Production at nine major North Sea platforms was halted last night afteran oil leak shut one of the UK’s most important pipelines.
About 90,000 barrels a day – worth more than £6million – will be left trapped offshore while energy giant Taqa fights a pollution threat on the Cormorant Alpha.
Non-essential staff have been evacuated after hydrocarbons started leaking into one of the ageing structure’s legs.
Crucially, the shutdown has also forced the closure of the Brent pipeline system, which pumps almost 10% of Britain’s oil – from nearly 30 fields – to Sullom Voe in Shetland.
As a result, work at eight other platforms – Dunlin, Thistle, Northern Producer, Murchison, North Alwyn, Tern, Eider and North Cormorant – has also stopped.
In statement yesterday, Taqa said nobody had been injured in the incident, 100 miles north-east of Shetland.
“We can confirm that an indication of hydrocarbons was detected in one of the legs of the Cormorant Alpha platform in the northern UK North Sea at 16.15 hours local time on January 14,” a spokeswoman said.
“Since the discovery, hydrocarbon levels have been continually monitored. The platform and all pipeline infrastructure have been shut down as a precaution.
“The hydrocarbons are contained within the platform leg and none have been released into the environment. A technical team is investigating the source of the hydrocarbons.”
She added: “There are 159 people on board and our number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of our people. All those on board have been accounted for and they are all safe and well.
“We have stopped all non-essential work on the platform to focus all our efforts on addressing this issue.
“As a precaution, we will be taking all non-essential crew off the installation. This will be done by scheduled helicopter flights.”
The Brent pipeline system carries oil from 27 North Sea fields, accounting for 37% of the Sullom Voe terminal input and about 8% of UK offshore oil production.
The huge St Fergus gas terminal north of Peterhead has also been affected by the Cormorant shutdown. French firm Total said it was losing about 10million cubic metres (353million cubic feet) of production a day.
St Fergus provides about 20% of the UK’s daily gas requirements.
It receives and processes gas from more than 20 North Sea fields, transports offshore gas to shoreand delivers gas to shippers.
Industry body Oil and Gas UK said it was important to find the cause of the leak.
“We are pleased that all the non-essential staff are being evacuated from Cormorant Alpha,” a spokesman said.
“When the cause is determined, if there are any lessons to be learned, we would help facilitate that.”
Taqa Bratani, a UK subsidiary of the 75% Abu Dhabi government-owned Taqa, took over Cormorant Alpha in 2009.
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