Malaysia's 20,000 b/d East Belumut crude field has been shut in after damage to a pipeline that created an isolated offshore oil spill.
The field's operator, US independent Newfield Exploration, said a pipeline connecting the East Belumut and the Tinggi production platforms was damaged by an unidentified vessel unconnected to its operations.
Production from the field was shut in on 10 July and the oil leak isolated. Repairs to the pipeline will take six to eight weeks to complete and for East Belumut to return to production. Newfield estimates its deferred output during the third quarter will be 500,000-600,000 bl as a result of the incident.
Newfield has a 60pc stake in the PM323 block that contains East Belumut in partnership with Malaysian state-owned oil firm Petronas. The field is in depths of 70m about 260km offshore peninsular Malaysia's Terengganu state.
The field's operator, US independent Newfield Exploration, said a pipeline connecting the East Belumut and the Tinggi production platforms was damaged by an unidentified vessel unconnected to its operations.
Production from the field was shut in on 10 July and the oil leak isolated. Repairs to the pipeline will take six to eight weeks to complete and for East Belumut to return to production. Newfield estimates its deferred output during the third quarter will be 500,000-600,000 bl as a result of the incident.
Newfield has a 60pc stake in the PM323 block that contains East Belumut in partnership with Malaysian state-owned oil firm Petronas. The field is in depths of 70m about 260km offshore peninsular Malaysia's Terengganu state.
