Never ending trouble in Arctic gas plant
The Melkoya LNG plant on the Barents Sea coast yesterday restarted production after two months of repairs and upgrades. However, the main technical problems with the plant remain unsolved.
Since the Melkoya LNG plant started production in August last year, trouble has been mounting for operator StatoilHydro. Technical problems linked with the plant’s cooling tower have resulted in several stops in production and emissions far beyond plans. After the last two months’ repairs, the plant will still not be able to run with more than 60 percent capacity, NRK reports. StatoilHydro’s information director Sverre Kojedal confirms to the broadcasting company that parts of the plant will have to be reconstructed. He does not however dare to predict the extension of the reconstruction. Parts of the process might have to be done in Germany, where the plant’s main technical provider, the company Linde, is based. StatoilHydro has lost major sums on the problems with the prestigious project, the first of its kind in Europe. Mr. Kojedal confirms that the plant might not be in 100 percent operation before 2010.
