Caltex: 3 wells resume output, 2 remain closed

Indonesia's largest crude oil producer PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia has reopened three out of five wells torched by angry mobs earlier this week, an official with the company said Wednesday.

"Two wells, which produce a combined output of between 700 and 1,000 barrels a day are still shut down. We have resumed operation except on two wells," Renville Almatsier, a company public relations staff told Dow Jones Newswires.

Each of the three reopened wells produces around 125 b/d, he added.

Angry local people torched five of Caltex Pacific Indonesia's wells in Riau province Monday, demanding compensation for land from the subsidiary of Chevron Corp., and Texaco Inc.

He added the police have arrested several people for allegedly instigating the unlawful acts.

Renville didn't know when the company would reopen the two closed wells. (*)