On its way: the West triton
Glitch delays West Triton sailaway
The Seadrill jack-up rig West Triton is on its way to the Montara blowout site, in the Timor Sea, after a glitch at Batam Island delayed its tow out, Thai operator PTTEP said.
The company said that the rig's departure was delayed after the West Triton experienced some difficulties leaving its berth.
The jack-up finally set sail under tow at 05.45 GMT today.
Two tugs will tow the West Triton to within two kilometres of the Montara wellhead platform.
Once on site, the rig will drill a relief well which will pump heavy mud into the well bore which blew out on 21 August. It is hoped this will stem the leak.
The West Triton's sister rig, the West Atlas, was working from the wellhead platform at the time of the blowout. However, the blowout occurred in a well which had previously been drilled.
No one was hurt in the incident.
PTTEP added that further observation flights were carried out over the surface oil spill earlier today and showed the slick to be holding in a similar pattern as previous days, continuing in a north-easterly direction away from the mainland.
The spill measures about 15 kilometres in length and is roughly 30 metres wide.
PTTEP spokesman Mike Groves told UpstreamOnline: "The spill has not grown and remains about the same size as it has been over previous days.
"This indicates that our dispersal activities appear to be working."
The observation flights also included a pass over Ashmore Reef, which is about 148 kilometres west-north-west of the Montara well head platform.
PTTEP said no oil was sighted in the area.
The slick is currently heading in the opposite direction from Montara, away from Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island.
- All of Upstream's coverage of the Montara spill is available in the related articles section to the right of this story