CHINA National Offshore Oil Corp said yesterday that suspension of production at the PL19-3 field will further reduce the company’s net production by about 40,000 barrels per day.

Operations at Platform B and C have been halted since July 13 as required by the State Oceanic Administration, resulting in a cut of 22,000 barrels in net production per day, CNOOC said in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

The statement came after the SOA ordered ConocoPhillips China to cease all production on the leaking Penglai 19-3 field, which is jointly owned by the two companies.

The company said it respects the SOA’s decision and will work with the ConocoPhillips to implement the maritime authority’s requirements.

The oil spill at the Penglai 19-3 oil field, China’s largest offshore oilfield, was first spotted in June. The oil has spread to beaches in Hebei and Liaoning provinces and the spills have been blamed for losses in the tourism and aquatic farming industries.

ConocoPhillips China, a subsidiary of US oil giant ConocoPhillips, is the operator of the Penglai 19-3 oil field and has a 49 percent stake. CNOOC has a 51 percent stake.

On Friday, the SOA said ConocoPhillips China failed to meet the SOA’s requirements for dealing with the leaks before an August 31 deadline.

However, the company submitted a report to the SOA that day claiming the two goals had been met.

Photos of polluted seawater and disgruntled fishermen have been widely posted online, arousing public concern about possible economic and environmental losses resulting from the spills.

Public condemnation grew even stronger after China Central Television reported a claim heard over a ship’s intercom that the company intentionally set out to deceive the Chinese authorities when it announced it had met the SOA’s requirements.

The company denied any of its employees made the remarks, saying anyone in the area had access to the wireless intercom channel.