A unit of top Thai energy company PTTEP said today that it had stopped an oil leak and doused the main fire on the Montara and West Atlas oil rig in the Timor Sea.
PTTEP Australasia, a unit of PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) PTTE.BK, said in a statement that it had "killed the leaking well and stopped the main fire at the Montara well head platform and surrounding the West Atlas drilling rig".
The oil rig, which had been leaking for two weeks, caught fire on Sunday during operations to stop the leak.
PTTEP said that 3,400 barrels of heavy mud had been pumped down a relief well, which successfully plugged the leak, and that the next stage would be to secure the well head platform.
A picture of the capped rig issued by PTTEP showed light black smoke rising from a charred and badly damaged structure, reported Reuters.
PTTEP plans to produce about 35,000bpd from the Montara field, which is expected to boost its 2009 petroleum sales to 240,000bpd.
