UPDATE 2-YPF halts some Argentine operations due to unrest
Mon, 6 Dec 2010 18:07 GMT
* YPF stops output in northern Santa Cruz after unrest
* Operations halted until situation normalizes
* Company declines to give details on production losses (Updates with company statement, context)
BUENOS AIRES, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Argentine energy company YPF <YPFd.BA>, a unit of Spain's Repsol <REP.MC>, has suspended production at several sites in a Patagonian province after unruly labor protests, a company spokesman said on Monday.
The shutdown by Argentina's biggest energy firm affected energy fields in Santa Cruz province, a region that makes up nearly a third of the company's crude production. YPF's total output was recently reported at about 250,000 barrels per day.
The spokesman declined to specify the impact on overall output of crude oil and natural gas.
Local media reported that YPF's employees in Santa Cruz and nearby Chubut province went on strike last week to demand higher wages. Skirmishes broke out over the weekend between workers who had joined the protest and those who had not.
In a statement, YPF said it decided to interrupt energy production in the north of Santa Cruz province as a result of the "violent incidents over the weekend."
It said operations in Chubut were starting to resume but that production in Santa Cruz would remain on hold until the situation returned to normal.
"Output activity in Chubut's Manantiales Behr field is beginning to normalize," YPF said. "But the company confirms its decision not to renew operations in Santa Cruz because the safety of company employees cannot be guaranteed."
Santa Cruz provincial Gov. Daniel Peralta was working to resume dialogue between company officials and employees, YPF said, adding that Peralta was also taking necessary measures to avoid new skirmishes.
Union leaders were not immediately available to comment.
According to Energy Secretariat data, Santa Cruz accounted for about 29 percent of YPF's crude output and 8 percent of natural gas production in 2009.
YPF produced an average 248,000 bpd of crude this year, a company executive was quoted as telling the country's state news agency. (Reporting by Guido Nejamkis; Writing by Luis Andres Henao and Hilary Burke; Editing by Walter Bagley)
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