Vico's gas pipeline explodes in East Kalimantan
Saturday, June 24 2000 - 04:30 AM WIB
The gas pipeline owned by American oil and gas company Vico in East Kalimantan exploded Friday morning.
East Kalimantan military commander Col. Tri Subagyo confirmed the incident, but he said no casualties were reported during the incident, Antara said.
The incident took place at 10.45 a.m. (local time) in a remote place 150 kilometers north of the province's capital of Samarinda, causing panic among the company's workers.
The company managed to put off the fire by "controlling" gas transmission through the pipeline, Antara reported.
The 16-inch pipeline is used to transmit natural gas from Vico's gas fields in Tanjung Santan to state fertilizer firm PT Pupuk Kaltim in Bontang.
Subagyo said preliminary investigation revealed the incident was caused by technical problems, but he said the police had yet to complete investigation into the incident to find out the real causes of the incident.
The incident took place as Pupuk Kaltim was preparing itself for a ceremony to inaugurate its expansion facilities next month. The expansion facilities would be dedicated by President Abdurrahman Wahid. (*)