Villagers end three-day blockage at Pertamina?s oil well

The supply of crude oil from Pertamina?s oil wells in the Balongan area near Kedung Jaya, Babelan, Bekasi has returned to normal after residents agreed to remove the blockage at the main road leading to the wells, Koran Tempo reported on Monday.

The villagers ended their three-day protest on Saturday after the local government and the state owned oil and gas company agreed to meet their demand during a meeting with the villagers? representatives over the weekend.

The protests began on Thursday when hundreds of residents blocked the leading road leading the Babelan oil well after the local government and Pertamina ignored their demand to asphalt the 160-kilometer road.

Besides asking for the repair of the damaged road, the villagers also asked the local government to build a number of public toilets and a portion of the property tax of about Rp 7 billion a year paid by Pertamina to the Bekasi administration.

Pertamina said it suffered a loss of about Rp 42 million due to the blockage of the Babelan oil wells which produce crude oil of about 700 barrels per day. (*)