Flow of oil through Forties Pipeline System still restricted-BP

LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The flow of North Sea crude oil through the Forties Pipeline System is still running at restricted rates, after a power outage at the Kinneil terminal on Dec. 1, a spokeswoman for pipeline operator BP said on Tuesday.

Industry monitor Genscape on Dec. 1 reported the flow of Forties crude had slowed to around 400,000 barrels per day through the pipeline, which pumps oil to the Kinneil terminal on the Scottish coast, from closer to 580,000 bpd.

"There has been no change at the moment," a BP spokeswoman said, adding that the company generally did not comment on maintenance issues or outages.

The spokeswoman declined to confirm the rate at which crude oil was flowing through the pipeline.

Trade sources said the Buzzard oil field, which pumps Forties through the pipeline, was running at a reduced rate of 100,000 bpd as a result, down from closer to 186,000 bpd.

A spokeswoman for Buzzard operator Nexen (KSE: 005720.KS - news) said the company did not comment on maintanance or operational activities.

Forties price differentials (BFO-FOT) have risen to their highest in six weeks this week, driven in part by lower availability of oil for immediate loading this month because of the restriction on the pipeline. (Reporting by Amanda Cooper; Editing by Susan Thomas)