By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 8 -- Woodside Energy Ltd. is investigating the cause of an oil leak discovered Jan. 18 from a flowline serving the company's 2,000 b/d Laminaria 2 well in Laminaria field in the Timor Sea. About 300 bbl of light crude leaked from the flowline before all wells connected in the production system were shut in.
The Laminaria 8 well, which was shut in as a precaution, had been producing about 6,000 b/d but will be brought back on line by the end of February if it is safe to do so.
The incident is unrelated to a small leak (about 7 cu m) in October 2004 from the Laminaria 5 well, which remains shut in. Woodside expects to complete the Laminaria 5 well repairs in the second quarter. It produces about 3,000 b/d.
Production from adjacent Corallina field, averaging 18,000 b/d, is unaffected. The fields are 350 km off northern Australia and 150 km south of Timor-Leste in water 350-400 m deep.
Woodside is operator of Laminaria field and holds a 44.9% interest. Other interests are Paladin Oil & Gas (Australia) Pty. Ltd. 32.6% and Shell Development (Australia) Pty. Ltd. 22.5%.