ENGINEERINGNET.EU -- On 25 March, Total reported that a gas leak following a well operation occurred on the same day at the wellhead platform on the Elgin gas field which is located in the UK North Sea approximately 240 km east of Aberdeen.
238 personnel have been evacuated onshore, and no injuries have been reported. Production on the Elgin, Franklin and West Franklin fields is fully stopped.
A surveillance aircraft flown over the area has confirmed a sheen on the water in the vicinity of the platform.
This sheen is related to drilling muds and/or light condensate associated to the gas representing a volume estimated today at about 30 m³.
“Preliminary assessments indicate no significant impact to the environment and dispersants are not considered necessary at this stage”, states Total in an official press release.
(picture: Total)
BACKGROUNDER
Elgin and Franklin are two high pressure/high temperature gas and condensate fields in the Central Graben Area of North Sea. Total E&P UK Limited owns 46.17% and is operator of both fields through its wholly-owned subsidiary EFOG and its average share of production was around 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2011.
Elgin/Franklin facilities comprise two wellhead platforms, one on Elgin and one on Franklin and a Production/Utilities/Quarters (PUQ) platform. The PUQ is on the Elgin field and is linked to the Elgin wellhead platform by a 90-metre bridge.
Hydrocarbons produced from the Elgin, Franklin and West Franklin fields are collected, separated and treated at the central processing facility on the PUQ. Liquid hydrocarbons are exported through the Forties Pipeline System via Cruden Bay to Kinneil for processing and commercial quality gas compressed and exported through the SEAL (Shearwater Elgin Area Line) pipeline to Bacton in Norfolk.
