Four stories in the news today about a variety of oil and gas problems around the world. Embedded chip problems were predicted as a possible y2k consequence prior to CDC.

Story 1

Colombia's Transandino pipeline crippled: sabotage alledged

By KERM YERMAN State-run oil company Ecopetrol shut down Colombia's fourth largest crude export pipeline Monday after unidentified saboteurs damaged a valve and caused a 2,500 barrel spillage.

The Transandino pipeline pumps around 100,000 barrels per day, including some 45,000 barrels of Ecuadorean crude, from southern Colombia to the Pacific coast oil terminal at Tumaco.

Much of the spilled crude had poured into the ocean, an Ecopetrol spokesman said.

The spokesman said he did not know who was behind the sabotage attack but said a group of teachers, protesting over wage conditions, had staged a demonstration near the site where the valve was damaged.

The pipeline was shut down just hours after the Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline, the second largest pipeline that crosses northern Colombia, was repaired a week after it was bombed by Marxist rebels. Link

http://www.canoe.ca/MoneyOil/mw_oilnews11.html

Story 2

Mexico natural gas supply seen unaffected by pipeline fire

By KERM YERMAN

A fire on Monday at a pipeline in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas is not expected to crimp the nation's supplies of natural gas, Mexican state oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos said on Tuesday. Pemex said workers were still cleaning up the area affected by the fire, which occurred at a 36-inch pipeline. It is expected to be operating normally within 72 hours, the company said in a statement.

One worker injured in the blaze remained in intensive care at a local hospital, while another worker with second and third-degree burns was in stable condition, Pemex said. A third was released. Because the company has alternative lines to supply natural gas,

Pemex will be able to fulfill its contracts with various industries, the company said.

Pemex and the Mexican attorney general's office are investigating the cause of the fire, the company added. A Pemex spokesman said no other information was available.

Mexico produced about 4.8 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas in 1999.

http://www.canoe.ca/MoneyOil/mw_oilnews12.html

Story 3

Caltex says producton not affected by explosion at Lytton refinery

By KERM YERMAN

Caltex Australia Ltd said on Tuesday output from its 100,000 barrel per day Lytton refinery in the state of Queensland was not affected by an explosion which injured two workers.

"It was on a unit which had been shut down for repair and does not affect production at all," acting refinery manager Jeff Fisher told Reuters.

The affected part of the refinery was a regeneration unit for the refinery's reformer, which is not run continually.

"It is a separate unit which is not involved in the production as such," he said.

It was not known what caused the explosion, which led to one worker taken to hospital for damage to his hands and cuts and abrasions, while a second suffered minor injuries.

"We are doing a full investigation, but it appears there was a release of gas and that gas exploded. It was a one-off bang, and there was no subsequent fire," Fisher said.

Caltex Australia Ltd is half owned by a joint venture between Chevron Corp (CHV-N) and Texaco Inc (TX-N) .

Link http://www.canoe.ca/MoneyOil/mw_oilnews8.html

Story 4

ExxonMobil refinery unit catches fire

By Advocate staff report

A process unit at an ExxonMobil refinery in north Baton Rouge caught fire Tuesday but injured no one and did not affect refinery operations, a company spokeswoman said.

A process unit in the back of the refinery at 4045 Scenic Highway caught fire just after 2 p.m., said ExxonMobil spokeswoman Mary Beth Chevalier.

The refinerys own firefighters put out the fire in less than 20 minutes, she said.

No hazardous materials were involved, she said.

The fire presented no danger to areas surrounding the plant, so city firefighters were not called, Baton Rouge Fire Department spokesman Barry Mounce said.

Chevalier said the refinery will investigate the cause of the process unit fire.

Link

http://www.theadvocate.com/news/story.asp?StoryID=11103

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 23, 2000

Answers

WOW!!! thanks carl. wonder what the 29th will look like for oil?

-- tt (cuddluppy@aol.com), February 23, 2000.