Oil spill hits Balikpapan beach in E. Kalimantan: Report

An oil spill as long as three kilometers covered an eastern beach near the East Kalimantan town of Balikpapan on Friday afternoon, The Jakarta Post reported Saturday.

It was not known whether the spill leaked from oil tankers passing offshore or came from offshore platform rigs around Makassar Bay.

Initially there was suspicion a tanker had sank near Balikpapan beach. However, the Balikpapan branches of Pertamina and the search and rescue team said they had no information about any accident.

"We receive the first report about a spill on Friday afternoon and immediately checked the location and conducted a joint operation with the local environmental agency," Balikpapan Pertamina spokesman Chusnul Busro told The Jakarta Post here on Friday afternoon.

Large quantities of black oil clots were visible on beach sand along the beach, he said.

Officers were still investigating the damage to the beach and the cause of the spill. (*)