Montara leak: plaguing Thai operator PTTEP.
'Montara woes won't hit sales flows'
Thailand’s PTTEP said the problems facing its Montara oil project would not have material impact on its sales volume.
PTTEP’s chief executive Anon Sirisaengtaksin told Bangkok Post 2009 annual sales will be affected only marginally.
"Production at some petroleum wells continues. Since not all petroleum blocks are suspended, the sales volume should see a small impact,” he said.
PTTEP has failed on several attempts to plug a leak that is holding up work progress at the Montara project.
The leak resulted from a blow-out at a Montara subsea well that occurred more than seven weeks ago.
Attempts to plug the leak by intercepting the damaged well were not successful so far.
Despite the delays, PTTEP said it expects the leak to be fixed within 50 days, according to Bangkok Post.
Operations at Montara would be pushed to the first quarter of 2010 from the fourth quarter of this year, according to the news report.
The clean up costs and other damages caused by the leak ‘should be under control’, Anon said.