Yara International ASA’s giant Pilbara ammonia plant (840,000 mt/y) on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia is offline due to a natural gas leak in a pipeline from an offshore platform, according to a Nov. 30 report in The Age.
The Pilbara plant manager was quoted as saying that it was unclear when gas supplies would resume. However, Santos, the gas supplier to the plant, said on Nov. 29 that it expects it to take four to six weeks to repair its damaged pipeline and get back to full production.
Yara was quoted as saying it had sufficient reserves of ammonia and technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) to supply customers. The plant’s ammonia traditionally is exported and used at an adjacent TAN plant jointly owned with Orica. Yara had not responded to inquiries at press time.
Santos said a small gas leak was identified on Nov. 27 in a subsea flange on the main gas trunkline from the John Brookes platform, offshore Western Australia to the Varanus Island gas processing facilities. The platform and pipeline were immediately shut down and depressurized, and all personnel demobilized.
Santos said it is working with customers and other parties to manage gas supply arrangements while the leak is repaired. Varanus Island will continue producing at reduced rates.