Hundreds of protesters enter ENC-1 well site

By Godang Sitompul

Energi Mineral Langgeng (EML) announced that up to one thousand local villagers staged a street protest in ENC-1 well site at the South East Madura block in East Java, exacerbating a condition that has forced the firm to suspend exploration activities there since the end of May.

?They entered the rig location and acted wildly, destroying camp facilities and vehicles and others,? Elan Biantoro, BPMIGAS Chief Representative for Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara region, told petromindo.com, adding that the police has now arrived to try to safeguard the area and help resolving the issue.

EML, 49 percent owned by retired Army General Luhut Panjaitan, is the operator of the block with a 100 percent participating interest. The block was awarded to EML in May, 2009. But since last May the firm was forced to suspend activities due to protests by the locals.

EML was drilling ENC-1 exploration well when it decided to suspend activities there.

Editing by Dadan Wijaksana