Indonesia says may seek compensation over Timor Sea oil leak

JAKARTA, Nov 6 - Indonesia may seek compensation from a company operating a Timor Sea oil rig that leaked into Australian and Indonesian waters and then caught fire, a foreign ministry official said on Friday.

The West Atlas rig operated by PTTEP Australasia, a unit of top Thai energy firm PTT Exploration and Production, began leaking on August 21 and caught fire on Sunday. The fire has since been put out, and the leak plugged.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told reporters that Indonesia's transport ministry would write a report on the damage caused by the leaking oil.

"If there is sufficient evidence of damage, the company must be responsible and pay compensation," he said.

"We already received some complaints from the local government and the fishermen from that area, complaining of the pollution and the damage made by the oil spill."

Faizasyah said the transport ministry would deliver its report next week and that it would also be sent to the Australian government.

Between 300 and 400 barrels a day were estimated to have been leaking from the oil well, the Department of Resources and Energy and Tourism had said on its website.