Houston-based independent energy firm Toreador Resources has said that repair work is to begin on schedule on the South Akcakoca sub-basin project in the Black Sea offshore Turkey, following an accident that caused a shutdown of all gas production.

The operator, Turkey’s national oil company TPAO, has notified Toreador that a contract is now in place for the repair of the pipeline system and operations will begin soon.

According to the company, the first priority is to repair the main pipeline. This is expected to be completed early in the first quarter of 2008 and will allow any production available from the Dogu Ayazli and Ayazli platforms to be delivered to the gas facility onshore.

The company said that reconnection of the Akkaya platform pipeline spur is the next step in the operation and should be completed later in first quarter of 2008. Claims to cover the cost of the repair work have been filed and legal action has been initiated against the owners of the vessel that caused the accident.

Toreador reported that an intervention is planned for the Dogu Ayazli platform to diagnose and remediate the unexpected production declines in the lower zones of two wells. A detailed plan and budget is expected to be provided by the operator next week. The intervention will begin once the main pipeline is back in operation and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2008.