Total Considers Closure of 10 Wells in Elgin Field

France’s Total has plans to close down several Elgin wells in North Sea due to safety concerns, according to a report from Reuters. The decision could cost the French company more than $2.34 billion to replace at least 10 wells. 

‘A corrosive drilling fluid that triggered the North Sea’s worst gas leak in 20 years could threaten similar deep-sea wells across the world,’ reads the story by the news agency.

The safety concerns are related to corrosive fluids implicated in the leak at Total’s Elgin field, such as calcium bromide. According to Reuters, this substance reacted with the grease in the pipework and cracked the piping under high pressure. 

The North Sea is host to the highest number of high-pressure, high-temperature reservoirs of any mature oil and gas producing basin. Total has already warned Netherlands-headquartered Shell that its nearby Shearwater field may be at risk.