Downstream Industry Threatened Disruption

    Gas supply for the downstream industry in Sidoarjo Regency, East Java, is in danger of being disrupted if Lapindo Brantas Inc continues to stop gas production activities from the Tanggulangin well 5. Production activities have stopped since the leakage of the pipeline connecting the well to the main pipe on Saturday (15/10) ).

"The leaky pipe replacement has actually begun. However, not until the repair was completed, the activities were stopped because the situation around the location was not conducive, ”said Vice President of Lapindo Brantas Inc Hesti Armi Wulan.

    Lapindo hopes that the situation around the site will immediately improve so that the repair of the leaky pipe which has been suspended since last Friday can be continued. The situation at the location was not conducive because there were differences of opinion from local residents. 

    There are pros and cons. The leaking pipe was planted about 2 meters in the riverbed in Kalidawir Village, Tanggulangin District. The pipe, which was planted in 1999, is suspected of leaking at the connection. The function of this pipe is to flow gas production from the Tanggulangin Well (TGA) 5 with a volume of about 3 million cubic feet per day to the main pipe.

    From the main pipe, the gas is then channeled to supply the needs of the household gas network and the downstream gas industry which supplies gas for the manufacturing industry. For the needs of the Gas Network, namely 3,850 house connections, it is guaranteed that it will not be disturbed because Lapindo will immediately divert supplies from other wells, namely TGA 1 and TGA 2. 

    Hesti said the Lapindo gas pipe leak occurred at night and was first discovered by the residents. The leak is characterized by the appearance of gas bubbles on the surface of the river water.

    In addition, there were also bursts of water and mud from the riverbed. The residents then reported the incident to the Lapindo Brantas field officer. The report was followed up by Lapindo Brantas production operator, Chusnul Maab, by checking the gas pressure in the TGA 5 well. 

    As a result, gas pressure from the well was reduced, indicating a leak in the pipeline network. Sidoarjo Regent Saiful Ilah, who was met at the Delta Wibawa Hall, promised to immediately communicate with Lapindo Brantas, including meeting and having a dialogue with residents to build a conducive situation.

    This residents' concern is justified because the Lapindo gas pipeline leak is not the first time this has happened. This case occurred in early March 2015 in Kedungbanteng Village, which is located adjacent to Kalidawir Village. 

    The pipe leak is suspected to have caused a fire to erupt at the residents' houses. Sidoarjo Resort Police investigators are investigating the cause of the problem and whether the leak was the cause of the fire in the residents' homes. This concern got worse after it was discovered that Lapindo Brantas had not detected the pipe leak.

The pipe leak in Kedungbanteng Village and Kalidawir Village was discovered by the residents, not by Lapindo field officers. Hesti said the gas leak occurred smoothly so that it was not detected by the company's security system. The gas leak does not directly affect the safety valve in the TGA 5 well so that the Well operation does not automatically shut down. Must be turned off manually.

Kompas, Page-23, Tuesday, Oct 25, 2016