Caltex?s oilwell blockade continues

Indonesian largest oil operator PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia said Friday the week-long blockade that halted one of its oil wells production in Rokan Hilir, Riau still continued.

The company was forced to halt production activities after local residents demanded to be employed, blocked the access road to the oil well last Friday.

The company?s spokesman Renville Almatsier told Petromindo.com that Caltex was currently in talks with the youths and hoped to end the blockade in the next few days.

Separately, the company?s business development specialist, Walter Maguire was quoted by Dow Jones as saying that the blockade cost Caltex 1000 barrel per day.

Caltex had been hit by series of disturbances, mostly from local people, which caused production loss of 40,000 barrel of oil per day.

Caltex, which produces about half of Indonesian crude, is equally owned by American oil giants Chevron and Texaco. (godang)