Total Makes "Significant Progress" on Elgin

French major Total has said that it has made "significant progress" at the Elgin leak site off the coast of Aberdeen, in the UK North Sea. 

In an update late on Friday night, the company said it was currently mobilising two rigs to facilitate the drilling of a relief well to deal with the leak. The first rig, the Sedco 714 rig, is already in place at the site having arrived at a standby location on the 8th of April. The company says the rig is awaiting survey results for the final anchor position to begin drilling operations. The company says it expects the Sedco rig to begin drilling first.

The second rig, the Rowan Gorilla V, is now suspending its operations on the West Franklin field located nearby the Elgin site. This rig will be the second to drill and will drill the second relief well.

Two vessels are also being mobilised to assist in the operations to stop the leak. The first, the West Phoenix semi-submersible drilling rig, is already in position, having arrived last Thursday. It remains on standby outside the two nautical mile exclusion zone around the Elgin leak site.

A second vessel, the Skandi Aker light intervention vessel, has yet to be brought into position. This vessel is currently being fitted with the appropriate equipment.

Total says all plans to stem the gas leak, which originates from the G4 wellhead, are proceeding as planned.

The leak, which began on the 25th March causing 238 personnel to have to be evacuated, is expected to be stemmed by the end of this month.