Elgin Gas Leak: Oil & Gas UK Hails Total’s Successful Well Kill Operation

Oil & Gas UK, the not-for-profit representative body for the UK offshore oil and gas industry, has welcomed Total’s successful well intervention operation to stop the Elgin gas leak.

Robert Paterson, Oil & Gas UK’s health and safety director, said: “Oil & Gas UK welcomes the news that the well-kill operation to stop the Elgin leak has proved successful.”

Paterson added: “Total should be congratulated for this, and for the way the evacuation of personnel was conducted in the first instance. Clearly in the fullness of time, lessons will become known and the oil and gas industry will ensure that they are widely shared across industry through the Well Life Cycle Practices Forum and Step Change in Safety.”

The well intervention operation, which involved pumping heavy mud into the leaking well, began on May 15th and the leak was stopped 12 hours later. The G4 well had been leaking following an incident on 25 March, which led to 238 people being quickly and safely evacuated from Elgin and an adjacent drilling rig, the Rowan Viking.

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Offshore Energy Today Staff, May 18, 2012; Image: Total