SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) - Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Santos Ltd said they have temporarily shut down oil fields off the north-west Australian coast as a precautionary measure due to the approach of cyclone Isobel.
Woodside has shut down oil production at its Cossack Pioneer field which is Australia's largest oilfield with production of 100,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Santos has closed production at its 55,000 bpd Mutineer-Exeter field.
Both fields use production storage and offtake vessels which can disconnect from feeder wells and sail to safer waters when cyclones pose a threat.
Production at the Woodside operated North-West Shelf gas project, Australia's largest single energy project, has not been affected by cyclone Isobel.
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said a low between Indonesia and Australia has formed into a category one tropical cyclone which should cross the Australian coast near the town of Port Hedland.
Cyclone Isobel is the first in region's cyclone season which can extend through to March.
bruce.hextall@xfn.com
© 2007 AFX News
