Leaked documents and others obtained by Upstream under UK freedom of information (FoI) legislation shed further light on the complex safety problems Shell is battling on the ageing North Sea facility.
One leaked document, dated 18 July, said Shell is facing a 15,000-hour maintenance backlog on mechanical equipment. This is on top of the extensive work it is undertaking to overcome leaks of hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen sulphide — known as glugs — that have led to the shutdown of the platform and 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of output.
The
