A gas that customers are unable to smell has disrupted the Irish Corrib field output since last week.
Royal Dutch Shell and Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) have been working to remove the unodourised gas at a reduction in output of 9.9million cubic meters each day.
Unodourised gas has no smell and therefore cannot be easily identified by customers in the event of a leak, making it highly dangerous.
A technical problem involving the entrance of the dangerous gas into the system has been traced to the Shell-operated Bellanaboy Bridge gas terminal in County Mayo, Ireland.
At peak production, Corrib can meet 60% of Ireland’s gas requirement.
The field lies 83km off the northwest coast of Ireland and 350km deep.
A spokesperson for Shell said: “Work is ongoing to remove a quantity of unodourised gas, which entered the GNΙ network … flaring has occurred at the Bellanaboy Bridge Gas Terminal to remove the gas in a safe and controlled manner.”
Shell have reported that the cause of the incident is as yet unclear but that they have launched an internal investigation.