A pipeline system servicing up to 27 oil fields has been shut down after a leak on the Cormorant Alpha platform, north-east of Shetland.
The fields affected, and another eight associated platforms, produce up to 6% of the UK's oil and gas output.
Hydrocarbons were detected inside a leg of the Cormorant Alpha platform.
End Quote Prof Alex Kemp Oil economistThe effect should be limited because although the Brent price is the marker for a huge volume of oil in the world market, Brent production constitutes not all that big a proportion of the total"
Its operator, Taqa Bratani, has removed non-essential workers as a precaution and said the leak had been contained.
Shutting down the platform, which is about 100 miles from Shetland, affects the whole Brent pipeline system.
The oil leak at Cormorant Alpha was discovered on Monday and non-essential crew were taken off the installation by helicopter.
Taqa, also known as Abu Dhabi National Energy, said nothing had leaked into the sea and a technical team was investigating the source.
The BBC understands the rest of the Brent pipeline system can no longer operate because Cormorant Alpha, which is situated some 94 miles from Lerwick in Shetland, is a crucial pumping station.
Eight other platforms have shut down with up to 27 North Sea fields affected.
The Dunlin, Thistle, Northern Producer, Murchison, North Alwyn, Tern, Eider and North Cormorant platforms are also affected.
Oil and Gas UK - the offshore industry body - said oil transported through the Brent pipeline system represented between 5% and 6% of the UK's North Sea oil and gas production.
Marker priceThe amount of output affected is 90,000 barrels per day.
It is not yet known what potential impact the shut down could have on petrol station prices.
However Prof Alex Kemp, an oil economist at the University of Aberdeen, said the closure would have a limited impact on oil prices.
He told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "What we have is an incident which impacts on the Brent pricing system which is used as a marker price for a lot of the world's production.
"If it continues one would expect a limited affect on the Brent price.
"But the Brent price doesn't just depend on Brent production, it depends on production from a lot of other fields.
"The effect should be limited because although the Brent price is the marker for a huge volume of oil in the world market, Brent production constitutes not all that big a proportion of the total."
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Leak shuts up to 27 UK oil fields
Dengan url
https://gayabugarsehat.blogspot.com/2013/01/leak-shuts-up-to-27-uk-oil-fields.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Leak shuts up to 27 UK oil fields
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Leak shuts up to 27 UK oil fields
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar