VZCZCXRO1049
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0041/01 2711236
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 281236Z SEP 07
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0058
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0007
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0006
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0060

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000041 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS AND ES/ESC/IEC 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/EAP 
DOE FOR CUTLER/PI-32 AND NAKANO/PI-42 
COMMERCE FOR USDOC 4430 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV EPET ELAB ENRG PGOV ASEC ID
SUBJECT: EAST JAVA: MUDFLOW UPDATE -- USGS EXPERT VISIT TO MUDFLOW 
SITE 
 
REF: SURABAYA 37 AND PREVIOUS 
 
SURABAYA 00000041  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT 
ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  On September 20-22, USGS Geologist Thomas 
Casadevall and Surabaya Pol/Econ Officer toured the site of the 
Sidoarjo mud flow and met with Indonesian geologists familiar 
with the disaster.  The site tour and subsequent meeting showed 
fundamental differences in focus between geologists associated 
with Lapindo Corportion and Dr. Surono, an influential 
government geologist, regarding the cause of the disaster. 
However, experts were unanimous regarding the current situation: 
the mud flow will likely be unstoppable for many years to come 
and resources will be best spent to permanently relocate 
affected residents.  This USGS visit highlighted conflicting 
interests and political sensitivities plaguing disaster 
mitigation efforts on site. END SUMMARY. 
 
An Overburdened River 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During his three-day visit to Sidoarjo and the 
surrounding area to view the impact of the mud flow on the 
region, USGS geologist Tom Casadevall toured the site of the 
mudflow, speaking with engineers employed by BPLS (the Sidoarajo 
Mudflow Disaster Management Board) about their efforts to 
mitigate the mudflow's impact.  As noted reftels, the Porong 
River plays a key role in all current mitigation plans. Experts 
and residents have expressed concern about the river's ability 
to accommodate increased runoff during the rainy season in light 
of the ever-growing volume of mud entering the river.  BPLS 
plans to install additional dredging equipment to push the mud 
sediment farther downstream. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Casadevall and Pol/Econ Officer followed the course of 
the mud discharge along the Porong River for several miles 
towards the sea.  Illustrating the mud's density, approximately 
two miles downstream, the tracks of a skiff used for 
transporting people and cargo across the river were clearly 
visible on the mud's surface.  While the water's depth above the 
mud allowed for the skiff to cross, the river's flow had so far 
had no impact on the course of the tracks' straight line across 
the river.  While the current dry conditions are responsible for 
the river's weak flow rate, the mud's tendency to harden in 
water and the anticipated water volumes during the rainy season 
raise serious concerns about extensive flooding.  The Porong 
river's role in flood control for Surabaya means any flooding 
would likely effect not only the surrounding river but also 
Indonesia's second largest city. 
 
Political Faultlines, Priorities Mirrored At Site 
--------------------------------------------- -------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) While BPLS is charged with managing the area 
surrounding the bubbling lagoon that is the source of the mud, 
the source itself and its dyke is the domain of PT Energy Mega 
Persada EMP (Lapindo's holding company).  EMP/Lapindo's mud 
control operations go on around the clock.  Questions of 
financing abound and little money appears to be going toward mud 
management and control.  BPLS Director of Operations Soffian 
Hadi told Pol/Econ Officer that he has still not been paid since 
taking his position four months ago.  Dr. Surono, Head of the 
Center Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation in Bandung 
and the President's point man on recent earthquake and volcano 
disasters, reported that his Center had experienced a drastic 
budget cut this year. 
 
Cause and Impact 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) On 21 September, Casadevall and Pol/Econ Officer met 
with Dr Surono and experts employed by Lapindo at the BPLS 
offices in Surabaya.  Dr. Surono, Agus Guntoro, from the Geology 
Faculty and Trisakti University, and Bamban Istadi, VP for 
Technical Services, PT Energy Mesa Persada (a Lapindo holding 
company), had flown from Jakarta especially to brief Casadevall. 
 Despite repeated assurances from Surono and Cadadevall that 
their interest was in efforts to mitigate the effects of the 
mud, Istadi and Guntoro made lengthy power-point presentations 
explaining why the seismic system was ultimately responsible for 
the mud flow.  Indeed Guntoro demanded that Casadevall declare 
 
SURABAYA 00000041  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
his opinion regarding the causes of the disaster.  Casadevall 
demurred and reiterated that the purpose of his trip was to 
focus on mitigation of the disaster not the causes. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Information about the chemical content of the mud was 
conspicuously absent and clearly sensitive.  Casadevall asked if 
mineralogy testing had been done several times only to be put 
off by vague answers.  Istadi and Guntoro finally admitted that 
tests had been done, but that Lapindo was  keeping the results 
confidential..  Istadi allowed Casadevall a brief look at his 
 
SIPDIS 
laptop computer which showed an Indonesian language list of the 
elements found in the mud. Seeing pyrite on the list, Casadevall 
voiced his concern that pyrite would produce damaging acidic 
runoff similar to that seen in coal mining operations.  Acidic 
runoff would endanger the network of fishponds and rice fields 
downstream, compounding the environmental and economic impact of 
the mud.  Casadevall took a mud sample provided by BPLS to the 
U.S. for further analysis. 
 
Lapindo's Resettlement Plan 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Istadi offered Casadevall a glimpse of Lapindo's plan 
to resettle victims of the mud flow, but cautioned that 
premature release of the plans could have an impact on real 
estate prices in the Sidoardjo area.  The plan involves 
Lapindo's purchase of land parcels straddling the toll road 
roughly halfway between Porong and Surabaya.  Architectural 
drawings of  "Satellite City -- New Sidoardjo" showed what 
Istadi said was "mixed use" housing, to include a golf course, 
high-rise buildings, and retail space in addition to three 
different home models.  Those displaced by the mudflow would be 
offered the cheapest model home, he said, while the other homes 
would be offered for sale to the general public.  Istadi 
suggested that Lapindo had no intention of losing money on the 
real estate transaction, commenting "we can't just give all of 
this money to these people."   Istadi added that the full plan 
was to have been rolled out during the President's June visit to 
Sidoarjo, but had been delayed because the plan was not yet 
"mature." 
 
Requests made of USGS 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Tasked by President Yudhoyono to assess mitigation 
plans, Dr. Surono said he had reviewed the numerous proposals 
for relief wells and other options for shutting down the 
mudflow.  He expressed concern to Casadevall that the costs 
associated with trying to stop the mudflow are prohibitively 
expensive with no guarantee of success or promise of prevention. 
 Casadevall suggested that a LIDAR study of the area would 
provide a precise topography of the area surrounding the site 
and the necessary foundation upon which to build any mitigation 
plan.  A LIDAR study would allow experts to project the likely 
path of future flows from the current mud source, if it is 
allowed to flow naturally. 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Guntoro and Istadi made the following specific 
requests for USGS assistance: 
 
-- An expert on hydraulic properties of the mud. 
-- An expert to help BPLS collect and coordinate all previous 
reports on the mud. 
-- A drilling expert (This was a request from Istadi, EPM) 
-- An expert on mud volcanoes, particularly fossil mud volcano 
systems (a request from Agus Guntoro, Trisakti) 
 
They said that experts from Russia, Italy and other nations had 
offered assistance, but thus far only in the form of shared 
research on mud volcanoes. 
MCCLELLAND