EP Oil Well Fire In Aceh, Pertamina: 4 Injured

A number of firefighters were at the location of the Pertamina EP Rantau oil well fire which had been successfully extinguished in Bukit Tempurung Village, Aceh Tamiang, Saturday (17/8/2024). (ANTARA)

BANDA ACEH - PT Pertamina EP (PEP) Rantau Field said the rig fire and oil well drilling platform in Bukit Tempurung Village, Kuala Simpang District, Aceh Tamiang on Saturday afternoon occurred during the maintenance process (well service), as an effort to optimize oil production from the well.

Pjs Field Manager PEP Rantau Edwin Susanto said that his party continues to monitor and secure security to ensure that the location of the oil well rig fire is really safe and does not cause other dangers.

"We are still conducting a thorough investigation into this incident, but we can confirm that the fire has been successfully resolved and location monitoring continues," said Edwin in his statement quoted by ANTRA, Sunday, August 18.

Edwin appreciated the efforts of the Aceh Tamiang BPBD which had helped the process of extinguishing the rig fire, so that it had succeeded in handling the fire incident of one of the wells that was carrying out maintenance work in Bukit Tempung Village.

According to Edwin, the fire began to appear at around 14:10 WIB, when it entered a series of jobs to clean the production tube after the revocation of the ESP pump. The Pertamina Rantau Emergency Management Team (PKD) was immediately dispatched to the location.

"The fire was successfully extinguished at 14.53 WIB. Fire trucks from the Aceh Tamiang BPBD and HSSE or occupational safety and health (K3) PEP Rantau Field also managed the fire," he said.

He said, the Pertamina EP Rantau PKD team's quick movement made the fire successfully extinguished in a short time so as to minimize the bad effects that occurred.

In that incident, Edwin continued, there were four crew members who were victims of burns to their feet and hands. They have also received medical treatment at the Aceh Tamiang Hospital. His party confirmed that the victims were rig workers, not residents.

Pertamina EP Rantau has coordinated with security forces to assist in guarding so as not to become the object of residents' spectacle so as not to interfere with the work of the Pertamina Damkar team, considering that the fire point is not far from densely populated settlements.

"Currently, a safe line has been installed and personnel is placed on guard. After the fire is successfully extinguished, the team immediately cleans up the vital object area and its surroundings," he said.

His party also appealed to the public not to approach the scene because it was dangerous, so Pertamina EP Rantau officers could carry out maximum post-fire handling.