Pertamina EP says crude transport hampered by local thugs

By Godang Sitompul

PT Pertamina EP said that the transport of output from the Tiung Biru-A field within the Cepu block in Central Java has been hampered by local tugs demanding each truck to pay Rp 350,000 to pass through the local road.

?The transport of oil from the TBR (Tiung Biru A) field has been hampered by local people stopping the trucks. The potential of oil production alone is about 950-1,000 bpd,? Public Relations Manager of Pertamina EP, Agus Amperianto, told Petromindo.com Wednesday.

He described that the amount of money demanded by the local tugs for each truck of about Rp 350,000 as quite excessive considering that the transportation fee is only Rp 170,000 per truck (5,000 liter-capacity truck).

Elsewhere, Agus said that drilling work of the third exploration well at the Tiung Biru-C field has been completed, although the work initially was hampered by the local bureaucracy, fearing damage to local roads when the rigs are transported to the field.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak