Balikpapan offshore oil rig explodes<\/p>\n
BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan (JP): An off-shore oil rig owned
\nby Unocal Indonesia Co. exploded here after a fire razed it at
\ndawn on Sunday, but no fatalities were reported.<\/p>\n
The company's general manager, Muchlis Sadzali, said gas
\nleaking from a neighboring old oil-well had caused the explosion.<\/p>\n
He said the well, which had been bored to 400 meters below sea
\nlevel, might have contained more oil reserves than expected.<\/p>\n
\"Gas leaks are a natural cause of fires in off-shore oil
\nexploration. It's a force majeur,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The cost to the company, a contractor of the state-owned oil
\nfirm Pertamina, of losing the rig was estimated at between Rp 18
\nbillion (US$6.6 million) and $42 billion, according to Muchlis.<\/p>\n
He said the oil rig had so far drilled Rp 500 million worth of
\noil.<\/p>\n
Company workers overlaid the leaking well with mud to stop the
\nfire.<\/p>\n
The company temporarily ceased oil exploration and evacuated
\nall workers and tankers from the remnants of the rig, according
\nto Muchlis.<\/p>\n
A Pertamina official confirmed the accident yesterday. She
\nsaid none of the 20 people working at site were hurt.<\/p>\n
\"They were evacuated when the fire gutted the oil rig,\" she
\nsaid on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n
She said the accident would not pollute of the sea due to an
\nthe presence of an in-built antipollution device.<\/p>\n
Pertamina is expected to explain the accident today, she said.
\n(42\/jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/balikpapan-offshore-oil-rig-explodes-1447893297",
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