Vale Duga Leaks Pipe Due To Post-Earthquake Land Shiftation In Poso

JAKARTA - President Director and Chief Executive Officer of PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (INCO) Bernardus Irmanto suspects that the oil pipeline leak incident was caused by a shift in land that occurred after the earthquake in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

"Regarding the oil pipe leak incident that occurred on August 23, it was one week after the big earthquake in Poso on August 17, 2025," said Anto, Irmanto's nickname, at a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission VI of the DPR in charge of BUMN, in Senayan, Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 30.

He said there was a strong suspicion that there was a shift in land after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 which then affected the oil pipeline belonging to PT Vale Indonesia, because the oil pipe was planted in the ground.

"So, it is strongly suspected that it was due to a shift in land, and we are finalizing the investigation," he said.

On this occasion, he emphasized that Vale Indonesia was fully committed to resolving the impacts of the leak incident.

The company, he said, is also working with all stakeholders, including local governments and local communities, to address the impact of leakage incidents.

In overcoming this problem, Vale Indonesia involved a panel of experts who were involved in the field related to oil pipeline leaks.

"If there are compensations that we must issue, of course PT Vale Indonesia is fully responsible for replacing the losses caused by the incident," he said.

Currently, PT Vale is experiencing a pipe leak that comes from the distribution of water from a former mining operation. Liquid material then seeps until it flows around settlements, rice fields, and parts of the river.

PT Vale stated that it was focused on stopping the spread of oil flow from the oil pipeline leak incident in Towu District, East Luwu, South Sulawesi.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono ensured that farmers affected by the pipe leak incident belonging to PT Vale in East Luwu, South Sulawesi, would receive proper compensation, as a form of protection for the loss of their farming business.

Mas Dar - Deputy Minister Sudaryono's nickname - explained that the pipe leak had an impact on about 30 hectares of rice fields in Asuli Village, Towuti District, which experienced crop failure due to submerged and unharvest agricultural land.

He emphasized that initial countermeasures had been carried out, including isolation of leak locations, so as not to cause additional damage.