Unocal?s Attaka field stops liquid, gas production after platform catches fire

U.S. independent oil, gas firm Unocal Corp. said on Tuesday it had halted gas and liquids production from its Attaka field offshore East Kalimantan after a compressor in one of the company?s offshore platform caught fire Saturday afternoon.

Unocal Indonesia spokesperson Suta Vijaya, when contacted by Petromindo.Com, said seven workers were injured in the accident. ?Fire had been under control, but production from Attaka field is stopped,? he said.

Another Unocal official Ario Dewanto was quoted by Kompas daily said the fire broke during routine maintenance inspection on the platform.

BP Migas spokesperson Amir Hamzah said Attaka was normally producing 13,000 barrels per day (BPD) of liquids and 105 million standard cubic feet (MMCFD) per day of natural gas.

Amir said repairworks are underway and the field is expected to get back into production within days.

Attaka field gas production is piped to Badak natural gas liquefaction (NGL) plants in Bontang. Unocal has 50 percent interest in Attaka with Japan?s INPEX owning the remaining 50 percent.

Industry sources contacted by Petromindo.Com said that said that the accident could worsen gas supply shortage to Bontang LNG as other East Kalimantan gas producers are also facing problems to increase their natural gas output. ?If the stoppage continues for quite sometime, it would be hard for other producers to make up for Attaka?s production loss.?

The sources said that Bontang LNG could be forced to buy overseas LNG supplier to meet its commitments to buyers.

BP Migas, however, dismissed the sources? concern, saying that other East Kalimantan gas producers such as Total SA and Vico could increase their natural gas supply to Bontang. ?We don?t see any gas supply shortage to Bontang. BP Migas has assigned Total to increase gas supply from Peciko gas field,? said BP Migas vice-chairman Kardaya Warnika. (godang)