affected oil production.

Meanwhile, Poedyo said residents of the Pematang village in Mandau district are still taking control of Caltex oil wells near their residential area after the company?s contractor refused to employ the local in the oil exploration and production activities.

CPI produces oil from over 100 fields in the oil-rich Riau province, located on the island of Sumatra. In its operations, CPI faces recurrent disturbances in the form of local demonstrations and equipment theft.

CPI, Indonesia's leading oil producer, is currently producing an average 640,000 barrels per day of crude, accounting for more than half of the country's total oil production.

CPI is a unit of ChevronTexaco Corp. (godang)