Chevron-led Angola LNG project to remain offline until mid-2015

The Chevron-led LNG processing, storage and unloading facility has been offline since 10 April due to a pipeline rupture.

"Following investigation into the incident that took place at the plant in Soyo on 10 April 2014, Angola LNG will pull forward a planned shutdown to allow its contractor Bechtel to both correct items from the incident and - in parallel - address plant capacity issues," the spokesman is reported to have said.

It is expected that this work will continue into next year, with the plant anticipated to restart in mid-2015, he added.

The USD 10bn project has been plagued with problems since last summer due to a series of technical faults, including rig capsize, electrical fires, pipeline leaks and low downstream processing performance.

Last month a major rupture on a flare line triggered a facility-wide shut down.

Chevron has a 36.4 per cent share in the plant, Angolan state oil firm Sonangol has 22.8 per cent, whilst other stakeholders including Total, BP and Eni make up the rest.