Dutch-UK gas pipe operator plans work on pumps

AMSTERDAM, July 7 (Reuters) - The operator of the BBL pipeline carrying gas from the Netherlands to Britain plans maintenance work to replace a part in all three of its compressors after one of them was damaged, it said on Tuesday.

BBL company said on its web site that a new compressor would be installed in July to replace the one which it reported as damaged in February, and all three compressors should be available for transport again in August.

Following investigations into the cause of the damage, BBL said it would carry out a replacement program for a certain part of the three compressors preventatively, as soon as they were all available for transport again.

It said the replacement program would be gradual and would start with work on the compressor with the most running hours. It expected that this compressor will be operational again in December, but until then no back-up capacity will be available.

The remaining two compressors will be serviced separately at a later period in time, as of the summer of 2010, it said.

BBL has said that two of its compressors can pump enough gas to Britain to meet contracted gas supply obligations but a third compressor offers spare capacity and can help keep up flows of gas if either of the others stops working.

BBL is 60 percent owned by Dutch gas pipeline operator Gasunie, while Germany's E.ON Ruhrgas EONG.DE and Belgium's Fluxys (DIST.BR) own 20 percent each. (Reporting by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Christian Wiessner)