Royal Dutch Shell PLC said divers closed a relief valve, stopping a small oil leak seeping from a subsea well flowline to its Gannet Alpha platform in the UK North Sea. The leak started on Aug. 10, prompting Shell to isolate and depressurize the flowline.
No oil has been released since Aug. 19, said Shell, which is continuously monitoring the site to ensure the valve closure was fully successful. A surveillance flight on Aug. 20 found no oil on the surface.
Shell and UK environmental authorities previously said they expected the oil will be naturally dispersed through wave action (OGJ Online, Aug. 15, 2011).
An estimated 1,300 bbl of oil spilled into the North Sea, Shell said earlier. Weather and waves are breaking up oil sheen on the surface that once measured 31 km by 4.3 km. The Marine Coastguard’s Aug. 20 estimate was the sheen covers 6.7 sq km.
Response plans include putting 36 concrete mats on the depressurized flowline to secure it to the seabed.
About the Author
Paula Dittrick
Senior Staff Writer
Paula Dittrick has covered oil and gas from Houston for more than 20 years. Starting in May 2007, she developed a health, safety, and environment beat for Oil & Gas Journal. Dittrick is familiar with the industry’s financial aspects. She also monitors issues associated with carbon sequestration and renewable energy.
Dittrick joined OGJ in February 2001. Previously, she worked for Dow Jones and United Press International. She began writing about oil and gas as UPI’s West Texas bureau chief during the 1980s. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska in 1974.