Fire-hit Tempino-Plaju pipeline resumes operation
Thursday, October 4 2012 - 06:24 AM WIB
Crude oil distribution at the Tempino-Plaju pipeline, which was disrupted Wednesday by fire during an illegal tapping activity in Bayung Lencir, has resumed to normal, said PT Pertamina EP.
The fire started in early Wednesday but was put out at noon around lunch time. Following repair works, the crude distribution resumed in the evening, the company said in a statement released on Thursday.
?Until early on Thursday, up to 6,000 barrels of crude has been distributed without disruption,? it said.
Five people were killed by the fire, which raged on after presumably ignited by cigarettes or matches while thieves were taking out crude from leaked pipe lane.
The fire occurred at the 219th km in Bayung Lencir, Musi Banyuasin regency.
The statement added that the police is still investigating the deadly incident.
Pertamina EP has been suffering from illegal tapping of crude in the Tampino-Plaju lane. The lane normally supplies 11,000-12,000 bopd of crude from Lampung to Pertamina?s refinery in Plaju, Palembang, South Sumatra.
Editing by Dadan Wijaksana