Villagers cut off Caltex's oil pipeline in Bangko Field

A group of people cut off on Saturday a pipeline at one of Caltex Pacific Indonesia's oil wells in its Bangko Field in Sintong Village of the Tanah Putih district in the Rokan Hilir regency, Riau, causing a major oil spill in the area, Riau Pos reported on Monday.

The daily said that the oil spill from the pipe with a diameter of six inches could not be immediately stopped as workers and security men of the oil company in the location were barred by the local residents from entering the location.

The residents, who have carried out a blockade in the area for almost one month in their protests against the oil company's rejection to their demand rejected to allow the workers and security men to enter the location until the police arrived several hours later.

Some of the 11 oil wells in the Bangko Field, one of Caltex oil blocks in Riau, have stopped operating due to the blockade. But the daily did not say whether the oil pipe was cut off by the same group of people.

According to the paper, the security disturbance in the area has been worsening. Looting, theft and other forms of crimes are growing. The daily said that the people did not only cut off the oil pipes but also electric cable. The people were believed to have sold the pipes and wires to the local steel traders. (*)