No let-up in Indonesia mud Volcano flow despite concrete plug
Pastor Dale Morgan
No let-up in Indonesia mud Volcano flow despite concrete plug*
By Heri Retnowati
Reuters
Tuesday, March 13, 2007; 5:53 AM
SIDOARJO, Indonesia (Reuters) - A torrent of mud that has inundated
villages on Indonesia's Java island shows no signs of abating despite
efforts to plug it by dropping hundreds of concrete balls into its
source, an official said on Tuesday.
The mud has displaced about 15,000 people following an oil-drilling
accident in May in Sidoarjo, an industrial suburb near Surabaya city in
the east of Java island, and destroyed toll roads, railways tracks and
submerged factories.
In the latest move to brake the mudflow, scientists have dropped 296
clusters of concrete balls linked to steel cables into the mouth of the
eruption.
But scientists involved in the effort said it was too early to say
whether the work was a success.
"We are still evaluating. We are studying the volume of the flow, which
has now increased from 125,000 cubic meters to 160,000 cubic meters a
day," said Rudi Novrianto, a spokesman for the government team tasked
with dealing with what scientists dub the "mud volcano."
He said pebbles, sand and stones the size of tennis balls had now been
found in the mud, in addition to clay.
But Satria Bijaksana, a member of a separate team of scientists who
initiated the concrete ball experiment, said mud pressure had eased
after the balls were dropped.
"We have noticed an increase in hydrogen sulphide, indicating that
pressure is decreasing," Bijaksana told Reuters.
He said fears of some other scientists that the balls would force the
mud to erupt in other points due to built-up pressures had not materialized.
Under the plan, 375 clusters will be lowered into the main hole from
where the mud has been gushing, with each chained cluster consisting of
four 20-40 cm (8-16 in) diameter balls.
Bijaksana said the remaining 78 clusters of balls would be dropped in
the next few days.
Anger has been mounting in the area over the hot mud, with displaced
residents frequently holding street rallies demanding cash compensation
instead of resettlement.
PT Lapindo Brantas, the operator of the well where the mud has erupted,
had been told by the government to pay 3.8 trillion rupiah ($412.3
million) to victims and for efforts to plug the mud flow.
But a team set up by the government said the cost would reach around 7.6
trillion rupiah.
Lapindo and PT Energi Mega Persada Tbk, which indirectly controls it,
dispute whether the mud flow was caused by the drilling and also whether
Lapindo alone should shoulder the cost.
Energi is owned by the Bakrie Group, controlled by the family of
Indonesia's chief social welfare minister, Aburizal Bakrie.
Lapindo holds a 50-percent stake in the Brantas block from where the mud
is gushing. Energi International Tbk holds 32 percent and
Australia-based Santos Ltd the remaining 18 percent.
($1 = 9,215.92 rupiah)
(Additional reporting by Ahmad Pathoni)