Santos platform back in action

Production has resumed from Santos’ John Brookes offshore platform in the Carnarvon Basin after a gas leak took the operation offline for more than two months.

Santos issued a brief statement to the market this morning advising production would ramp up to full rates in the coming days.

The John Brookes platform was shut down in late November following after a small gas leak was identified in a subsea flange that connected John Brookes to the Varanus Island gas processing facilities during routine activities on the facility.

Santos managing director and chief executive Kevin Gallagher said he appreciated the work of the company’s employees and contractors in returning John Brookes to production.

The two months out of action slowed production at Varanus Island and reduced overall output for the December quarter by 20 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Santos indicated in its most recent quarterly that the repair works could also lead to delays at the Spartan development.

The company did not disclose how the gas leak occurred.

Santos shares were off slightly to trade at $7.02 at 11:08 am AEDT.