By an OGJ correspondent
BANGKOK, Apr. 7 -- Myanmar's Yetagun offshore gas field is expected to resume production by Apr. 11 following repair of two ruptures in a gas pipeline to western Thailand, Thai Energy Minister Poonpirom Liptapanlop told reporters.
Production from the field was shut down Apr. 1 after the ruptures were discovered on a section of the onshore portion of the Yetagun pipeline near the Myanmar-Thai border in the Thai province of Kanchanaburi. The cause of the ruptures remains under investigation.
The ruptures caused a loss of 460 MMcfd of gas to Thailand, prompting it to secure nearly 63,000 b/d of fuel oil from Malaysia to meet power generation fuel requirements.
The ruptures prompted parties concerned to postpone the routine maintenance shutdown of the Myanmar-Thai gas pipeline scheduled for Apr. 11-20.
Yetagun and a larger gas field, Yadana, in Myanmar's Gulf of Martaban, deliver 1.16 bcfd of gas to Thailand, representing 20% of the country's gas consumption. Yetagun began production in April 2000, delivering gas to Thailand through a 277 km pipeline.
Malaysia's Petronas, which operates the Yetagun, said efforts were being made to expedite repairs to the damaged pipe.
Yetagun partners are Petronas 40.9%, Thailand's PTT Exploration & Production PLC 19.3%, Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise 20.45%, and Nippon Oil Exploration 19.31%.
