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Oil spill from rig in Oz waters nearing shores of Rote Island
Huge volumes of what is thought to be crude oil, discharged from the Montara well head platform in Australian waters is currently approaching East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially Rote Island and the southern part of Timor Island
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uge volumes of what is thought to be crude oil, discharged from the Montara well head platform in Australian waters is currently approaching East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially Rote Island and the southern part of Timor Island.
The West Timor Care Foundation director Ferdi Tanoni told a news conference in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Saturday that based on available information, the position of the oil spill, carried by the waves, was less than 51 nautical miles from Rote Island at the end of September.
"I believe the oil slick is getting nearer because the wind is blowing eastward and it is heading west so an estimated 500,000 liters of crude oil are likely getting closer to Rote and Timor islands," said Tanoni.
Director General of Sea Transportation Sunaryo has asked the Tenau Port administration in Kupang and the Kupang Navigation Agency to immediately form a command post to closely monitor the spillage in Timor Sea.
Sunaryo has also asked the navigation agency to closely monitor and report the movement of the oil spill to the Directorate General of Sea Transportation and coordinate with the port administration as on-site commander.
Sunaryo has also asked the Ende Port Administration in Muamere, Flores Island, and Tual in Southeast Maluku to monitor the pollution following the explosion at the Montara oil platform on Aug. 21.
The explosion happened around 690 km west of Darwin, Northern Australia and 250 km northwest of Truscott, western Australia, or some 200 km from Rote, the southern-most Indonesian island.
Tenau Port Administration head Pieter Fina, when contacted separately, said a ship from the Directorate General of Sea Transportation was currently on its way to Kupang.
"The vessel will observe activities in the Timor Sea and determine the movement of the oil slick and impacts caused by it," said Pieter.
NTT Vice Governor Esthon Foennay said in Kupang on Friday that the oil spill had raised grave concern among NTT residents, especially traditional fishermen who depend on the Timor Sea to earn their livelihood.
According to Esthon, the provincial administration is responding to the problem seriously because the Timor Sea is rich in biological resources and abundant with marine life.
"Fishermen are upset by the problem so the government will not turn a blind eye to the pollution. The provincial administration has reported the incident to the central government on *possibly* holding bilateral talks between both countries," he added.
The oil spill is expected to reach the shores of West Timor in the next two weeks.
The Indonesian Navy dispatched a naval vessel on Sept. 1 to investigate the pollution as a follow up measure to the reports from traditional fishermen and the West Timor Care Foundation.
