PETROCHINA'S OIL WELLS IN JAMBI REMAIN SEALED

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 4 (Antara) - The local government of Tanjung Jabung Timur District, Jambi province, still sealed  26 oil wells in 12 locations of the Jabung Oil Block because the operator, PT PetroChina International, failed to secure location permits.          Regional Government Secretary of Tanjung Jabung Timur (Tanjabtim) District Sudirman said on Sunday the local government would remain to seal the 26 oil and gas wells if PetroChina did not meet the requirements for obtaining location permits as set by the local government.          Sudirman said that the Tanjabtim regional government suffered Rp3.5 trillion in losses a year as PetroChina had operated the oil and gas wells since 2006 without location permits.          He said that the Tanjabtim government would not issue the permits if PetroChina did not meet the local government's requirements, such as the realization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and contribution to the local people in accordance with Tanjabtim Bylaw No. 55/2011.          "We are set to enforce the regulation. We have reminded them about the permit, but they refused to hear," Tanjabtim District Head Zumi Zola said last week.          The district administration sealed the wells as the company did not bother to seek the permit, he added.