THE heated atmosphere surrounding the Lapindo hot mudflows is once again being stoked. Lapindo Brantas Inc, a business unit of the Bakrie Group and also drilling operator at the Brantas Block oil and gas field Sidoarjo, East Java, has denied that there was any warning from Medco E&P Brantas on installing pipe casing prior to the hot mudflow disaster taking place.

This statement was included in the explanation response document by Lapindo that wa