SKK Migas shuts down 132 illegal oil wells

By Bernard loebs

Petromindo

Upstream authority SKK Migas has shut down 132 oil wells in the southern part of Sumatra region (Sumbagsel) illegally opened by local oil miners.

Haswanto Jaya, a senior staff at the SKK Migas Sumbagsel office, said that the move forms part of efforts to protect oil assets and prevent income loss for the central and local governments.

He added that the illegal oil miners have often neglected safety aspect and endanger the environment as well as the operations of existing oil and gas contractors.

?In Jambi (province), there are plenty of illegal oil drilling and mining activities, but we try to prevent them from spreading like what has happened in South Sumatra,? he said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak