Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – A well control incident on the semisubmersible drilling rig Songa Endurance has been resolved, according to Statoil.
The rig was working on the G4 well on theTroll field close to the Troll B platform when complications occurred during work to remove the production string from the well.
However, the well has since been secured with a BOP around the drillstring on the seabed and with a valve on the rig.
Operations are under way to stabilize the well, with fluid on its way from the mainland to the rig for this purpose. The consignment should arrive this evening, with extra specialist personnel on the way to assist with the operation.
According to Statoil, 107 people were on the rig when the incident was reported to the company’s alarm center at 9:50 am CET on Saturday. No injuries were reported and there is said to be no risk of an oil spill.
Statoil and Songa Offshore have mobilized their emergency response organisations, and the emergency response vessel Stril Merkur is at the field, while other resources, including helicopters, are available. Weather conditions are good.
Troll is in the northern Norwegian North Sea, 65 km (40 mi) west of Kollsnes in Hordaland County.
Yesterday, smoke and fire were reported in a utility shaft on Statoil’sStatfjord A platform in the same sector, but the fire was swiftly extinguished.
It started in a loading pump and was restricted to one area that is separated by fire barriers. When smoke was detected, the automatic deluge system was triggered.
The emergency response organization on Statfjord A put out the fire, and the fireguard is currently monitoring the area.
Sixty-seven people were onboard when the incident occurred, and by 10 am (an hour before the fire was extinguished), 20 people had been moved to Statfjord B by SAR helicopter.
Production at Statfjord A was shut down and crew onboard without emergency response assignments were sent to the lifeboats. They are now being assembled for a debriefing on the platform.
Two SAR helicopters are at the field and the emergency response vessel Stril Herkules is in the area.
Statfjord A is a production platform with a concrete substructure and storage cells.
10/17/2016
