Pertamina ready to resume construction of Porong gas pipeline

The state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina hopes that the construction of the Porong gas pipeline located near the site of Lapindo's exploration well can be resumed in the first week of February to ensure that the pipeline would be able to operate normally before the end of the month.

Pertamina's spokesman Toharso said in Jakarta Monday that the company would be ready to begin the construction of the gas pipeline after the team for the Sidoarjo mud disaster completes the construction of a 800-meter embankment to protect the pipes from the mud flow.

After a number of delays, the team had targeted to complete the construction of the embankment in the first week of February, he said. "Pertamina is ready to begin the construction work of the pipeline after the embankment is completed," he added.

The gas pipeline was initially scheduled for operation in Jan. 31 but it was delayed due to the change in the pipeline location and a problem in the construction of the embankment, he added.

For the middle-term repair project, a three-km by pass pipeline has been installed at the same location where the old pipeline was installed and about 1.6 km-pipeline of the planned three-km pipeline has been completely installed by the end of December last year.

For the long-term pipeline repair project, Pertamina will install a 14 km-pipeline in a new route spanning along the bank of Porong river, which is based on a study, free of soil movement and can minimize the impact of the pipeline installation on local community. (*)