Apache Corp. has temporarily suspended attempts to permanently plug a natural gas leak that the company stopped at a Gulf of Mexico platform in late January.

Federal regulators announced Wednesday that Apache suspended plugging operations because it needs more time to get equipment for finishing the procedure.

The platform is about 93 miles offshore, south of Lake Charles, in about 173 feet of water. It ended production about a decade ago. The leak was reported Jan. 16.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is investigating the incident and says it will continue to monitor the plugging operation.