#3 From the article:
The British experts analysed satellite images of the area to make their study. They say that seepage of mud and water are usually a preventable hazard when exploring for oil and gas. "It is standard industry procedure that this kind of drilling requires the use of steel casing to support the borehole, to protect against the pressure of fluids such as water, oil or gas," Davies said in a press release.
"In the case of Lusi, a pressured limestone rock containing water -- a water aquifer -- was drilled while the lower part of the borehole was exposed and not protected by casing. As a result, rocks fractured and a mix of mud and water worked its way to the surface. Our research brings us to the conclusion that the incident was most probably the result of drilling."
Davies said the case in Indonesia was similar to a blowout that happened offshore of Brunei in 1979. "Just as is most probably the case with Lusi, the Brunei event was caused by drilling and it took an international oil company almost 30 years and 20 relief wells and monitoring before the eruption stopped," he added. |