LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The flow of North Sea crude oilthrough the Forties Pipeline System is still running atrestricted rates, after a power outage at the Kinneil terminalon Dec. 1, a spokeswoman for pipeline operator BP said onTuesday.
Industry monitor Genscape on Dec. 1 reported the flow ofForties crude had slowed to around 400,000 barrels per daythrough the pipeline, which pumps oil to the Kinneil terminal onthe Scottish coast, from closer to 580,000 bpd.
"There has been no change at the moment," a BP spokeswomansaid, adding that the company generally did not comment onmaintenance issues or outages.
The spokeswoman declined to confirm the rate at which crudeoil was flowing through the pipeline.
Trade sources said the Buzzard oil field, which pumpsForties through the pipeline, was running at a reduced rate of100,000 bpd as a result, down from closer to 186,000 bpd.
A spokeswoman for Buzzard operator Nexen said the companydid not comment on maintanance or operational activities.
Forties price differentials