Here we go again: Gas Leak at North Sea Elgin Platform

[morningfog]

A crisis situation has developed at a gas and condensate production platform in the Elgin field in the North Sea. Gas is leaking out of a well near a offshore platform at a rate of approximately 2 kilograms per second (12 MMCF/day if gas), and a large sheen (assumed to be condensate) has been observed on the water. All workers on Total's Elgin PUQ (production-utilities-quarters) Platform plus those on the Rowan Viking drilling rig, which had been working next to it, have been evacuated. On Monday, workers on a platform and drilling rig at the Shell-operated Shearwater field (4 miles / 6.4 km away) were also evacuated. There is currently a two-mile vessel exclusion zone around the site and a no-fly zone. As current winds are light, the most immediate concern is the potential for explosion both at the PUQ and elsewhere. While it is possible that the leak rate will lessen over time, the Rowan Gorilla V jack-up drilling rig is being provisioned by Total for a possible relief well that could take months to drill.

Much more at the Oil Drum: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/9072

[Hubert Flottz]

1. Oh Shit!

"Drill Baby Drill"

[no_hypocrisy]

2. What's the difference between gas and crude oil?

I honestly don't understand.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Thanks Tesha.

[MichaelMcGuire]

3. An article I was going to post by George Gunn

Called "A Total Disaster? Either way, the price of oil has just gone up."

George is a former oil worker. (Source)

"140 miles from Aberdeen the North Sea sits on the verge of an environmental catastrophe. A gas leak under the Elgin platform has, in the last few hours, been confirmed as coming from a previously unknown vent disturbed by drilling in the chalk. Along with methane, hydrogen sulphide – a highly toxic gas which can kill all plant and animal life it comes into contact with – is bubbling out into the open sea. The gas leak can’t be capped for fear of ignition. No one yet knows what the extent of the damage will run into but we should be worried. Bella columnist, George Gunn, a former oil worker, gives us his take on things."

Note:
* Since George Gunn wrote this article it has been confirmed that the gas leak is not coming from the wellhead, but from a new vent, previously unknown.

[RiffRandell]

6. That's exactly what I said when I watched it on the news last night.

Plus several expletives. Horrible.