TEMPO.CO, Sidoarjo - Oil and gas exploration company, Lapindo Brantas Inc., is planning to start another exploration activity at Tanggulangin 1 Well in Tanggulangin-Sidoarjo, East Java; no far from the center of the Lapindo Mud Volcano disaster in Porong.
"We plan to begin the exploration in March 2016," said Lapindo Brantas' Public Relations Manager, Arief Setya Widodo, at a press conference on Tuesday, January 5.
Arief explained that the drilling should have been commenced in December 2015, but the plan was postponed as there was social backlash that had yet to be resolved, since many local residents feared the Lapindo Mud Volcano disaster to reappear at the site.
Lapindo Brantas plans to proceed despite the rejection from local communities. The company has begun to excavate and compress the soil around the site as the initial steps of the drill site preparation (DSP). "We have embarked on extensive socialization to local communities, with the support of security officials - but local residents continued to oppose our plan," said Arief. "Hopefully the tide will turn as discussions continue on Wednesday, but to anticipate potential rioting, security officials have been asked to secure the perimeter of the site."
Arief continued that technically-speaking, the drilling won't cause any geological disturbances - in fact, the company has acquired the permit to proceed with the planned drilling from Sidoarjo's Environmental Agency, which was signed by Sidoarjo's former Regent, Saiful Ilah.
"The Agency has reviewed and certified our proposal - including all technical specifications, geological limitations, and so on," assured Arief, before adding that the drilling needs to continue as the government - through the Upstream Oil and Gas Special Taskforce (SKK Migas) - has asked companies to increase production output, in order to meet the demands of gas in East Java and its surroundings. Tanggulangin 1 Well is expected to be able to churn out 5 million cubic meters of gas per day. Combined with some other 30 wells currently running across the area, the well is expected to bring the total output to 8 million cubic meters of gas per day. "Prior to the Lapindo Mud Volcano disaster, we were able to produce about 80 million cubic meters of gas per day," said Arief.
It must be noted that the company - whose shares are partially owned by Bakrie Group - is affiliated with Lapindo Minarak Jaya, who has been appointed to disburse payouts to those who were affected by the Lapindo Mud Volcano disaster. Minarak Lapindo Jaya has yet to disburse compensation payouts to 86 families out of the total of 3.331 victims of the disastrous exploratory activity.
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