Jadestone Energy plc, Singapore, has again shut in oil production at Montara field in the Timor Sea offshore northern Australia following an incident on the Montara Venture floating production, storage, and offtake vessel (FPSO).
A gas alarm was triggered within ballast water tank 4S on July 29, indicating possible communication with one of the adjacent tanks within the FPSO, the company said in a release.
Key stakeholders, including the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA), were notified. The tank will be emptied and cleaned over the next week to permit inspection to identify the source of the communication between tanks and allow for appropriate repairs.
Paul Blakeley, president and chief executive officer, said the shut-in was disappointing and frustrating, but that the company would find and repair any additional defect while continuing with the overall planned program of inspection of the storage tanks.
Production had resumed in March following a 7-month shut-in due to oil leaks and related problems on the FPSO (OGJ Online, Mar. 24, 2023).
