Caltex to reopen Kerang Field
Monday, February 19 2001 - 04:30 AM WIB
The management of PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the country's largest oil contractor managed to end the blockade after those who blocked the Kerang field agreed to leave the field after they were pressed by Indonesian security forces to leave, according to CPI spokesman Poedyo Oetomo.
CPI said the field would be reopened soon.
CPI has hired Group 4 Securities of Britain to provide security protection to all of its oil fields in Indonesia following the blockage of Kerang oil field in Rokan, Riau by local people.
"In the last round of negotiations, the rioters agreed to leave the oil field, after getting pressures from security forces," Poedyo said, adding that the rioters had occupied the Kerang oil field since January 19, 2001, and CPI stopped the operation of Kerang field since Feb. 8 due to security threats.
Poedyo said that the company suffered a huge amount of losses because of the blockade of Kerang field, but he refused to provide further details.
Currently, said Poedyo, Kerang Field produced some 600 barrels of oil per day.
To avoid further losses, CPI decided to hire Group 4 Securities from Britain to provide security protections to its oil fields. "The security protection for oil fields needs a special management, and Group 4 has the experience for that."
He noted that a number of international oil companies had also hired Group 4 to secure their oil fields.
To support its operation, Group 4 would use local security workers at PT Tripatra Engineering, a CPI contractor belonging to local businessman Iman taufik. (*)