Small gas blowout hits Tunu field

Total E&P Indonesie (TEPI), the Indonesian unit of French firm Total SA, was forced to evacuate its workers from the TN-C414 well in Tunu field, Mahakam block in East Kalimantan following a gas blowout on Friday at 11.45 p.m. local time.

The firm said in a statement the gas blowout was small, coming from a shallow reservoir of the well with no indication of liquids. The well is located in Anggana district, Kutai Kartanegara regency.

?No casualties have been reported while all workers have been evacuated to the nearest accommodation facilities. The small gas blowout incident from the shallow well is constantly being monitored and there is no fire.

?The location of the accident has been secured as vessels have been deployed to do the monitoring. Thus far, based on aerial observation, there isn?t yet any oil leaking to the nearest water areas,? the firm said.

The firm said it has deployed all necessary resources to mitigate the blowout and the case has been reported to the related authorities.

Thus far, according to the firm, the incident hasn't impacted TEPI?s production with Tunu now producing 800 mmscfd of Mahakam's total gas output of 1,700 mmscfd.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon