Japanese Money, Experts Offer Hope for Mudflow End - East Java Mudflow Information Center

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Japanese Money, Experts Offer Hope for Mudflow End

Wednesday, 16 May 2007

(Originally published by The Jakarta Post in May 16, 2007 and written by Ika Krismantari)

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency may provide soft loans of up to Rp 1 trillion (US$110 million) to the government in an effort to stop the mudflow from a punctured gas well in East Java that has been gushing since last May. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Tuesday the loans were proposed following a presentation to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last week, in which Japanese scientists offered possible solutions to stop the mudflow.

One solution involves the construction of a “double-cover dam” to contain the mud, until it reaches a sufficient volume whereby it will serve as a counterweight to the flowing mud.

The scientists said they had successfully carried out a similar project in the Philippines.

“The terms and conditions of the loan have not been finalized, but there will be another Cabinet meeting to discuss this issue within the next two weeks,” Purnomo told reporters.

The proposed dam would be 120 meters in diameter and 40 meters in height.

Purnomo, a member of the newly established Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency (BPLS), said he was not authorized to decide whether Lapindo would be made responsible for paying for the project.

Lapindo is the company whose gas exploration well is at the center of the mud disaster.

Under a government regulation, Lapindo is responsible for costs involved in stemming the mudflow, while the government will cover all expenses relating to infrastructure.

Chairman of BPLS Djoko Kirmanto, who is also the public works minister, said last week the government is expected to hire Japanese engineering firm Katahira Engineering to carry out the project, which will cost an estimated Rp 600 billion (US$66 million).

The proposed method is more expensive than a previous attempt to stop the mud, but it is hoped it will be more effective.

The previous method, which involved dropping high-density chained balls into the well in an attempt to curb the pressure from below, cost up to Rp 4 billion and yielded little results, aside from a brief respite in March that many analysts say cannot be attributed to the effort.

The government has pledged to set aside at least Rp 2.5 trillion ($275 million) from the state budget to fix infrastructure facilities damaged by the Sidoarjo mudflow.

More than 13,000 homes, schools and factories have been inundated by the mud.

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