Yemen LNG is planning to shut a feed gas pipeline to its liquefied natural gas export project for a few days in December for final repairs, following an attack on the line in September.

A grenade was thrown near the pipeline running through Yemen's southern province of Maarib, and while flows were not interrupted, repairs are needed on the damaged pipe.

"We are planning a limited shutdown on the pipe," Jean-Pierre Cave, Commercial and Shipping Manager at Yemen LNG, told reporters on the sidelines of the CWC World LNG Summit in Barcelona.

During the shutdown, cargo loading at the LNG plant, which receives feed gas via pipeline, will be modified.

"We will slightly readjust our loading schedule," he said, adding that this wasnot uncommon. The plant, which began operations in October last year, was running at near full capacity, he said.

Yemen, next door to top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, jumped to the forefront of Western security concerns after the Yemen-based regional arm of al Qaeda claimed responsibility for a botched bombing of a US-bound plane on Dec. 25.

Cave said that increased measures are being taken to protect the pipeline to the LNG plant, including strengthening Yemeni army presence along its route.

The $4.5-billion project has two production trains with a combined capacity of 6.7 million tonnes per year. The owners include French oil and gas firm Total with a 39.6 per cent stake, US firm Hunt Oil with a 17.2 per cent share and Yemen Gas Co with a 16.7 per cent stake. – Reuters