Exxon-Mobil stops productions at two gas fields to anticipate attacks
By: Hans Bodega
Monday, May 29 2000 - 05:50 AM WIB
Oil and gas company Exxon Mobil (formerly Mobil Oil Indonesia) has stopped gas production at two fields in the remote Pase area on the border of North Aceh and East Aceh after armed civilians took hostage its workers on Saturday, state oil and gas company Pertamina said on Monday.
The head of public relations, security and health affairs of Pertamina's foreign contractors management body (BPPKA), Sidick A. Nitikusuma, told Petromindo.Com that the South Lhoksukon D and Pase A-1 fields were closed to anticipate attacks by the gunmen,
With closure of the two fields, he said, Exxon Mobil expected to minimize the disaster that would happen if the gunmen damaged the gas facilities.
According to Sidick, both fields supplied a total of 270 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to the Arun liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant.
"The closure of the fields won't affect LNG production at the Arun LNG plant because gas supplies from other fields are enough. LNG supply to our customers will run normal," Sidick said, adding that only three of the six LNG trains in Arun were being operated at present.
Eight gunmen took hostage the workers of Exxon Mobil at the Pase A-1 gas field Saturday morning and demanded Rp 4 billion (US$1= Rp 8,495) in ransom. Sidick said there were eight workers taken hostage by the gunmen but some local newspapers said the gunmen only detained two workers.
According to Sidick, the gunmen released the workers later in the afternoon after locked them up in the control room for several hours.
Sidick said the gunmen held the key into the control room and ordered the workers to later return with their cash demand.
"The gunmen apparently thought that they have controlled the gas field by holding the key into the control room. Actually, we can still open the room without the key," Sidick said.
According to Sidick, the gunmen have left the gas field, but promised to return to pick up the money.
Aceh-based Serambi Indonesia daily reported the gunmen were led by a man identified as Tengku Malem, a less known figure in the separatist group movement in the area.
The paper also said the gunmen have threatened to blast the gas facilities with grenade on Monday (today) if Exxon-Mobil did not meet their cash demand. (*)