Petronas maintenance works over, gas flows again 2011/06/11 KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) yesterday said it has completed the maintenance works of its gas production facilities and has begun resupplying to its customers. Responding to a media report that Tenaga Nasional Bhd is purchasing power from Singapore due to a shutdown of Petronas' gas production platforms, the national oil company said the shutdown was a planned one and its customers were aware of it. "The maintenance works were successfully completed as per their schedules and the supply situation to the customers has since improved," it said. Petronas explained that the maintenance works on an offshore production facility was carried out from April 19 to April 26, while at an onshore crude processing facility from May 26 to June 4 this year. The exercises, it added, were to ensure the integrity of the systems and processes at the facilities and required their total shutdown. This has resulted in a reduction of supply of natural gas to its customers after it curtailed supply including to the power sector. Prior to the shutdown, discussions were held with customers, Petronas said, adding that they were notified in advance of the shutdowns to allow for mitigation measures. A Reuters report said that Singapore is keen to let its power generating firms continue selling electricity to Malaysia beyond a June 15 deadline. The maintenance shutdown of Petronas facility has resulted in TNB importing electricity from PowerSeraya Ltd until June 15. TNB chief executive Datuk Che Khalib Mohammad Noh has been quoted by a local daily as saying that the purchase was only for 180 megawatts, representing 1.5 per cent of its total demand.

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