A SMOOTH asphalt road divides paddy fields in Braboan village, Ngasem district, Bojonegoro, East Java. It is the main access to the Cepu Block oil well in Banyu Urip. Teak trees grow lavishly on both sides. No bulldozers are apparent yet. No backhoes are moving there. Only a number of villagers are seen herding cattle.

It’s in the Cepu Block that central processing facilities should have been built. In reality, so far the development of the oi