Fire Breaks Out at Oil Well in Indonesia’s Rantau Field

A fire broke out on an oil well drilling platform in Bukit Tempurung Village, located in western Indonesia’s Rantau Field, managed by PT Pertamina EP (PEP). The incident occurred over the weekend during a maintenance operation aimed at boosting oil production, according to local media sources.

The fire, which took place in the Kuala Simpang District of Aceh Tamiang, is currently under investigation. The incident resulted in four injuries, though fortunately, none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.

The injured individuals were members of the rig crew who suffered burns to their hands and feet. They were promptly treated at Aceh Tamiang Regional Hospital.

The maintenance work was reportedly being carried out by Arjuna Asia Petrocom Services, a partner company, with the goal of optimizing oil output.

Edwin Susanto, the acting manager at Pertamina EP Rantau, stated that the company is “conducting a thorough investigation into this incident, but we can assure you that the fire has been successfully contained and monitoring of the location is continuing.”

He mentioned that the fire ignited at around 14:10 local time while the crew was in the process of cleaning the production tubing. An emergency response team quickly responded, and the fire was extinguished in under an hour.

Image credit: Bloomberg