Oil spill halts Hibernia field production

Production by Hibernia oil field offshore Newfoundland and Labrador was shut in July 17 after workers noticed an oil slick.

Hibernia Management & Development Co. estimated the release at 75 bbl of crude oil. There were no injuries.

Efforts were under way to contain and collect the oil. Production, which can reach 220,000 b/d, remained shut in on July 19.

The discharge occurred during water removal from a storage unit of the gravity-base Hibernia platform 315 km east-southeast of St. John’s.

HMDC partners are ExxonMobil Canada, 33.125%; Chevron Canada Resources, 26.875%; Suncor 20%; Canada Hibernia Holding Corp., 8.5%; Murphy Oil, 6.5%; and Equinor Canada Ltd., 5%.