Pertamina curbs C. Java gas blowout

After struggling for more than 24 hours, some 120 men managed on Thursday to curb the gas blowout at the exploration well of the state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina in Cepu, Central Java.

The Kompas daily reported Friday that Pertamina expected to be able to put off the blowout Friday by capping the well with a special mud.

The paper said that gas pressure had now significantly dropped to 3,000 pound per square inch from 4,200 previously; noise and heat level had also reduced drastically. Some villagers have also been allowed to return to their houses.

The gas blowout incident occurred on February 25, 2002 at Pertamina?s exploration well in Cepu, Blora regency, destroying Pertamina?s rig, farmers crops and forced thousands of people to leave their houses.(*)