Oil producers in Gulf of Thailand to resume operations

BANGKOK, November 8 (TNA) -Two major oil producers in the Gulf of Thailand plan to resume operations, after part of weather in the Gulf has become cleared. Puangthip Silpasart, Director General of the Ministry of Energy’s Mineral Fuels Department, told journalists of the update on Saturday (Nov 8), saying that the two major oil producers, PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) and Chevron (Thailand) Ltd., earlier temporarily suspended operations in the Gulf of Thailand following a warning by the Meteorological Department of heavy rain in southern Thailand for three days, from November 8-10. The two companies' workers were asked to return ashore on Friday for safety reasons and, according to the senior official, Chevron’s Erawan Field cut its natural gas production by 320 million cubic feet. However, Bongkot South gas field operated by PTTEP in the Gulf of Thailand saw its production rose 80 million cubic feet. The senior official assessed although the Erawan Field reduced its production during the short period, it should not affect the country’s energy situation, as natural gas explorers have been told to closely monitor the weather situation by holding the safety of workers and the national energy security as priority. PTTEP announced that its workers are preparing to return to platforms soon to resume operations, while Chevron (Thailand) Ltd. announced that two of its ships are preparing to return to Erawan Field. Chevron (Thailand) also announced that its workers would fly by helicopter to the platform and resume work on early Sunday (Nov 9) morning. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha told the public during his weekly address on Friday night to help conserve energy in order to sustain national energy security in the long run. (TNA)