Oil prodn from Panna-Mukta stopped due to leakage

UK’s BG Group, Reliance Industries and Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) have stopped crude oil production from the Panna-Mukta and Tapti oil and gas fields following a leakage in an under-sea facility.

Panna-Mukta field was producing 40,000 barrels of crude oil per day before July 25 when the leakage in the SBM (oil evacuation system) was detected and production was stopped, an industry source said.

“The field is producing almost zero crude oil. Gas production has also been impacted, with output falling from around 14 million standard cubic metres per day to 9.24 mmscmd,” he said. The joint venture has not been able to carry out the repairs so far due to rough weather in the Arabian sea.

“The divers have not been able to locate the leak so far and it may take between week to 10 days to repair the facility,” he said. State-run gas utility Gail India, which markets the gas produced from the fields, declared Force Majeure and effected a pro-rata cut on all its customers.

Natural gas output has fallen from over 17 mmscmd to 14 mmscmd and after the leakage it has come down to just over 9 mmscmd.