Leakage occurs at Cilacap-Bandung oil pipeline

The pipeline transmitting oil from Cilacap, Central Java, refinery to a depot near the West Java capital of Bandung was found leaking on Monday, an executive of state oil and gas firm Pertamina said on Tuesday.

I Gusti Bagus Wisnu, a spokesperson of Pertamina?s Central Java operations, told reporters on Tuesday the leakage occurred on the pipe segment in Karangbawang Village in the district of Kawunganten, Cilacap, Detik.com news website reported.

An estimated 2000 sq meters of land in Karangbawang might have been contaminated by oil leaking out from the pipe which had been installed in 1975, I Gusti said. Meanwhile, Pertamina?s technicians were still trying to locate the leakage spots, which was difficult work, he said.

Gusti said oil from Cilacap was channeled to Bandung through two pipelines. ?So, the pipe leakage will not totally disrupt oil supply to West Java,? he said.

He said Pertamina officials had first learnt about the accident from the Kawunganten police precinct. A local villager had earlier notified the police about area swamps being covered by oil.

Cilacap refinery is one of the nine oil processing plants owned by Pertamina. The other eight are located in West Java, South Sumatra, Central Sumatra, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan and Papua.

Pipe leakage also occurred at Pertamina?s oil and gas operations in Palembang, South Sumatra, in May last year, sparking protests from the public and environment activists.

Also in May last year, the pipeline owned by Pertamina?s partner Gulf Indonesia Resources Limited leaked and caused fire, almost burning the houses of local villagers. (*)