Total reveals Elgin leak rate

Gorilla ready: Total may use Rowan Gorilla V to drill relief well

Rowan Drilling

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 27 March 2012 08:37 GMT

Total has estimated that gas is leaking from its Elgin field at the rate of about 2 kilogrammes per second as concern mounts over the North Sea crisis.

The company is mobilising the nearby jack-up Rowan Gorilla V for the possibility of drilling a relief well as the French oil giant considers options to kill the ongoing release, an operation that could take months.

(Click here to read all Upstream articles on the Elgin gas leak crisis.)

David Hainsworth, health, safety and environment manager for Total E&P UK, said there was a “large range of uncertainty” in the leak rate estimate.

“We clearly have got a visual indication of a gas cloud. What we have been trying to do is model that and work backwards…

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