Adair battles to halt huge fire

Press, 12 June 1978, Page 9

Adair battles to halt huge fire

NZPA Jakarta The Texan firefighter, Paul: ’ Red” Adair, and his team, of specialists at the weekend battled the 50 metre' flames of one of the world’s worst gas-well fires and tried to keep the blaze from;, blowing up a nearby well. Indonesian officials had earlier reported that the blaze was “well under con-! trol," but Mobil Oil officials; said that Mr Adair’s team still had not been able to get within 150 metres of the' well in the heart of Southl ast Asia’s largest gas and oil field. The Indonesian officials! apparently were attempting to play down the seriousness of the fire, because they were concerned it would jeopardise a contract to J deliver gas to Japan. “It is still flaring and it will take a long time — perhaps weeks — to stop this mess." one Mobil official; said. “Adair and his men cannot get closer than 150 metres to the blaze and it] will take them a long time! to stop it from threatening! another well 400 metres! away.” he said. The heat at rhe threatened well is so intense that firemen fear a “fireproof” valve may melt and set off a new] explosion, the next step in a

,chain that could engulf the! entire Arun field in a] holocaust. Mr Adair’s team is trying! to burrow a lateral pipe] through to the well, which] burst into flame last Sunday. ] Sources arriving in Ja-i karta from the field said the! famous firefighting team has! ordered tonnes of mud! pumped through the line to! plug the flow of gas feeding rhe flame. At the same time, another; piping system is being rig-' ged to send water from a 1 nearby river to the threatened well 400 metre; away.