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| Renewed safety concerns over North Sea gas leak | Renewed safety concerns over North Sea gas leak |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Renewed safety concerns have been raised about an oil and gas field which was shut down last year due to a leak. | Renewed safety concerns have been raised about an oil and gas field which was shut down last year due to a leak. |
| According to a report from Reuters news agency, the operator of the Elgin field has identified concerns about the corrosive effect of chemicals on pipes. | According to a report from Reuters news agency, the operator of the Elgin field has identified concerns about the corrosive effect of chemicals on pipes. |
| It is further claimed by Reuters that Total has plans to close down several Elgin wells due to the safety concerns. That could be at considerable expense. | It is further claimed by Reuters that Total has plans to close down several Elgin wells due to the safety concerns. That could be at considerable expense. |
| The BBC sought clarification from Total, who said it was an "old story". | |
| The report goes on to say that the concerns about corrosion have been shared with Shell, which operates the neighbouring Shearwater field and which could face similar challenges. | The report goes on to say that the concerns about corrosion have been shared with Shell, which operates the neighbouring Shearwater field and which could face similar challenges. |
| Reuters said Total attributed the leak to a corrosive reaction between calcium bromide used to complete the well and grease in the pipework, which under high pressure cracked the piping. | Reuters said Total attributed the leak to a corrosive reaction between calcium bromide used to complete the well and grease in the pipework, which under high pressure cracked the piping. |
| The French firm described it as a "unique event". | The French firm described it as a "unique event". |
| Drilling fluids, such as calcium bromide, are commonly used in other deep sea wells across the world. | Drilling fluids, such as calcium bromide, are commonly used in other deep sea wells across the world. |
| Total's G4 well in the Elgin field leaked for a month and a half from March 2012, creating a huge cloud of flammable gas above the platform about 150 miles (240km) east of Aberdeen. | Total's G4 well in the Elgin field leaked for a month and a half from March 2012, creating a huge cloud of flammable gas above the platform about 150 miles (240km) east of Aberdeen. |
| An air and sea exclusion zone was imposed as personnel were evacuated from the area, with the incident being described as the worst leak in the North Sea for 20 years. | An air and sea exclusion zone was imposed as personnel were evacuated from the area, with the incident being described as the worst leak in the North Sea for 20 years. |
| Some experts fear a recurrence as operators, under pressure to offset declining output from conventional reservoirs, turn to deeper, hotter and higher pressure fields. | Some experts fear a recurrence as operators, under pressure to offset declining output from conventional reservoirs, turn to deeper, hotter and higher pressure fields. |
| John Downs, a chemical engineer who runs his own consultancy group, is quoted in the Reuters report as saying: "Bromide brines have been used in thousands of wells since their introduction in the 1980s. | John Downs, a chemical engineer who runs his own consultancy group, is quoted in the Reuters report as saying: "Bromide brines have been used in thousands of wells since their introduction in the 1980s. |
| "An extensive well repair programme may be needed if the stress corrosion cracking caused by bromide brine in Elgin is also happening elsewhere." | "An extensive well repair programme may be needed if the stress corrosion cracking caused by bromide brine in Elgin is also happening elsewhere." |
| 'Similar problems' | 'Similar problems' |
| The North Sea is host to the highest number of high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) reservoirs of any mature oil and gas producing basin. | The North Sea is host to the highest number of high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) reservoirs of any mature oil and gas producing basin. |
| Total UK chairman Patrice de Vivies told Reuters he had co-operated particularly closely with Royal Dutch/Shell when sharing information on the causes of the leak. | Total UK chairman Patrice de Vivies told Reuters he had co-operated particularly closely with Royal Dutch/Shell when sharing information on the causes of the leak. |
| He added: "With Shell we have shared even more as they have a neighbouring field, Shearwater, meaning they potentially have, perhaps, not identical, but similar problems." | He added: "With Shell we have shared even more as they have a neighbouring field, Shearwater, meaning they potentially have, perhaps, not identical, but similar problems." |
| Like Elgin, Shell's Shearwater field is fed by a HPHT reservoir where temperatures can reach 140C. | Like Elgin, Shell's Shearwater field is fed by a HPHT reservoir where temperatures can reach 140C. |
| At peak output, Elgin and Shearwater account for more than a tenth of British gas production. | At peak output, Elgin and Shearwater account for more than a tenth of British gas production. |
| Total's own investigation into the causes of the leak remains incomplete, though the field resumed output in March, with the backing of the Health and Safety Executive. | Total's own investigation into the causes of the leak remains incomplete, though the field resumed output in March, with the backing of the Health and Safety Executive. |
| "We hope that the laboratory will be in a position by the end of the year to reproduce the phenomenon," Mr de Vivies said. | "We hope that the laboratory will be in a position by the end of the year to reproduce the phenomenon," Mr de Vivies said. |