At the annual general meeting of operator and 50% owner Anzon Australia, chairman Steven Koroknay said production at the project was improving now that initial vibration problems with the compressor had been solved and long-term average production rates at the field were expected to be around 14,000bopd until further testing was completed.

But today, Anzon said production since the shuttle tanker had returned to the field in late May had been curtailed due to mechanical problems with the floating production, storage and offtake vessel’s Manta 2A swivel.

“A number of potential repairs which have not required a complete production shutdown have been attempted,” Anzon said this morning.

“It has now been decided that the best solution is to reconfigure the piping so that Manta 2A production flows through the vessel’s spare swivel. This work will require a full production shutdown this week. Following the piping reconfiguration, production is expected to return to about 15,000bopd.”

The last delivery of about 350,000bbl of crude oil to the Shell Geelong refinery earned each of the Basker Manta partners, Anzon and Beach Petroleum, about $A16.5 million.

Revenue to date to Anzon from Basker Manta oil sales is about $103 million.

The next Basker Manta oil sale is a 600,000bbl cargo via a ship-to-ship transfer in mid-to-late July.