LNG loading at Arun delayed due to tsunami
Sunday, December 26 2004 - 12:45 PM WIB
PT Arun NGL Co delayed the loading of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into a vessel bound for Japan for about three hours following devastating tsunamis Sunday morning.
The tsunamis resulting from a giant earthquake, which has damaged a lot of properties and killed a huge number of people in several countries in South Asia, had relatively brought no impact on the LNG complex in North Aceh.
However, Ari Soemarno, marketing director of state oil and gas company Pertamina, told Petromindo.Com, PT Arun had decided to delay the loading activities on fear of possible new tidal waves.
“After the delay, the loading activities were resumed,” he said.
On Sunday morning, ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) spokesperson Deva Rachman told Petromindo that despite the earthquake, the firm’s operation was running normally, adding that a thorough checking was being conducted on equipments to check any damage.
EMOI supplies natural gas to Arun NGL from its Aceh gas fields.
Arun NGL spokesperson Irwandar also said that Arun NGL was largely unaffected by the earthquake, but said turbine in the power plant went off after the tremor. “The turbine went off because of the safety system, it went on again after being restarted,” said Irwandar.
A massive earthquake off northern Sumatra and Aceh unleashed giant tidal waves and flash floods across western Asia, leaving thousands of people dead and missing. US Geological Survey said the earthquake’s magnitude was 8.9 on the Richter Scale. (godang)