Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, Aug. 30 -- The Central Area Transmission System (CATS) pipeline in the UK North Sea is expected to start controlled operations this week after divers repaired it by installing a metal sleeve to strengthen and protect the affected area, operator BP PLC said Aug. 30.
BP has reintroduced gas to the CATS pipeline to repressurize the system and plans for normal throughput levels to resume by mid-September.
"The repair work was completed ahead of schedule from a diving support vessel which was again secured at short notice following wide scale industry cooperation," BP added.
The pipeline was damaged in June after a large vessel dragged an anchor across it and damaged the protective concrete coating. BP shut in 50,000 boe/d of production because of the incident, and production from other operators of nearby oil and gas fields was affected. BG Group, for one, lost 80,000 boe/d from the pipeline, which carries up to one fifth of the UK's gas supply (OGJ Online, Aug. 3, 2007).
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.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].