First Minister Alex Salmond said last night that public organisations had met to discuss how they could help Total stop the gas leak on the Elgin platform.
Speaking at an Energy Ventures event in Aberdeen, Mr Salmond said a working group including representatives of the Scottish and UK governments, the Health and Safety Executive and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency had met for the first time yesterday.
He said the Scottish Government was represented by Marine Scotland and would focus on protecting the marine environment surrounding the Elgin installation.
He said: “We are extremely keen to do what is necessary to support the response to this incident in the sincere hope it can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
“Efforts are being led by Total itself, but both the Scottish Government through its environmental responsibility and the UK Government with its health and safety responsibility have a substantial interest.
“That is why the governmental working group was established and met this afternoon.”