Petronas Announces Malaysia Open Acreage Exploration Opportunities

Petronas is promoting twelve blocks for exploration opportunities in FY11/12 that was launched during PGCE in March 2011.

The projects include 4 blocks in Peninsular Malaysia, 2 onshore blocks, 3 offshore Sarawak blocks, 1 HPHT block also in Sarawak and 2 deepwater blocks in Sabah & Sarawak.

The three shallow water blocks in Peninsular Malaysia are located in western flank of Malay Basin while one block lies on the eastern flank. About 38,754 line km of 2D seismic and 1374 km2 of 3D seismic have been acquired and a total of 17 wells have already been drilled in these blocks. The prospects include a deeper play of Lower Oligocene to Early Miocene Group K, L, M consisting of stratigraphic traps, structural traps and fractured basement. More than 30 prospects and leads have been identified within these blocks and six of the wells encountered hydrocarbons.

The Sarawak shallow water blocks are located in the Central Luconia and West Luconia Provinces where numerous wells have been drilled with significant oil and gas discoveries. All three blocks are fully covered with 2D seismic. The blocks in Central Luconia Province contain mid to Late Miocene Carbonate which has been proven as gas play. The block on the northern flank of Baram Delta provides opportunity for the HPHT play that consists of Cycle V to Cycle VI turbidites and deltaic sequences which have not yet been tested. The two onshore blocks are located in Tinjar Province with sediments of Oligocene to Early Miocene ages. One of the blocks is located adjacent to the active Baram Delta Provinces PSC block SK 333 that is currently held by Nippon Oil.

The promotion also includes the deepwater blocks within the established and proven areas. One of the blocks is located in the West Luconia Province, a large deltaic depocentre. The block covers an area of 2000 km2 with 1,508 line km of 2D seismic and 7,525 km2 of 3D seismic. The other block is located in deepwater area of Sabah Basin adjacent to Brunei border. Several prospects and leads have been identified and 9 exploration wells have been drilled, some with hydrocarbon discoveries.

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    01 April at 02:08 ·
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    Dunia NDT & Inspection yes mate, more exploration mean more platforms/structures to built & more pipelines to install & hopefully more "rezeki" for us :D

    02 April at 17:26 ·

Kempen MP Kuantan ‘Halang Lynas, Selamatkan Malaysia’ mula raih sokongan

Fuziah Salleh di sisi kain rentang kempen menggesa Lynas Corporation
dihalang daripada beroperasi di Gebeng dekat Kuantan

Dua tahun lalu usahanya tidak memperlihatkan kejayaan, malah tidak ramai yang peka dengan isu tersebut.

Bagaimanapun hari ini, Ahli Parlimen Kuantan dari PKR Fuziah Salleh (gambar) kelihatan senyum apabila gerakannya mula menerima sokongan memprotes syarikat Australia, Lynas Corporation daripada memulakan operasi loji pembersihan nadir bumi di Gebeng dekat Kuantan.

Sekitar 200 orang dari ibu negeri Pahang menghadiri sesi dialog hari ini sambil meminta kerajaan negeri dan pusat menghentikan Lynas daripada beroperasi di negara ini.

Sebahagian daripada orang ramai yang menyertai dialog awam
anjuran Fuziah Salleh di Kuantan.

Mereka memperlihatkan sokongan dan ia kelihatan menggalakkan.

Seorang ahli perniagaan secara sukarela menyatakan kesediaan membawa warga Kuantan ke bangunan Parlimen untuk menunjukkan protes.

Langkah mengumpul tanda tangan di pasar tani di sini pagi tadi juga menghimpunkan sekitar 500 penyokong.

Sepuluh yang lain mengangkat tangan apabila Fuziah, yang juga Naib Presiden PKR, meminta sukarelawan untuk mengetuai jawatankuasa “Halang Lynas! Selamatkan Kuantan”.

Wakil rakyat penggal pertama itu memulakan usaha menghalang loji itu seorang diri dua tahun lalu tetapi usaha itu kelihatan gagal.

Kini beliau memulakan kempen meminta Lembaga Pelesenan Tenaga Atom (AELB) Malaysia tidak mengeluarkan permit operasi kepada Lynas.

Laporan sebelum ini mengatakan bahawa syarikat itu akan memulakan operasi akhir tahun ini. Kilangnya di Gebeng sedang dibina.

Di Parlimen Selasa lalu, Fuziah menggesa agar kerajaan sama sekali tidak mengeluarkan lesen operasi memproses tanah jarang kepada Lynas.

Dua minggu lalu, akhbar harian Amerika, the New York Times melaporkan pekan industri Gebeng bakal menyaksikan pusat pemprosesan nadir bumi atau lazimnya dikenali tanah jarang, yang paling besar di dunia.

Loji bernilai RM700 juta itu sedang dibina oleh Lynas Corp dan pihaknya akan menghantar nadir bumi yang dilombong di barat negara itu di Mount Weld dengan kapal.

Ini adalah percubaan kedua Malaysia dalam penapisan nadir bumi, kali pertama menimbulkan kontroversi dan bantahan apabila ia cuba didirikan di Bukit Merah, Perak pada sekitar 1980-an.

Sehubungan itu Fuziah juga menyoal “adakah kita mahu tunggu ada kes seperti di Bukit Merah, ada anak pekerja yang lahir cacat, abnormal, baru kita mahu bertindak?”

“Adakah nyawa dan keselamatan rakyat Kuantan begitu tidak berharga kepada kerajaan Malaysia?” kata Fuziah di Parlimen.

Fuziah menggerakkan kempen petisyen untuk dihantar kepada AELB agar tidak mengeluarkan permit operasi kepada Lynas.

Beliau meletakkan sasaran untuk mengumpul sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus daripada 60,000 penduduk terbabit.

Sebanyak 600 borang yang menyediakan ruang bagi 50 tanda tangan telah diambil sebaik sahaja Fuziah menyuarakan pendirian untuk menggerakkan kempen itu.

Seorang sukarelawan, ahli perniagaan wanita yang membekalkan peralatan kepada kilang-kilang kimia di Gebeng memberitahu The Malaysian Insider bahawa dia terganggu selepas mengikuti laporan Fuziah.

“Saya menawarkan diri untuk menjadi sukarelawan sebab nadir bumi sangat bahaya. Saya mahu melakukan apa sahaja yang boleh untuk membantu,” kata wanita yang mengenalkan dirinya sebagai Jing.

Worker dies at Exxon Mobil Singapore refinery

Exxon Mobil Corp. says that one worker was killed and another critically injured late Monday during maintenance work at its Singapore Jurong refinery.

Exxon Mobil said in a statement Tuesday that two contractors were found unconscious in an enclosed space filled with nitrogen.

A 34-year-old Indian national died later at a hospital while the other worker is in critical condition.

The company said it is cooperating with authorities to investigate the cause of the incident.

Exxon Mobil said it suspended maintenance at the 605,000 barrels per day capacity plant, which manufactures a wide range of fuels, lubricants and specialty products that are sold in Singapore and exported to Asia.

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    Inspeksi Migas kebanyakan kontraktor yg kena yaaa

    30 March at 12:40 ·
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    Grudy HjRamli Didn't e gas detector detect e gas?? Wow dat really sounds so messed up..sorry to hear dat..

    30 March at 16:09 ·
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    Dunia NDT & Inspection safety 1st buddy. Make sure u guys have valid Entry Permit b4 enter any confined spaces.

    30 March at 23:43 ·
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    Hernandez Chuck that right...sfty 1st...n please make sure hve standby man for cnfine space...

    31 March at 00:10 ·
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    Peck Ong All major oil & gas company has confined space work procedure but most of the time testing procedure may not have carried out accordingly due to negligence. It is one of the most dangerous place to work because most toxic gases are odourless.

    31 March at 00:38 ·
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    Dunia NDT & Inspection U r absolutely right Mr Peck. The procedure is there. JSA & HIRA done, but we are still weak in implementation & execution. Be proactive guys. Thinks bout ur self & people after u

    31 March at 11:42 · · 1 person
  • 

    Grudy HjRamli Couldn't agree more..

    31 March at 13:10 · · 1 person

Penyerahan Memorandum “STOP LYNAS”, SELAMATKAN MALAYSIA kepada Perdana Menteri

1. Penyerahan tersebut akan dilaksanakan pada hari Rabu, 30 Mac 2011, di Parlimen jam 11.00 pagi.
2. Memorandum tersebut akan diserahkan kepada Perdana Menteri Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.
3. Penyerahan Memorandum “STOP LYNAS”,SELAMATKAN MALAYSIA adalah oleh Kumpulan Selamatkan Malaysia yang terdiri daripada rakyat Malaysia yang prihatin, yang menghendaki Malaysia bebas dari risiko radioaktif secara langsung.
4. Editor/Wakil Media adalah dijemput untuk membuat liputan mengenai penyerahan Memorandum tersebut.

Kumpulan Selamatkan Malaysia
(Save Malaysia)

Petronas Carigali Brunei To Set Up Office In Bandar Seri Begawan

A contract signing ceremony for the provision of a new office for Petronas Carigali Brunei Limited to be set up on the 4th floor of the Dar Takaful IBB Utama building in the capital was held at the VIP Hall of Rizqun International Hotel yesterday.

Under the agreement, the scope of work would consist of providing IT infrastructure, delivery communication equipment and IT managing services. This project would be handed over to Petronas Carigali Brunei Limited upon its successful imple-mentation.

It was the first-ever collaboration between SiPadu Systems Sdn Bhd and Petronas Carigali Brunei Limited.

Signing on behalf of SiPadu Systems was its General Manager, Awg Hj Sahralidin bin Abd Momin while Petronas Carigali Brunei Limited was represented by Azmir Zamri, Brunei Country Head of Petronas. On hand to witness the signing ceremony was the guest of honour, Hj Umar Ali bin Hj Abdullah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru).

As a wholly owned exploration and production subsidiary of Petronas, Malaysia's national oil company, Petronas Carigali Brunei Limited had also signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with Petroleum Brunei for offshore blocks in the Sultanate last year, of which Petronas has established its administration to oversee its operations in the capital.

General Manager of SiPadu, Awg Hj Sahralidin shaking hands

with Azmir Zamri, Brunei Country Head of Petronas

Yesterday also witnessed the soft launching of SiPadu Systems Sdn Bhd's Unified Communications Services, which was held in conjunction with the company's one-year anniversary of being a wholly owned subsidiary of TelBru.

Being under a company of a primary provider of communications infrastructure in Brunei, SiPadu Systems Sdn Bhd offers a compelling package to its clients and communication solutions from the internal Local Area Network (LAN) and applications all the way to its external Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity.

In its "Unified Communications" project, the company is offering an advanced communication infrastructure to its clients who are looking for an alternative source to replace their existing PBX equipment and traditional PSTN lines.

With this package, clients can have their daily businesses - voice calls, voicemails, instant messages, faxes - from a single unified interface over a multitude of 'end-points' including laptops, desk phones and even mobile phones through a single number.

• Tengku Nasran Mohammad likes this.
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    Epi Mac wahh.....leh try job br nie....hehe..:)

    02 April at 16:22 ·
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    Dunia NDT & Inspection insyaAllah Epi, rezeki di mana2. Kalau kami dapat info mengenai vacancy di sini, insyaAllah kami akan war-warkan :D

    02 April at 17:29 ·
  • 

    Arian Arif Ahmad saya fresh student nk apply ndt ni cmne ek?da byk cbe

    Monday at 21:05 ·
  • 

    Dunia NDT & Inspection AAA : cuba check kat sini : http://jobs-duniandt.blogspot.com/ maybe ada post yg sesuai untuk fresh graduate.

    A few seconds ago ·

Dutch Software Company Awarded Million Euro Contract by PETRONAS

The Netherlands-based Spirit Innovative Technologies (Spirit IT), a specialist developer of software products and solutions for the oil and gas industry, has entered into a multi-year agreement with Malaysian oil company PETRONAS. The agreement, which was signed on 4 March this year, came into force this week with the first orders from PETRONAS.

In addition to software development, installation and maintenance activities, the extensive agreement comprises marketing and sales activities focused on the international oil and gas industry. The agreement will be implemented over a period of ten years.

Harry Kok, CEO of Spirit IT, on the new and exclusive joint venture said: "This means an international breakthrough for our company. We are among the first to intensively partner with a high-profile company like PETRONAS, not just for the development of software, but also to market it internationally. More products are likely to follow."
Initially, the agreement focuses on the supply of software that will allow PETRONAS to strongly enhance the quality and intelligence of all its onshore and offshore metering systems as well as to make data available centrally.

It is expected that there will be an increase in the number of employees at Spirit IT.

"We are already in the process of establishing an office in Malaysia, where local employees will embark on the project, initially under the supervision of our staff in Eindhoven. In short term, our office in Kuala Lumpur will be able to provide local support. The office is expected to develop into an expertise centre for the South-East Asian region."

The software, for which both companies share intellectual property rights, is already operational at various sites and is currently being enhanced with more advanced features. PETRONAS expects the joint venture to result in considerable improvements in the quality and reliability of fiscal measuring systems.

Since its foundation in 2002, Spirit IT has provided software to the oil and gas sector from its headquarters in the Brainport Top Technology Zone in Eindhoven. After a long and critical evaluation cycle the company was selected by PETRONAS from five renowned competitors.

"PETRONAS based its selection on the high level of expertise present in our organisation as well as our highly innovative portfolio of products and services for this industry."

Website : http://www.spiritit.com/news

Late gas disruption notice upsets firms

The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) says Petronas’ natural gas upstream facilities shutdown will lead to several manufacturing companies having to reduce their gas consumption significantly from March 30 to April 12 and April 29 to May 10.

While FMM said the significant reduction of gas supply to both the power sector and manufacturers was unavoidable due to the necessity in carrying out major maintenance work at the upstream facilities, the late notification has caused anxiety among manufacturers and uncertainty for companies that have orders to meet.

“Manufacturers who have already installed infrastructure and equipment to use gas as fuel have no choice but to use gas. Their production lines would be affected and they could be penalised for failing to deliver orders on time,” it said in a media statement yesterday.

Thus, FMM has urged Petronas to ensure the maintenance and repair works at the affected facilities be carried out expeditiously and within the scheduled period so that supply and manufacturing operations can resume to normal without further delay.

It has requested that the authorities consider following lines of action to further minimise the impact, which include that companies identified to reduce consumption from March 30 to April 12 should not be subjected to reduce consumption from April 29 to May 14.

Aside from that, some companies could not operate with the 35% to 40% reduction for 14 days or 12 days as they have orders to deliver and therefore the Energy Commission and Gas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (GMSB) should consider grouping the affected companies to reduce consumption for the first seven days and another group for the next seven days within the 14 days maintenance period and similarly for the next maintenance period.

FMM added that some companies could not operate and would be forced to completely shut down operation if gas supply is reduced by 35% to 40% and therefore, they should be allowed to negotiate with GMSB to review the percentage reduction within their operation’s requirement.

Lynas raises forecast for rare earth exports from Malaysia

PROCESSED rare earth exports from a Malaysian plant owned by Australia's Lynas Corp could hit RM8 billion a year from 2013 based on current prices, a top company official said yesterday, as buyers chase supplies outside China.

The forecast is a more than ninefold increase from earlier projections of RM880 million in 2009 and would be the equivalent of about 1 per cent of Malaysia's gross domestic product, Lynas executive vice-president of Strategy and Corporate Communication Matthew James said.

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant in Malaysia's central state of Pahang is slated to begin production in September 2011, making it a key global supplier, after top rare earths producer China last year imposed export quotas to retain resources.

"Lynas is a key part of that supply response," James said in a telephone interview from Sydney yesterday.

"Malaysia will become the go-to destination for value-added exports. Companies requiring rare earths would eventually locate on the east coast of Malaysia. Lynas is acting as a seed for future investments," he added.

By 2013, annual rare earth production from the Malaysian plant would hit 22,000 tonnes, meeting roughly a third of total demand outside China, James said.

"Today the market is about 120,00 tonnes to 130,000 tonnes. By 2013, that will probably grow to 150,000 tonnes globally," James said. "Most of that growth, or most of that demand, is inside China, but outside China markets, by the that time, it will be about 70,000 tonnes," he added.

Rare earths are crucial to production of high tech goods from fibreoptic cables to smartphones and electric cars. Prices stand at US$120,000 a tonne (RM364,800).

Big buyers such as Japan, the US and the Europe rely on these minerals and have been looking to cut their reliance on China that accounts for around 95 per cent of global output.

Lynas' Malaysia plant will process rare earth concentrate shipped in from the firm's Mount Weld site in Western Australia. The site is scheduled to produce its first feed of ore in the week of March 31.

That strategy has prompted green and social NGOs to warn Malaysia could become a dumping ground for radioactive by-products from the refining process, creating health and environmental risks.

"We have gone beyond the Malaysian regulations. The plant is being designed with health and environment perspectives in mind," James said.

Lynas will install waste water and gas treatment systems, government and company data shows. Malaysia's Department of Environment (DOE) approved the Lynas project in 2008.

"The DOE will continue to come and check if the plant has been built according to those specification. After inter-agency discussions, the pre-operational licence is supposed to grant after that point," he said.

"Between now and September this year, we are looking to receive that pre-operational licence," he said. - Reuters

Saipem receives new E&C Offshore contracts worth in excess of $2.2 billion

Saipem has received new E&C Offshore contracts worth in excess of $2.2 billion. In Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco awarded the EPIC contract, in the framework of the Al Wasit Gas Program, encompassing the offshore development of the Arabiyah and Hasbah fields, located approximately 150km northeast of Jubail industrial city, in the Arabian Gulf.

The complete development of the two fields encompasses the engineering, procurement, fabrication and installation of a total of 12 wellhead platforms, 2 tie-in platforms and 1 injection platform, besides to a 36 inches 260-kilometres-long export trunkline and approximately 200 kilometres of mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) pipelines, 200 kilometres of subsea electric and control cables and 40 kilometres of offshore flowlines. The scope of work also includes the shore approaches and about 120 kilometres of onshore pipelines.

The fabrication activities will be mainly carried out in the yards of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, which is participated by Saipem in consortium with Saudi partners and, for what concerns the larger structures, in the Saipem's newbuilt Karimun yard in Indonesia.

The offshore activities will be performed mainly by the Castoro II and Castoro Otto vessels. Furthermore, Saipem has agreed with its clients various increases in the scope of its work on existing E&C Offshore contracts.

Petronas to launch new automotive fuel

Petronas Dagangan Berhad (PDB) expects to launch its new automotive fuel next month.

PDB retail business division senior general manager Izuddin Husaini Mohd Yusoff said he expects an encouraging response to the fuel, which will be available at all Petronas gas station outlets nationwide.

Izuddin Husaini said the fuel was developed through the company’s association with Formula One (F1).

The national oil company is the title sponsor for the yearly Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix (GP) race in Sepang.

“We want to transfer our F1 technology to road users as well,” Izuddin Husaini said at a media briefing yesterday.

Izuddin Husaini added that the fuel could be used for all types of vehicles but declined to reveal any details about the grading or cost.

At a presentation earlier, it was revealed that Petronas had conducted a blind test on 50 vehicles covering some 25,000km with the mystery fuel.

Federal govt succeeds to intervene in Kelantan oil royalty suit

The Federal Government has succeeded in its bid to be an intervener in the suit filed by the Kelantan state government against Petronas over oil royalty.

In the intervener application, the Federal Government said that all disputed aspects could be deliberated and decided effectively if it was added as the second defendant.

Besides that, the Federal Government said it would be fair for all questions and issues of law raised in the claim to be decided between the Malaysian government and Petronas.

The Kelantan government had on Aug 30 last year filed a breach of contract and constitutional suit against Petronas over the oil giant's failure to pay the state oil royalty.

Lynas defends rare earths refinery amid radioactive pollution 'threat'

Rare earths mining can pose radioactive danger via thorium, found in the raw materials.

A LYNAS rare-earths refinery in Malaysia faces strict regulating as opposition critics warn of the threat from radioactive pollution.

Malaysia said a $US230 million ($228.25m) refinery being built by Australian miner Lynas to process rare earth materials - critical for the manufacture of hi-tech goods - would be strictly regulated , but critics said yesterday that the risk of radioactive pollution was real.

The plant under construction in the state of Pahang is believed to be the first such facility outside China in decades - and aims to reduce Beijing's monopoly on the global supply of 17 rare earth metals essential for making products like flatscreen TVs, mobile phones, hybrid cars and even weaponry.

Critics worry about health and environmental risks posed by low-level radioactive waste from the site, and cite bitter lessons from a rare earth plant of Mitsubishi Chemicals that is still undergoing a massive clean-up after shutting down in 1992.

The Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board gave Lynas permission to construct the facility last year, but has not granted it an operation licence yet.

The agency’s director-general, Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, said: “The board is regulating it according to international standards and even beyond. We haven't begun licensing their (operations). They will have to demonstrate how they would treat the by-products and that would be assessed again.”

Lynas has defended the plant as environmentally safe and having ultra-modern pollution controls.

The Australian miner will refine slightly radioactive ore from its Mount Weld mine in Western Australia, which will be trucked to Fremantle and transported by container ship from there.

Lynas says the refinery is expected to be operational late this year and could meet nearly on third of world demand for rare earths, excluding China’s needs.

The US, Canada and Australia have rare earths but stopped mining them in the 1990s as lower-cost Chinese supplies became available. China has about 30 per cent of rare earths deposits but accounts for 97 per cent of production.

Beijing announced in 2009 that it would reduce rare-earth exports to curb environmental damage and conserve supplies.

Manufacturers were alarmed when China temporarily blocked shipments to Japan last year, during a dispute over islands claimed by both governments.

Concerns over China’s grip on rare earths have led countries on a hunt for alternative sources.

Decreasing supply and strong demand sparked a surge in rare earths prices, prompting companies in the US and Australia to start work on developing or reopening rare earths mines.

Malaysia's last rare earth refinery, at Bukit Merah in Perak state, opened in 1985 but shuttered seven years later following protests and claims that it caused birth defects and leukaemia among residents nearby. It remains one of Asia's largest radioactive waste cleanup sites.

Lynas told AP the Malaysian plant “will set a precedent for leadership in environmental performance with a new global benchmark in rare earths processing”.

It said the radioactive element, thorium, in its raw material from Mount Weld was 50 times lower than that in Bukit Merah. Lynas also said waste products with low levels of thorium could be converted into safe by-products such as cement aggregate for road construction.

“In practical terms, at these levels, exposure to radiation is less than taking a flight on a commercial airline or using a mobile phone,” it said.

The Australian miner said it has agreed to place funds with the Malaysian government to ensure safe management of any remaining residue once the plant stops operations, but didn't give details.

Lynas has inked an agreement to supply up to 70 per cent of its output to Japan and has said the rare earths will be shipped directly to that country, as well as the US and Europe.

Malaysian opposition politician Fuziah Salleh, who has lobbied against the Lynas plant since 2008, said yesterday there were fears that plant wastewater could seep into the waterbed, polluting the nearby river and sea and harming the fishing industry.

She also questioned how the project would benefit Malaysia since Lynas was granted a 12-year tax break and hiring would be limited since the plant is not labour-intensive.

“Malaysia will just become a dumping ground. We will not accept toxic waste being dumped on our shores,” she said.

Gurmit Singh, who heads the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, called for an independent assessment of the radiation risks at the site.

“The government has been secretive in releasing any data about the radiation level in Bukit Merah to the public. We want accountancy and transparency,” he said.

Petronas set to supply additional LNG cargo to Japan

Malaysian-owned oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) will supply immediate additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to Japan, to cater for the increase in LNG requirements.

According to a company statement, Petronas was liaising with its Japanese counterparts to supply the immediate additional LNG cargo from its LNG portfolio sources. It was also working with its buyer in the Far East on possible cargo swaps, advancements and diversions.

At the same time, Petronas was also contributing through involvement with ‘Mercy Malaysia’, a non-profit international emergency response and medical relief organisation that was already in Japan after the March 11, 2011 disaster.

Dedahkan segala maklumat loji Lynas, kata bekas pakar geologi

Oleh : Shannon Teoh

Kedua-dua kerajaan Australia dan Lynas Corporation digesa tampil menjawab banyak soalan yang masih belum dijawab berhubung loji pemprosesan nadir bumi yang sedang dibina di Gebeng dekat Kuantan, kata seorang bekas pakar geologi kanan kerajaan.

Bekas pegawai Jabatan Penyiasatan Kajibumi Malaysia (GSM) itu juga berkata, ketiadaan ketelusan bermakna sukar bagi pihak ketiga dengan kepakaran teknikal untuk menawarkan pandangan mengenai kemungkinan bahaya alam sekitar ekoran kerja-kerja pemprosesan itu.

“Ada banyak soalan tanpa jawapan,” kata Wong Yew Choong kepada The Malaysian Insider semalam.

Wong berkata beliau telah menjalankan siasatan mengenai radiasi kepada GSM, yang kini sebahagian daripada Jabatan Mineral dan Geosains lewat 1980-an bagi loji Asian Rare Earth (ARE) di Bukit Merah.

Loji itu kemudian ditutup pada 1992 ekoran protes awam.

Hampir dua dekad kemudian loji itu yang dikaitkan dengan lapan kes leukemia di kalangan penduduk tempatan masih berhadapan dengan kerja-kerja pembersihan yang menelan kos RM303 juta.

Lynas berharap untuk memulakan operasinya di Gebeng menjelang September ini, untuk bersaing dengan China yang menguasai 95 peratus pasaran nadir bumi.

Syarikat itu menjangkakan pulangan hampir RM8 bilion setahun bermula 2013.

Bagaimanapun di sebalik krisis nuklear di Jepun ekoran bencana berganda baru-baru ini, laporan New York Times mengenai operasi itu awal bulan ini menyebabkan kebimbangan dan mencetuskan polemik baru mengenai isu tersebut.

Sehubungan itu, Wong berkata, seolah-olah kelihatan sebagai “rahsia kerajaan tidak membolehkan rakyat mengetahui butiran projek yang sedang dibangunkan itu.”

“Rakyat seharusnya boleh memperoleh pandangan pihak ketiga, bukan daripada kerajaan ataupun Lynas, mengenai kesemua aspek,” kata beliau.

Lynas berulang kali menegaskan, logam nadir bumi yang akan diproses di Gebeng hanya mempunyai dua peratus elemen radioaktif, torium yang wujud dalam bahan mentah digunakan di Bukit Merah.

Bagaimanapun, Wong berkata menurut tulisan akhbar Amerika Syarikat itu loji tersebut akan memproses 10 kali ganda nadir bumi dan boleh menyebabkan jumlah sisa pembuangan radioaktif dalam jumlah yang banyak.

“Sementara saya ragu-ragu dengan respons bahawa bahan mentah hanya akan mempunyai 0.16 peratus kandungan torium, ia masih satu kadar yang besar jika mereka hendak memproses beratus tan bahan mentah,” katanya lagi.

Malah kata beliau, bahaya radiasi akan terus mengalami pertumbuhan daripada himpunan sisa buangan dan juga debu yang dilepaskan ketika pemprosesan.

Pakar alam sekitar dan penduduk di Kuantan menuntut butiran operasi loji itu daripada Lynas dan pihak berkuasa tempatan.

Petronas Urged Not to Suspend Vendor Development Programme

The Petronas Vendor Development Programme (VDP) Club today called on the national oil company not to suspend the programme which has been successful in upgrading the skills of local vendors.


Its president, Datuk Ramli Md Nor, said he was informed that a Performance Management and Delivery Unit lab had recently proposed a revamp of the VDP including the possibility of scaling it down and even terminating the programme.

"This programme has so far increased the skills and capabilities of small entrepreneurs in line with the government's initiative to create a business community in the industrial and trading sectors," he told reporters after the club's meeting here.

The VDP was established to produce and develop entrepreneurs involved in high-tech products and components. Presently, there are 30 vendors under the VDP with approximately 10,000 employees.

"We hope Petronas will not suspend the programme or reduce the number of vendors as this decision would possibly force the entrepreneurs to close their businesses," Ramli said.

He said Petronas should instead set short and long-term strategies to significantly improve the VDP further.

A concrete action plan was required to put the companies involved as suppliers, service providers and fabricators in good shape as the industry was very competitive, he said.

He said Petronas should attempt to rectify any hiccups in the programme to allow the vendors to contribute and move up the industry value chain as implemented by other government-linked companies like Tenaga Nasional.

China to built four LNG carriers for ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil Corp. and Mitsui OSK Lines have selected Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp., to build four LNG carriers in China.

Two vessels will be used to transport LNG from ExxonMobil’s PNG-LNG project in Papua New Guinea and the other two are earmarked for Gorgon-Jansz project off Western Australia.

The vessels will be jointly owned by Mitsui and China Shipping Co. Delivery is slated for 2015-16.

They each will have a carrying capacity of 172,000 cu m of LNG.

ExxonMobil’s PNG-LNG project has already chartered two other tankers (each with 177,000 cu m capacity). When production begins there in 2015, the four carriers will keep the new terminal at Port Moresby operating around the clock with ships loading every 3-4 days.

Dr M did not reveal all about radioactive waste issue

MAY 26, 2010 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had at last admitted, but not all, what the foreign experts (engaged by the residents) had been saying all along i.e., the danger posed by the radioactive waste from the Asian Rare Earth (ARE) company near Bukit Merah and the waste dumps near Papan was indeed genuine and serious.
What Dr Mahathir said a few weeks ago in the Star Online (May 15, 2010):

“In Malaysia, we do have nuclear waste which perhaps the public is not aware of.”

The answer is that the public is well aware and informed of this nuclear waste and the danger it posed. This was the reason why they took ARE to court.

On July 11, 1992, more than 3,000 residents from Menglembu, Bukit Merah, Papan and other affected areas were present at the Ipoh High Court where the judge, Peh Swee Chin, granted eight plaintiffs an injunction to restrain ARE from operating and storing toxic and radioactive waste. ARE was given 14 days to comply with the order.

Subsequently ARE appealed to the Supreme Court. Barely a month later, on Aug 5, 1992, the Supreme Court allowed the application by ARE to suspend the Ipoh Court’s order to cease operations pending an appeal by the company.

The parent company in Japan, Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation, immediately wrote a letter to the residents expressing regret over the application by ARE.

The letter reads, “... since the court ordered the plant to be closed down, we believe that the plant should not continue its operation without the harmonisation with the local people, whether this ruling is right or wrong.”

“Consequently, we believe that ARE should not apply for stay of execution of the injunction to stop operation, etc.”

On De 23, 1993, ARE finally won its appeal in the Supreme Court. Lord President Tun Abdul Hamid Omar order that the Ipoh High Court decision on July 11, 1992 be set aside with costs.

Then on Jan 19, 1994, to everyone’s surprise, ARE announced that it was closing its plant in Bukit Merah. According to them, the closing of its plant was inevitable because of the unavailability of raw material.

Dr Mahathir: “We have to bury the Amang, a by-product from tin mining.”

The truth is, Amang (a tin trailing which is found in abundance in Kinta Valley) is not buried but is used as a raw material from which Monazite (high value mineral) is extracted. Monazite is a rare earth Othophosphate, containing significant amounts (up to 10 per cent) of the radioactive element Thorium Hydroxide, which is the end product. Thus, radioactive waste Thorium Hydroxide is buried, not Amang.

Dr Mahathir: “It is not radioactive but it is not good to handle. We had to bury it in Perak, deep in the ground.”

Thorium Hydroxide waste derived from Amang is radioactive! The radioactivity present in the waste is from the naturally occurring Thorium and Uranium series which will take millions of years to decay.

Dr Mahathir: “But the place is still not safe, and we have almost one square mile that is dangerous.”

The public already knew that! Twenty seven years ago, Dr Sadao Ichikawa, a professor from Saitama University in Japan found highly dangerous levels of radiation. The surface of the drums at the dumpsite produced a reading of 9,000 urad/hr, and on the nearby farm the reading was 140 urad/hr.

The mandatory level agreed between the Perak State government and ARE was only 200 milli-urad/hr.

(He) did not know exactly where in Perak the Amang was buried.

“Maybe it is a national secret but I know for a fact that we buried this activated material,” he said.

In sum, after a gruelling decade-old battle against the Barisan Nasional government led by Dr Mahathir himself, the people of Perak should be told of the whereabouts of these alleged illegal dumps.

The act of keeping these radioactive waste dumps a secret is downright immoral. — Aliran

* Choo Sing Chye is a former Perak state assembly member.