Fears grow over explosion and eco damage of leaking North Sea gas rig

[kristopher]

Fears grow over explosion and eco damage of leaking North Sea gas rig
Scientists warn oil from Elgin platform owned by Total risks poisoning marine life alongside potential methane explosion

Fears are growing that a naked flame on the top of a leaking gas rig could spark a massive explosion and lead to a major pollution incident in the North Sea.

Total, the operator of the Elgin platform 140 miles east of Aberdeen, confirmed that in addition to a growing methane gas "cloud", a 4.8sq km sheen of oil "condensates" now covered the surface of the water near the platform. But the company played down risks of major marine or air pollution. "The situation is currently stable. We continue to take all possible measures to try to identify the source and cause of the leak and to bring it under control," the company said in a statement.

According to Total, engineers are still trying to ascertain precisely where the gas and oil leaks are coming from. It is believed that the main reservoir at the base of the drill shaft has been closed off, but gas and condensates may be leaking from any one of many points above it.

Martin Preston, marine pollution specialist and honorary research fellow at the University of Liverpool, said that from an environmental standpoint, both greenhouse gas emissions and local fish deaths were a concern. "The methane release represents a very significant explosion hazard, and of course methane is a potent greenhouse gas. The gas in this field is 'sour gas' – ie it contains hydrogen sulphide which is very poisonous to humans and aquatic life – so localised risks to marine life are likely. The hydrogen sulphide content of the current release is unclear at present. Localised fish kills cannot be ruled out."

Oil pollution expert ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/mar/28/fears-explosion-leaking-north-sea-gas


Related:

Flare still burning on North Sea gas leak platform
Total says wind is blowing gas away from flare on Elgin platform – but there is a high risk of explosion if two come into contact

A flare is still burning on the North Sea platform that has been leaking gas for the last four days.

Total, the French oil company that operates the platform, first disclosed that the flare was still burning late on Tuesday night. The wind is blowing the gas in the opposite direction but, if it should come into contact with the flare, there is a high risk of explosion.

David Hainsworth, health and safety manager for Total UK, told the Guardian that Total had not informed the media earlier the flare was still burning because "we have been trying to feed information that is pertinent as the situation was unfolding, the fact that the flare was burning was not one of the most pertinent parts of information. It [the flare] is not our immediate concern."

The fact that the flare is still alight was only made clear last night following a direct question on Channel 4 News. "I was asked a direct question by Channel 4. I can only answer questions," Hainsworth said. "[It was] not our number one top priority whether the flare was alight. We've been trying to get useful information to the media to tell [the public]."

He said the odds of the gas connecting with the flare and exploding were "low"...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/28/flare-burning-north-sea-gas-leak-total

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[FBaggins]

2. Could take months to plug

A natural gas leak from a well in the British North Sea has forced the evacuation of drilling platforms for miles around, and plugging the leak could take months because of the danger of triggering a gas explosion.

Environmental experts estimated that the well, operated by the French oil giant Total, may be spewing greenhouse gases equal in impact to the two biggest U.S. coal-fired power plants or more than all of Norway. Natural gas is composed largely of methane, which is 21 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Unlike the oil spilled from BP’s Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, the Total leak is primarily natural gas that dissipates in the air, especially in the usually windy conditions of the North Sea. But the gas in the well is known as sour gas because it contains toxic, flammable hydrogen sulfide as well as gas liquids that have created small surface sheens.

Drilling a relief well, one possible solution, would be difficult because any rig would have to keep its distance from the gas leak. “This is another instance in which we see that the oil companies are not prepared for the worst-case scenarios,” said Frederic Hauge, president of the Bellona Foundation, a Norwegian environmental group.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/total-gas-leak-forces-evacuations-in-british-north-sea/2012/03/27/gIQAI4xBfS_story.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Shades of BP...

[kristopher]

4. Update: Source of North Sea gas leak found, says Total

Source of North Sea gas leak found, says Total
Oil company says Elgin rig is still at risk of explosion but situation now 'bad case' rather than 'worst-case' scenario

Oil company Total believes it has found the source of the gas leak from its North Sea platform, as it sent two fire-fighting vessels to the edge of the emergency exclusion zone.

The French fuel group said it had traced the leak to a gas pocket in a rock formation 4km (2.5 miles) below the seabed but 1km above the gas reservoir being tapped by the Elgin platform, which was evacuated on Sunday when the leak was discovered.

In an attempt to quell fears about the risks of explosion from the gas cloud which has settled above the area, it said there were now fire-fighting ships on standby at the edge of the two nautical mile (2.3 mile) exclusion zone.

Marine experts and oil industry unions are alarmed about the dangers of the gas cloud being ignited by a flare still burning on the platform, about 100 metres from the leak, if the wind changes direction in coming days.

Union leaders have urged oil companies to evacuate every rig and platform within five miles of the Elgin as a precaution....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/29/north-sea-oil-gas-leak-source-found

Total mulls helicopter water drop to put out flare on North Sea platform
News comes as union claims French oil company 'fobbed off' workers worried about risk of gas leak four weeks ago

The French oil company that operates the leaking North Sea gas platform is considering using a helicopter water drop to extinguish a flare that could ignite the explosive gas cloud.

The news came as reports emerged that platform-owner Total was warned about the risk of a gas leak four weeks ago. The Aberdeen Press and Journal said a local union claims workers' fears about high pressure in the 13,000ft deep reservoir were "fobbed off" a month ago.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "Total has confirmed in their latest update to the government's inspectors that the flare remains lit but observations from the latest aerial surveillance suggest that the flame appears to be reducing in size."

Total, which originally failed to make clear that the flare was still alight, said other options to put it out included firefighting vessels and pumping nitrogen to starve the flame of oxygen.

On Thursday night ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/30/total-helicopter-water-drop-north-sea

[xchrom]

5. kick