Premier Oil operation in Gresik temporarily halted

The drilling activity of oil and gas company Premier Oil off the cost of Gresik in East Java has been temporarily halted following a protest from the Ujung Pangkah villagers, sources said.

The state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina decided to temporarily halt the operation after it managed to pull out all the equipments for the oil drilling from the hands of the protesting villagers.

"We have not received the full report yet. But according to preliminary information, after Pertamina came to help settle the dispute in Pangkah, the (drilling) equipments which were previously taken hostage by the villagers could be taken back again," said Haryanto, an official at Pertamina's production sharing management directorate, when asked for confirmation.

He declined to provide more details, telling that Petromindo should forward the question to spokesman Sidick Nitikusuma. But the latter was already in Singapore to make preparation for the launching of the underwater gas pipeline from West Natuna to Singapore.

Reports have earlier said that some villagers have protested the operation of Premier Oil in the Ujung Pangkah area in Gresik because of alleged environmental destruction. Some fishermen claim that because of the oil operation, it has now become more difficult to catch fish. (R. Amoros)