DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
OSLO (Dow Jones) Norwegian oil giant Statoil ASA (STO) closed
down production on its Statfjord C platform in the North Sea
Thursday, following a gas leak, which sent the crew of 236 into the
lifeboats.
MAIN FACTS:
-The alarm is called off, and the personnel have left the
lifeboats, but the production remains shut down.
-The Statfjord C platform in the Tampen area produces 25,000
barrels of oil equivalent per day, according to Statoil, and is the
only platform affected by the leak.
-The leak of the poisonous and flammable gas hydrogen sulfide,
H2S, happened in a utility shaft, and was identified as a flange to
the wall against a storage cell.
-Four people with breathing equipment has been sent down to
investigate the leak. Local measurements is 8-10 parts per
million.
-All personnel have been permitted to call home. According to
Statoil, the emergency response resources, boats and helicopters,
are now demobilized.
-By Kjetil Malkenes Hovland, Dow Jones Newswires; (47) 902 27
908; (kjetilmalkenes.hovland@dowjones.com)