Cormorant Alpha platform shut down after second leak
04 March 2013
The Cormorant Alpha platform and its pipeline infrastructure were shut down as a precaution following the discovery of a leak in one of the platform legs on March 2. Owner and operator TAQA Bratani said 71 of the 145 staff members on board were removed from the rig.
The leak, discovered in one of the rig's legs during maintenance work, has now been contained, a company spokesman confirmed. All members of staff are said to be safe and well.
The spokesman said "non-essential" workers were taken off the platform on standard scheduled flights. He said: "TAQA Bratani can confirm that a hydrocarbon release detected in one of the Cormorant Alpha platform legs has now been contained, with no further hydrocarbon release."
The incident marks the second time this year that the platform had to be partially evacuated following the discovery of a leak. On January 15 the pipeline system was shut down and 92 workers were airlifted from the rig after a similar leak was found in a platform leg.
Cormorant Alpha is situated 151km from Lerwick on Shetland in the UK sector of the North Sea and was built in 1978. Its pipeline system handles about 90,000 barrels per day of crude oil, of which 42,600 are produced by TAQA.
Contact Details and Archive...