Seven injured after offshore accident

Seven injured after offshore accident

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: At least seven employees of the
UNOCAL oil company in Balikpapan suffered from burns after a fire
stated on one of its offshore oil rigs on Saturday.

The oil and gas rig, the Attaka, was located about 270
kilometers north of Balikpapan, the biggest town in East
Kalimantan province.

All of the victims were evacuated to Pertamina Hospital in
Balikpapan.

Company spokesman Ario Dewayanto said on Tuesday the incident
happened when the employees were doing maintenance work on a
compressor at the rig.

"The compressor suddenly caught fire, but the fire was put out
quickly. The seven injured people were evacuated by using a
helicopter," he said.

The company stopped operations on the rig after the accident
and it was not known when they would resume.

The offshore rig started production in 1972. The accident was
its first, the company said. -- JP