North Sea oil rig evacuated after leak scare
November 1st, 2008 - Posted in UncategorizedLONDON (AFP) — An offshore oil rig in the North Sea was partially evacuated on Friday after emergency services received reports of a leak, coastguards said.
Non-essential staff were flown off the Heather Alpha platform at around 1030 GMT, about 90 minutes after reports of the leak first emerged, but no emergency rescue craft were involved in the operation.
The rig, operated by London-listed Petrofac, lies north east of the Shetland Islands.
Petrofac said the rig was shut down after an “escape of oil.”
The company said: “There are 90 personnel on board and as a precaution 57 non-essential personnel have been de-manned by helicopter to Shetland.”
“Three helicopters were mobilised to carry out this operation.”
