LONDON—BP PLC is monitoring a spill in the North Sea after a technical problem on a remote platform caused a leak and forced the company to shut down production on Sunday.

The company said the leak from the Clair platform was the result of an issue with the system designed to separate water, oil and gas and lasted for an hour after the problem was detected.

The amount of oil spilled has yet to be established, but the company said it is working with Oil Spill Response Limited and the U.K.'s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to assess the potential environmental impact.

"At present, we believe the most appropriate response is to allow the oil to disperse naturally at sea, but contingencies for other action are being prepared," BP said in a statement. "Oil has been observed on the sea surface and we are monitoring its movement."

The Clair platform is located 75 kilometers west of the Shetland Islands. The company said the spill seems to be moving away from land at the moment.

Write to Sarah Kent at sarah.kent@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 03, 2016 08:55 ET (12:55 GMT)

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