Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – Total E&P UK confirms that gas continues to leak at the Elgin wellhead platform in the UK central North Sea.
The company says it is taking all possible measures to try to identify the source and cause of the leak, which started on Sunday, and to bring it under control.
A sheen was identified on water close to the platform, although initial reports suggested no change in its size and appearance yesterday. Oil Spill Response (OSRL) has undertaken two aerial surveillance flights to assess the situation, and planned two further flights today.
Total has discussed the situation with Secretary of State’s Representative, the UK Health and Safety Executive, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Marine Scotland and the Coastguard.
The company has also mobilized specialists from elsewhere in the Total Group to help deal with the incident.
All offshore personnel have been evacuated and are accounted for, with no reported injuries.
UK media reports claim a 2-nautical mile exclusion zone is in operation around theElgin PUQ platform, and that some staff have also been removed from Shell’s nearby Shearwater platform, which serves another HT/HP gas-condensate field.
3/27/2012
