Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The fire that has been burning three tanks of Pertamina refinery in Cilacap, Central Java, will not disturb fuel supply in Indonesia, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said here Monday.

"The burning tanks are componential tanks, not the productive tanks. In Cilacap there are 207 tanks including various kinds of tanks, so there will be no impact on the production process in Cilacap refinery. Even if there`s disruption, it will only take three percent but we don`t hope for that," Darwin said through phone call here Monday.

According to him, the last calculation on fuel stock showed that the provision was sufficient due to the data on Sunday (April 4) which showed the supply was enough for 22 days.

"Due to the fire on the three componential tanks, I hope those tanks can return to normal within 5 days. Therefore, if there was lack of 0.7 day stock, it can be anticipated by importing fuel until the situation is normal again," he said.

He said until Sunday (April 3) the first burning tank had already been extinguish, the second tank had 90 percent burnout and the third one had already isolated for 60 percent.

The burnout efforts were still done and based on the fire in Plumpang, North Jakarta, (2009), the fire in Cilacap refinery was predicted to be extinguished within 46 hours since the fire flamed which was begun with an explosion in one of the refinery`s tank on Saturday (April 2) early morning at 4.00 pm.

To speed the burnout, he added, 40 tons of foam had been provided while 80 tons more was being sent to Cilacap because it needed about 75 tons.

Meanwhile, the assistance from Balongan, Jatibarang, Jakarta local government, Chevron, BP Migas, Exxon, Indonesian Air Force and Police continued to trickle in. Nevertheless, burnout simulation by using helicopter was difficult to be conducted because the flames were reaching 150 meters height.
(Uu.KR-FNY/H-NG/O001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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