In colonial times, when Indonesia was part of the
Dutch East Indies, Cepu was known for its
teak (timber) and
oil. The oil refineries, operated by
Bataafse Petroleum Maatschappij, could produce about 11,000
bpd. They were blown up by the Dutch immediately after the Japanese landings on the island of
Java in 1942. The invaders, one of whose objectives was the oilfields, committed atrocities. The teak is still highly regarded. By 2001, the oil reserves were thought to have been exhausted; but new ones have been discovered by
ExxonMobil, which may yield 235,000 bpd. ==Weather, climate and ecology==