CNOOC Ltd, China's third-largest oil and gas producer, resumed operations of a South China Sea gas pipeline after a 48-day shutdown.

The pipeline restarted gas supplies to plants that produce methanol and urea on December 24, the Beijing-based company's parent, China National Offshore Oil Corp, said in a statement posted on its Website yesterday.

The link, which carries gas from CNOOC's Dongfang 1-1 gas field to the southern province of Hainan, was shut on November 6, after being damaged during engineering work. CNOOC said at the time it would take between 40 and 50 days for repairs.

Dongfang 1-1 has had annual production capacity of 2.4 billion cubic meters since starting operations in 2003, China National Offshore said in the statement.

(Shanghai Daily January 4, 2008)