(Group) Recount Teks

Lapindo Mud

The Lapindo Mud was a burst of hot mud caused by drilling in purpose of making Banjar Paji-1 well by a corporation named Lapindo Brantas Inc. The disaster started on May 29th 2006, at Dusun Balongnongo, Kab. Sidoarjo in East Java, Indonesia. The Mud has been bursting until now. This disaster made almost three sub disttrict affected.

Lapindo Brantas Inc. Is a corporation focusing in oil and gas drilling in Indonesia. Lapindo Brantas Inc. Stonk is owned 100% by PT. Energi Mega Persada. Now Lapindo has 50% participating interest Brantas Block.  Beside that, participating interest Brantas Block is owned by PT Medco E&P Brantas (One of MedcoEnergi Enterprise) by 32% and Santos 18%. Because of these stonk, Lapindo Brantas is working as operator.

This burst of mud caused incredible impact to local society and economic activity at Jawa Timur.

By May 2009, PT Lapindo has spent 6 trillion Rupiahs to replace the locals land and building a embankment to stop the spread of the mud.

In 2006, Lapindo Brantas started to drill the Banjar Panji-1 well in early March 2006 using the drilling contractor PT Medici Citra Nusantara. The contract was obtained by Medici on behalf of Alton International Indonesia, in January 2006, after winning a drilling tender from Lapindo worth US $ 24 million.

Initially the well was planned to a depth of 8,500 feet (2,590 meters) to reach the Kujung formation (limestone). The well will be installed with a casing which varies in size according to depth to anticipate potential circulation loss (loss of mud in the formation) and kick (entry of the formation fluid into the well) before drilling penetrates the Kujung formation.

In accordance with the original design, Lapindo "already" installed a 30 inch casing at a depth of 150 feet, a 20 inch casing at 1,195 feet, a casing (liner) 16 inches at 2,385 feet, and a 13 3/8 inch casing at 3,580 feet (Lapindo Press Release to reporter, 15 June 2006). When Lapindo drilled the earth's layer from a depth of 3,580 feet to 9,297 feet, they "haven't" installed a 9 5/8 inch casing that is planned to be installed right at the depth of the boundary between the Lower Kalibeng formation and the Kujung formation (8,500 feet).

It is estimated that Lapindo, from the beginning planned this drilling activity by making the drilling prognosis wrong. They made a prognosis by assuming their drilling zone in the Rembang zone with the drilling target was the Kujung formation. Even though they drilled in the Kendeng zone where there was no Kujung formation. As a result, they planned to install the casing after touching the target, the Kujung formation limestone, which actually did not exist. During drilling they did not casing holes because drilling activities were still ongoing. During drilling, overpressure mud from the Pucangan formation has tried to blow out but can be overcome with a Lapindo mud pump (Medici).

After a depth of 9,297 feet, the drill bit finally touched the limestone. Lapindo thought the Kujung formation target had been reached, even though they only touched the Klitik formation. Limestone formation of Klitik is very porous. As a result, the mud used to fight the Pucangan formation mud is lost or circulation loss so that Lapindo loses / runs out of mud on the surface.

Due to the end of Lapindo mud, the Pucangan formation mud tried to breakthrough. The drill bit is trying to be pulled but pinched so it is cut. In accordance with standard procedures, drilling operations are stopped, the Blow Out Preenter (BOP) trap on the rig is immediately closed and the heavy density drilling mud is immediately pumped into the well with the aim of turning off the kick. Chances are that the high pressure formation fluid has already risen to the top of the boundary between the open hole and the surface casing of 13 3/8 inches. At that depth, it is estimated that the geological conditions of the soil are unstable and there are likely to be natural fissures that can reach the surface. Because it cannot continue its journey to the top through the wellbore because the BOP has been closed, the pressurized formation fluid will try to find another way which is easier to pass through the natural fracture and succeed. This is why surface blowouts occur in various places around the well area, not the well itself.