Shell Evacuates North Sea Platform After Container Drops Into Sea
LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell said on Monday it is evacuating non-essential staff from a North Sea oil platform after a container unit fell from a crane into the sea but caused no injuries.
The oil company said mechanical failure affected the crane on Sunday evening at its Brent Alpha platform, located some 115 miles northeast of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands.
There was no impact on North Sea oil production as maintenance work to decommission the platform is ongoing.
"As a precaution the Brent Alpha and Bravo, which were already shut down as part of ongoing maintenance works, were depressurised," Shell said in a statement.
An effort was underway to recover the container, which remains attached by rope and is currently around 20 feet below the sea surface, Shell said.
"An effort to recover the container and transfer it to a vessel is currently being planned. A support vessel is currently travelling to the Brent field," the company added.
"A temporary, non-emergency evacuation of non-essential personnel will take place on Monday."
The Brent oil field, discovered in 1971, was one of the largest oil fields in Britain's North Sea, exploited via four platforms.
Shell is in the process of decommissioning Brent Alpha and plugging and abandoning work has already started, according to Shell's website.
(Reporting by Ron Bousso, editing by David Evans)
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- Weatherford CEO's Rebound Plan Relies On Getting Smaller
- Iran Says Oil Market Is Too Tight For US Zero Exports Target
- China's Squeezed 'Teapots' Eye Petchem Path To Riches
- Baker Hughes: US Drillers Add Oil Rigs For Second Week In Three
- Venezuela Hands China More Oil Presence, But No Mention Of New Funds
- ExxonMobil Racks Up Discoveries in Guyana Block Eyed by Chevron
- Oil Market Sentiment Has Improved Significantly
- EU, US Eye Collaboration on Nuclear Materials
- EU Electricity Export to Ukraine Up 94 Percent in Two Years
- China Coal Output Falls for First Time since Government Ordered More
- USA Driving Activity to Increase to All-Time Highs
- BP Pulse Buys One of Europe's Largest Truck Stops
- UK CCUS Plans Outdated: Think Tank
- TC Energy to Sell Prince Rupert Gas Pipeline Project to First Nation
- I Squared Eyes Full Ownership of Europe Gas Storage Firm
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- EIA Drops 2024 Henry Hub Gas Price Forecast
- EIA and Standard Chartered Offer Up Latest Oil Price Predictions
- Red Sea Region Sees Another Watershed Incident
- Chevron Oil Project in Kazakhstan to Cost $48.5B
- OPEC Voices Encouragement after IEA Affirms Support for Oil Security
- Biden Govt Bares Strategy for Freight Charging, Hydrogen Fueling Infra
- Ukraine Hits Third Russian Refinery In Escalating Drone Strikes
- Rystad Looks at the Buzz Around White Hydrogen
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Is Peak Oil Demand Close?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- JP Morgan, Standard Chartered Reveal Latest Oil Price Forecasts
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Rystad Forecasts Net Production of Top Permian Producers in 2024
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension