Pertamina spends Rp 4 billion to stop wild gas blast
Friday, June 2 2000 - 04:30 AM WIB
The production unit of state oil and gas Pertamina in Jambi has successfully halted the wild gas blast at Sengeti village, Muara Jambi, Sriwijaya Pos reported on Friday.
The newspaper reported that the state oil company had spent a total of Rp 4 billion (1US$=Rp 8500) to stop the wild gas blast on the SNT 10 gas field, which had been closed since 1981. Residents, who had been evacuated from the area, have returned to their homes since May 29.
The blast has occurred for several times, which led the closure for the gas field. The latest blast took place on April 11, forcing the state oil company to evacuate about 120 families to nearby villages.
The spokesman for Pertamina in Jambi Bambang Sumantri said that part of the spending were used to pay compensation to the evacuated residents, who received Rp 9,000 a day each during the evacuation.
The blast occurred due the leakage in one of the gas pipes in the gas field in the village, he said, adding that it took time to stop the blast because the state oil and gas company had to wait equipment from Jakarta to stop the blast. (*)