Explosion Halts Gas Production in Yemen

Yemen Liquefied Natural (LNG) Company said a sabotage group exploded last night the LNG main pipeline that links sector 18 and liquefaction plant in Balhaf in the Yemeni southern region of Shabwa .

The company said in a statement today that the explosion, which occurred in a desert area about 40 km north of the gas liquefaction plant in Balhaf, caused no casualties.
 

The company pointed out that the production process was stopped due to the incident, but said the loss resulting from the cessation of production in the pipeline is expected to be limited to only four export shipments, explaining that the plant was due to be shut down on April 15 for annual maintenance works.
 

The bombing of the pipeline came in the wake of r the killing of at least five people suspected of belonging to al-Qaeda in an air strike on a car they were traveling in in Azzan area in Shabwa province.
 

Balhaf for LNG exporting facility, was opened in 2009 as the largest industrial project carried out in Yemen, at a cost of USD 4.5 billion. It was closed last October after the LNG pipeline came under a sabotage attack.(