Summary
Gas Supplies from Moomba Gas Plant
Gas Supplies from Moomba Gas Plant
Santos Ltd has this morning advised its customers (NGASA and AGL) who buy gas ex-Moomba that natural gas supplies from the Moomba Plant will be restricted by approximately 15% until around 1.00 pm Thursday 19 August.
This follows the discovery of a small gas leak from a crack in a piping weld toward the outlet of the plant (close to the delivery point into the pipelines). Repairs are being undertaken immediately causing the reduction in supply.
During the period of repairs (approximately 8 hours) the plant will continue to operate and gas will be delivered through existing by-pass piping but this will cause some restriction in flow.
It is believed that the crack developed when the plant shut down after a power outage on Tuesday evening. At that time the Shut Down systems in the plant operated as designed. The system automatically closes a number of valves including one near the cracked weld.
Investigation into the cause of the power outage continues.
Industrial users of gas in South Australia , New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have been adversely affected by the supply disruption, exacerbated by the low levels of gas in the pipelines at the time of interruption. Santos Ltd regrets any inconvenience to those users for the disruptions.
The plant is expected to be back in full operation by approximately 1.00 pm today.
The plant had been restored to full operating capability subsequent to Tuesdays power outage. Consequent on Tuesdays power outage the Moomba plant supplied no gas for a period of 8 hours with supply being reinstated over the following 24 hours during which supply averaged about 50%.