BANYU Urip, Cepu, Central Java is like a ghost town. Its oilrig has been dismantled since mid-last year. Dozens of Mobil Cepu Ltd.

MCL) staff, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, have left the three appraisal wells gauging oil reserves and one drilled discovery well.

The door to the ExxonMobil Development Department, especially established to manage the field, is never opened any more. In its 18 months of operation, MCL spent US$11 million (approxi