BPMIGAS ups security at oil and gas projects

BPMIGAS, the regulatory body for oil and gas exploration and production activities, is cooperting with the national police to boost securities at oil and gas projects owned by the government?s production sharing contractors.

The agency?s deputy chairman A.S Rizal Asir said that security was quite important to ensure that oil and gas contractors are free from "disturbances" in carrying out their business.

Disturbances in oil and gas projects such as people?s protests or demonstrations and sabotages as well as thefts were still relatively high last year. According to the agency?s data, the number of disturbance cases rose to 1,153 in 2010 from 471 in the previous year. Of the total, cases of people?s protests and sabotages which often led to disclosure of operations reached 486, up from 116 last year.

Meanwhile, cases of thefts of production and production equipment also increased 667 from 355 in 2010. (godang/giok)