Facts And Data On The Pertamina Balongan Oil Refinery Fire In Indramayu So Far

Pertamina Balongan oil refinery fire, Indramayu (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Monday morning, 29 March, the PT Pertamina RU VI Balongan oil refinery in Indramayu, West Java caught fire. Balongan VI Refinery is the sixth of the seven refineries owned by the Refinery Directorate of PT Pertamina (Persero).

Here we collect a number of facts about Pertamina's Balongan oil refinery fire in Indramayu. Everything we know until Monday afternoon, March 29th, 17.15 WIB.

The dead, wounded and missing

As a result of the fire at Pertamina's Balongan oil refinery in Indramayu, five people suffered serious burns. Meanwhile, 15 others were slightly injured, including a hundred-year-old grandmother.

Acting Secretary of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Indramayu Caya Regency said the victims were residents whose houses were close to the location of the oil refinery. Some others, those who happened to be passing by when the fire broke out.

"The victims were various, including local residents as well as road users," he said, quoted by Antara.

A resident perpetuates the fire at the Balongan oil refinery, Indramayu (Source: Antara)

The hundred year old grandmother was named Tiah. Apart from Tiah, we describe other minor injuries. Data obtained from the Center for Disaster Management Operations Control (Pusdalops PB) BPBD West Java Province.

They are Noaf Firmansyah (21 years), Muhammad Sidiq Maulana (13), Guntur Mauluna (13), Suteni (53), Yasmin, Mulyana (82) Dawin (80), Romalah (55), Sanusi (90), Warti ( 80), Rokamah (80), Raminah (60) and Ade Suratman.

The last name is the security guard on duty at the oil refinery. BPBD also recorded one death victim named Mashadi Dulkodir, age 61.

Meanwhile, five seriously injured victims were Kosim B Durakman (18), Abdul alias Adil (18), Ibnu Ajis (18), Ahmad Asrori (18) and Khoirul Ikhwan (16).

President Director of Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati (Source: Antara)

Contrary to BPBD data, Pertamina Director Nicke Widyawati said there were no casualties. He said, "Alhamdulillah there were no casualties in this incident," he told a virtual press conference.

Nicke also said that all victims had been handled well by the medical team. Even some of the victims were lightly injured, he said, had been returned to their homes.

In addition to reports of injuries and deaths, the Balongan oil refinery fire in Indramayu also recorded three people missing. This was announced by the Head of Disaster Data and Communication Committee for Disaster, Raditya Jati.

Thousands of residents fled

Dozens of people were slightly injured. Five serious injuries. One was reported dead. In addition, thousands of people were displaced.

West Java Provincial BPBD BPBD Pusdalops Manager Budi Budiman Wahyu said, as of Monday afternoon, thousands of people had fled. They were divided into three refugee points, namely in the Pendopo of Indramayu Regency, Gor Bumi Patra and the Indramayu Islamic Center Mosque.

BPBD Indramayu Regency conducted a quick assessment to the location of the incident. TNI and Polri officers who are in the field have also appealed to other communities around the location to flee to a safer place.

The HSSE Team of Pertamina Refinery Unit VI Balongan Refinery together with the Indramayu Damkar Service, responded quickly to the focus of extinguishing the fire in the fire refinery tank area. Pray for my friend, hopefully things will return to normal. The cause of the incident is still being investigated by the authorities. https://t.co/Dh9FPjRUhb pic.twitter.com/TwMhqAW9Fw

- PERTAMINA (@pertamina) March 29, 2021

Regarding the condition of refugees who are vulnerable to crowds, Pertamina has ensured the implementation of strict health protocols in evacuation locations. Included in the protocol in question, Pertamina claims to prepare tools for preventing COVID-19 in the form of masks and hand sanitizers.

"For logistics, Pertamina will cooperate with the local government of Indramayu Regency to help provide consumption for residents in the evacuation camps. In addition, Pertamina also prepares tarpaulin and the needs of other residents in the evacuation," said Corporate Secretary Subholding Refining & Petrochemical Ifki Sukarya in a press statement.

Fuel supply

The fire at Pertamina's Balongan oil refinery in Indramayu has raised concerns over the supply of fuel. Quoting Pertamina's website, the main business activity at the Balongan VI Refinery is processing crude oil from Duri and Minas into fuel, non-fuel and petrochemical products.

This refinery began operating in 1994 and is located in Indramayu or about 200 kilometers east of Jakarta. Pertamina Balongan refinery is known to play an important role in supplying fuel to DKI Jakarta, West Java and Banten.

Pertamina stated that the potential loss of production of fuel oil (BBM) was around 400 thousand barrels due to the burning of the T-301G tanks at the Balongan refinery. Pertamina's Logistics and Infrastructure Director Mulyono said that due to the fire, Pertamina had to shut down the refinery operations, which currently produce fuel with a capacity of 125 thousand barrels per day (BPH).

An aerial view of the Balongan Oil Refinery, Indramayu (Source: Antara)

Partamina also estimates that the effort to normalize the Balongan Refinery will take quite a long time, namely four to five days. "The estimated production loss that cannot be supplied from the Balongan Refinery is 400 thousand barrels," he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, March 29.

To temporarily replace the role of the Balongan Refinery, the supply of fuel to DKI Jakarta, West Java and Banten will be supplied from the Cilacap Refinery and the Trans-Pacific Petrochemical Indotama (TPPI) Refinery. The Cilacap refinery will increase its production to 300 thousand barrels. Meanwhile, TPPI's production could be increased to 500 thousand barrels.

"From Cilacap it will be brought by ship supplied directly from Tanjung Priok. Meanwhile, from the TPPI, it will be supplied via the Balongan BBM Terminal," he said.

Mulyono guarantees that the current national fuel stock is very safe to meet people's needs. Gasoline stock, said Mulyono, was recorded at 10.5 million barrels and is estimated to be sufficient for the next 28 days.

The cause of fire at Pertamina's Balongan Oil Refinery in Indramayu

Fire trucks around the Kilang Balongan area (Source: Antara)

PT Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati said the cause of the fire was still being investigated. "As to the cause of the fire, we don't know for sure. So until now, we are still carrying out an investigation assisted by the authorities," he said in a virtual press conference.

Nicke also explained that currently the authorities are focusing on resolving emergencies in the field. During the press conference, Nicke also apologized to the people around the location of the Balongan Oil Refinery, Indramayu. Nicke also asked the public to calm down.

"I represent Pertamina and would like to convey my deepest concern over this incident and also apologize to the public. We pray that the entire Pertamina team and stakeholders can handle this incident," he said.

Fire of Pertamina's Balongan Oil Refinery in Indramayu (Source: Antara)

Regarding the cause of the fire, West Java Police Chief Inspector General Ahmad Dofiri said there were reports of indications of pipe leaks. "We received information earlier that there was seepage or leakage in the burning tank pipe," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

The leak, said Ahmad Dofiri, was suspected of triggering the burning of the oil tank at the RU VI Balongan oil refinery. Even so, Ahmad Dofiri emphasized that what he conveyed was preliminary information.

"I think it was the result, but this is preliminary information, because last night there was a fairly large thunder too. But this is preliminary information, the rest will be later," he said.

* Read other information about INDRAMAYU OIL FIRE or read other interesting articles by Bagus Santosa, Diah Ayu Wardani, Didi Kurniawan, Mery Handayani, and Rizky Adytia Pramana.

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