BP said that it has suspended production from Iran’s Rhum gas field in the central North Sea whilst it awaits clarification from the UK Government on new EU regulations related to restrictive measures against the Islamic Republic.
The company said that it took action in order to comply with the notification requirements in the regulations.
The gas field which is capable of producing 5.9 million cubic metres of gas per day is a 50/50 operation between BP and the Iranian Oil Company under a Joint Operating Agreement dating back to the early 1970s.
Trevor Garlick, regional president BP North Sea, said: “Our primary interest is in ensuring we are fully compliant with these regulations. We have established that our actions in terms of the ongoing monitoring of safety and integrity of the field are compliant. However, the conditions required for continued production remain subject to further clarification. Once we obtain such clarification from the Government, we will review the situation and will take whatever action is appropriate in light of that clarification.”
Rhum started production in 2005 and is a subsea gas field which is tied back to the Bruce Field in the central North Sea.