UPDATE: Valhall Oil Field To Remain Offline For Weeks - BP
21 May 2009 - 1:24AM
Dow Jones News
BP PLC (BP) Wednesday said its Valhall oil field in Norway will
remain closed for weeks.
The field, which was closed down April 2 for checks and
maintenance related to pipeline corrosion, produces about 50,000
barrels of oil a day, figures from the Norwegian Petroleum
Directorate show.
Company spokesman Jan Erik Geirmo said the unplanned outage was
caused by microbial corrosion of hundreds of meters of
pipelines.
He couldn't be specific about when the field would restart,
saying: "It's a question of weeks."
In briefing notes BP said microbial-induced corrosion had
affected water pipes on Valhall.
The company is carrying out a series of inspections and will
carry out repairs to get the field back to secure production. The
bacteria will be removed with biocides.
Valhall is in the southern part of the North Sea and is routed
via a pipeline to Ekofisk field from where it is piped to Teesside
in northeast England.
BP, which operates Valhall, has a 28.09% stake in the field, as
do Enterprise Oil Norge and Hess Norge. Total SA (TOT) has a 15.72%
stake.
Company Web site: www.bp.com
-By Elizabeth Adams, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 207 842 9386;
elizabeth.adams@dowjones.com