West Triton tow line snaps
By Upstream staff
Sunday, 06 September, 2009
Fresh delay: a broken tow line means the West Triton will not arrive at the Montara site before 10 September
The jack-up rig West Triton will not arrive at the Montara blowout site before 10 Septmber, after a tow line connecting the rig to one of two tugs snapped, Thai outfit PTT Exploration & Production (PTTEP) said.
Oil, gas and condensate has been leaking into the Timor Sea since the blowout on 21 August at the PTTEP-operated Montara wellhead platform, about 250 kilometres off the north-west coast of Western Australia.
The Thai operator released a statement today saying the jack-up broke a tow line yesterday afternoon, west of Sumba Island in Indonesia.
"PTTEP has been informed the West Triton, which is being towed by two vessels from Batam Island near Singapore to the Montara oilfield, broke a tow line yesterday afternoon," it said.
"One tug vessel had a generator failure during an attempt to reconnect the line overnight. The rig was west of Sumba Island, Indonesia when the incident occurred.
"The vessel can still tow the West Triton but it has reduced bow thruster capability," the company said.
A relief vessel that has been sent from Darwin to assist is expected to reach the West Triton on Tuesday.
"PTTEP expects with favourable conditions and currents the rig will be towed to the east of Sumba Island into the Timor Sea and it is now expected to reach the Montara wellhead platform by Thursday morning [10 September]," the company said.
The West Triton is under tow to the Montara site, where it will drill a relief well, aimed at plugging the leak.
It is expected it could take up to six weeks to plug the leak from the wellhead platform.
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