Total Says No Significant Impact to Environment from Elgin

French major Total has said that it expects no significant environmental impact from the Elgin gas leak which began on the 25th of March.

The company says that initial preliminary assessments of the leak have been undertaken which indicate no significant impact on the environment. It also does not foresee the need for dispersants at this time.

A sheen that was estimated on Tuesday to measure six nautical miles is still under surveillance from overhead observation and is seen in the vicinity of the Elgin platform. Initial assessment of this area seems to indicate that this sheen is caused by drilling muds and/or light condensate, the company said in a statement last night.

Total estimates the volume of these materials associated to the gas represent a volume of about 30 cubic metres.

Production has been completely shut down at the Elgin field as well as at the adjacent Franklin and West Franklin fields in light of the leakage.

238 personnel were also evacuated from the Elgin platform on Sunday night and Monday morning and no injuries to any person have been reported.

Total is the operator of the Elgin field through subsidiary E.F. Oil and Gas Limited with a 77.5 per cent stake. GdF Suez holds the remaining 22.5 per cent stake in that company.