Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, July 27 -- Possible damage to the Central Area Transmission System (CATS) gas pipeline has forced BP PLC and other operators to restrict oil and gas production in the UK North Sea.
During bad weather on July 1, a ship anchor dragged across the pipeline, BP said. It has shut in 50,000 boe/d of production as a result.
Production from other operators of nearby oil and gas fields also has been affected, said Andy Inglis, BP's head of exploration and production.
BP PLC has yet to determine if the pipeline needs repair, Inglis said.
Divers are examining the pipeline, Inglis said. "We should have a report on it within the next week."
The 36-in., 408-km CATS line links a riser platform adjacent to the North Everest development in the Central North Sea with the gas processing terminal at Teesside, UK.
The pipeline has a nominal capacity of 1.7 bcfd.
At the time of the incident, the pipeline had been operating at reduced throughput due to planned offshore maintenance shutdowns for CATS user fields.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].
