Update 1: BP to stop gas supplies to Tanjung Priok and Muara Karang for two weeks

(Adds the volume of gas supplies to PLN, PGN and BP statement in the last paragraphs)

BP West Java, the subsidiary of British energy giant BP Plc, will suspend gas supplies from its gas field offshore Java to the Tanjung Priok and Muara Karang combined cycle power plants in North Jakarta for two weeks as it is planning to do some maintenance works.

Both power plants are owned by state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN)

"The maintenance works will be performed from July 11 through July 25. The firm plans to install a low pressure flare tape at its offshore platform in order to increase output and improve security.

As a result, gas supplies from Offshore North West Java (ONWJ) will be stopped. The power plants will use marine fuel oil (MFO) as fuel," Sucahyo Wahyu Pratomo, the head of operational division at oil and gas upstream regulatory body BPMIGAS, told Petromindo.Com on Friday.

Separately, PLN's president director Fahmi Mochtar confirmed that BP would temporarily suspended gas supplies for Tanjung Priok and Muara Karang power plants.

"As a result, we shall use MFO as fuel for the power plants. Using the fuel, the power plants will not be able to generate maximum output. Thus, power supplies from the power plants to Jakarta will decrease. The city won't however experience blackout if the public is willing to reduce consumption," Fahmi told Petromindo on Friday when contacted by phone.

According to Sucahyo, the Tanjung Priok and Muara Karang power plants consume 70-80 and 54 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas respectively. All supplies come from BP West Java.

The firm also supplies 65 MMCFD to state owned gas distributor PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN), Yus Susanto, BPMIGAS?s production section head, said in a press conference on Friday.

?But, there is no impact on PGN?s operation as the firm can take gas from the South Sumatra-West Java pipeline,? he said.

During the press conference, Ida Yusmiati of BP West Java said the firm was going to conduct ?routine maintenance?.

?We informed BPMIGAS about the plan last year,? Ida said. (Godang).