Tag: Total

Total reassure public that damage from its gas leak will be limited soon Oil giant Total has moved to reassure investors and environmental activists over the past week that the financial and environmental damage from its gas leak in the North Sea would be limited, a task made more difficult by comparisons to BP's handling of a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico nearly two years ago.Initial data showed that the leak from Total's platform in the Elgin gas field 150 miles (250 kilometers) off the coast of Scotland - which was first detected March 25 - was pouring out about 7 million cubic feet (200,000 cubic meters) of natural gas each day. On Friday, the company said the rate of the leak appeared to have slowed but had no new figure.In a conference call to analysts and reporters last week, Total Chief Financial Officer Patrick de La Chevardiere appealed to those listening to avoid comparisons between the Elgin leak and the Gulf spill at BP's Macondo well."While we understand that comparisons to Macondo are inevitable, we would like to state clearly that the situations are very different," he said. "There is no crude oil involved here and ...

Total estimates that it may take six months to stop the leak The French energy company Total estimates that its North Sea Elgin field gas well is leaking about 200,000 cubic meters of natural gas per day, enough, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, to supply more than 100 average homes with natural gas for an entire year. Total estimates that it may take six months to stop the leak.If the gas continues escaping at that rate, and all of it reaches the atmosphere, it would approximate the annual global warming impact of 35,000 Americans, says Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Global Ecology director, Christopher Field.At a news conference on Monday, Total's chief financial officer, Patrick de la Chevardiere, said that because the leak involves natural gas, which disperses into the atmosphere very quickly, and not crude oil, "the current impact on and risks for the environment are relatively low." But climate scientists and biologists say the leak's impact shouldn't be dismissed just because it isn't creating a beach- and wildlife-fouling oil slick.The leak, detected March 25th, is at the wellhead platform of Total's G4 well, located approximately 150 miles east of Aberdeen, Scotland. The gas is mostly ...

Bad weather prevents experts from flying to the platform French oil major Total has further delayed plans to fly engineers to stem an 11-day leak of explosive gas at its North Sea Elgin platform due to continuing adverse weather conditions, a company spokesman said on Wednesday. He said strong winds were still blowing the gas cloud towards where a helicopter carrying the team of crisis engineers would land, pushing relief efforts back to Thursday or Friday.Wind direction was initially forecast by the UK's MetOffice to change by Wednesday evening and through Thursday morning, blowing gas away from the landing point and allowing a team of eight experts to assess the steps needed to stop the large and potentially explosive leak.The company said on Tuesday the team of engineers would assess conditions on the platform and find out whether a so-called "well kill" was feasible through pumping mud into the well and whether any other measures would be necessary.Total says the gas leak is costing it $2.5 million a day.Another, more expensive option being pursued in parallel is to dig two relief wells to the source of the gas at 4,000 metres depth, far below the sea bed. Experts have said ...

Total to move drilling rigs from two nearby fields Total faced rough seas and heavy winds on Monday as the oil and gas company prepared to send men and machines to battle a leak at its Elgin platform in the North Sea that has spewed gas into the air for over a week.The French company, which is spending $1 million per day on efforts to plug the leak, plans to move drilling rigs from two nearby fields, fly staff to the platform if it is deemed safe and send two underwater inspection vehicles to check where best to drill relief wells, Total said on Monday."Both (inspection) vessels are currently awaiting optimum sea conditions before they can be deployed," Total said, raising concerns that relief operations will be delayed as Met Office forecasts showed even stronger wind levels for Monday afternoon.The company is expected to fly its own staff to the platform within the next few days, industry sources told Reuters.If a first visit to the platform is successful, Total plans to fly out more engineers by the end of the week to begin injecting mud into the well to stop the gas leak, the industry sources said.Workers are expected to ...

One man missing A Nigerian Navy vessel, NNS Thunder, collided with a vessel owned by Total at approximately 15:00hrs yesterday, Tuesday. the incident happened approximately 5 miles up river from Bonny.The Total vessel capsized.One man - a member of the Navy - is reported missing in this incident.Another vessel belonging to Bourbon was first on the scene and secured the Total vessel to its side.Search aircraft and other support vessels were immediately dispatched.The search was ongoing until 22:00hrs last night and resumed at first light this morning.Sources close to the emergency response teams are reporting that the Navy appear to have been at fault and were responsible for the impact which left the Total vessel on its side.Divers cut a hole in the hull freeing one crew member trapped onboard.The stricken vessel is a small patrol craft owned by Total but crewed and operated by a well company which operates many supply boats and other craft in the region (Company name withheld).Oyibos OnLine sources state that it is normal to have Navy personnel carried on board these boats but no information confirming their presence on this vessel has yet been received.Source: Oyibos Online