Police Name Suspect Of Illegal Oil Well Exploding In Muba

Illegal crude oil wells that exploded in Keban 1, Sanga Village, Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra (ANTARA/HO-Muba Police)

PALEMBANG - Musi Banyuasin Resort Police (Muba), South Sumatra (Sumsel) has named a suspect in the case of the explosion of an illegal crude well.

Muba Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKP Moris Widiharto said the suspect was a man with the initials AIZ (44), a resident of Keban 1 Village, Sanga Desa, Muba.

AIZ was named a suspect after police investigators obtained the adequacy of evidence strengthened by witness testimony. "Among other things, it is certain that AIZ is the owner of the illegal oil well that exploded," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 12.

He explained that the explosion of the suspect AIZ's illegal crude oil well occurred on Friday (9/6) evening.

The tight drilling activity amid the large gas content pressure in the oil well was suspected to be the trigger for the explosion. Police personnel confiscated several pieces of evidence from the location of the suspect's oil well, including two units of water suction machines, three meters long oil iron pipes, and several small crude oil storage plates.

Although there were no casualties, the oil well emitted flames as high as a dozen meters into the air and endangered the local villagers.

In fact, police personnel are still on standby in the field because as with the information obtained, the fireflow is still ongoing until at least Sunday (11/6) afternoon. For his actions, the suspect was charged with violating Article 40 of the 7th Article of Government Regulation in lieu of Law number 2 of 2022 concerning the creation of work in conjunction with Article 188 of the Criminal Code with a threat of six years in prison and a fine of Rp. 60 billion.