Pipeline Leak Resolved, Chevron Resumes Oil Deliveries from Riau

Oil deliveries from Chevron Corp’s fields in Indonesia's Riau province have resumed, following delays early this week due to a pipeline leak, SKKMigas disclosed in a statement late Thursday.

A breach of the 47-mile (76-kilometer) pipeline, which occurred Tuesday, disrupted deliveries of oil from the Bangko area to the Dumai terminal, SKKMigas' Deputy of Operations, Gde Pradnyana, said in a statement.

SKKMigas and Chevron Pacific Indonesia started repair and clean-up works Wednesday, with operations expected to return to normal Friday. SKKMigas was not reachable for an update on the repair and clean-up operations Friday.

Seven workers were exposed to splashes of oil. Three workers were flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital Tuesday, while the remaining four were sent back home as their "conditions were not alarming." Of the three hospitalized workers, two are already discharged Thursday.

SKKMigas and Chevron Pacific Indonesia are at present conducting a joint investigation to confirm the cause of the accident and the volume of oil which spilled as a result.

The pipeline delivers output from the Duri field in the Rokan production sharing contract (PSC).

The Duri field is the largest producing field operated by Chevron in Indonesia. The field, discovered in 1941 on the island of Sumatra, is home to one of the world’s largest steamflood projects. Extensions to the field are on-going at present.