Malaysia'S Petronas Secures Extra Gas Supply After Hit From Putra Heights Pipeline Fire

Malaysian oil and gas giant Petroliam Nasional said on Wednesday it has secured additional gas supplies to minimize supply disruptions caused by the huge fire at the Putra Heights pipeline earlier this month.

PETRONAS Energy & Gas Trading (PEGT) has procured an extra 155 MMft3d of gas, boosting the total supply volume to 400 MMft3d via the Trans Thailand-Malaysia (TTM) gas pipeline system, the company said.

This increased supply -- directed towards the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia, including Bestari Jaya, Meru and Kapar -- has helped stabilize supply, Petronas said.

It said that it has also added an extra 86-MMft3d supply to the Serdang City Gate for the Interconnected Klang Valley distribution network, a joint effort with Gas Malaysia Berhad to expand gas distribution network supply capacity.

The fire earlier this month at the Petronas-operated pipeline affected at least 305 people, including those left homeless after some 190 homes were damaged, authorities said.

It also led to interrupted gas supply in several areas, impacting four power plants initially, of which the Kapar and Serdang plants are now operating normally following the additional supply, Petronas said.

It said it currently expects the restoration of the Putra Heights pipeline by July 1 at the earliest.