Pertamina EP vows to stop illegal miners in South Sumatra

By Godang Sitompul

PT Pertamina EP (PEP) vows to stop oil production illegally carried out by local people in Mangunjaya area, which is part of the firm?s Ramba field in South Sumatra.

?The illegal activity should be stopped. The people have no permits (to produce oil there). We already have an operation program to resume wells that were suspended there,? PEP?s spokesman Agus Amperianto told Petromindo.com.

Many people have been involved in the illegal oil production in the Pertamina field after seeing a member of the regional council, identified as Abu Sari of the National Awakening Party (PAN) faction, did the same thing and got no punishment from Pertamina. The activity was reportedly backed up by the local law enforcers.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon