Indelberg promises to improve oil waste treatment system

PT Indelberg Indonesia, which operates Pertamina's oil concession area under a joint operation contract with the state oil company, in Muara Enim, South Sumatra, has promised to improve the company's crude oil waste management system following the discovery of oil leakages in several areas near its oil wells in the regency, Palembang Pos reported Wednesday.

Agustinus Tariono, the operation chief of the company, said Indelberg was negotiating with an environmental management company to improve its oil waste management system.

"The company will not only improve our waste management system but also will cleanse all the areas polluted by the company's oil waste," he said. According to him, the oil waste recovery works would begin next month and would take about five months to complete.

A team from the local legislative council unveiled last week that the company's oil waste had caused a serious pollution in several areas in Talang Ubi village, near the company's oil exploration site.

According to the team, about 75 percent of the 60-hectare swamp areas in the village have been seriously polluted due to the oil waste.(*)