Kodeco gas pipeline will be submerged: Port chief

The gas pipeline of PT Kodeco Energy Co. Ltd, in Surabaya`s western shipping lane will be submerged before May 2010 as it has been posing an obstruction to economic development of the area, Antara news agency reported

"We are now still conducting a survey to find out the distance between the gas pipeline and the seabed," Tanjung Perak port chief administrator A. Cholik Kirom said on Friday.

He said that pending the submersion of the gas pipeline, his office has erected seven navigational buoys.

He said that as a short-term solution, the gas pipeline will be submerged to a position minus 16 Low Water Spring (LWS). To this end, a survey is still underway to find out about the exact depth between the seabed and the pipeline.

"As far as we know the current position of the pipeline is at minus 10.17 LWS," he said.

Kodeco uses the pipeline to transmit gas from West Madura PSC and Poleng TAC, both operated by Kodeco, to onshore processing facility in industrial city of Gresik. Kodeco sells its gas to state-owned gas distribution firm PGN and fertilizer maker PT Petrokimia Gresik. (*)