The Norwegian oil firm Equinor has resumed oil loadings from its Statfjord field in the North Sea, offshore Norway. The oil loadings were suspended last week after an oil spill was spotted during loadout operations.
An Equinor spokesperson told Offshore Energy Today that the loading has started again. Also, Reuters has reported, citing a statement by Equinor, that the loadings are taking place from an alternative buoy on the field.
As previously reported, Equinor had on Wednesday, May 15, informed that it had shut down the loading systems at Statfjord after oil was observed on the sea surface in connection with loading oil from buoy to a shuttle tanker.
The Equinor spokesperson told Offshore Energy Today that the search for the cause of “oil on sea” continues.
Also, in a statement on Monday, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority said it had launched an investigation into the oil leak, which apparently stemmed from Statfjord A platform.
“Oil was spotted on the sea while crude was being loaded into a shuttle tanker from the OSL A loading buoy. Where the leak occurred and how much oil leaked out are not known at present,” the PSA said.
The Statfjord field has been developed with the Statfjord A, B, and C production platforms, which all have concrete gravity base structures incorporating storage cells. The Statfjord A started production in 1979, Statfjord B in 1982, and finally Statfjord C in 1985.
Earlier this month, Equinor awarded a contract for the removal and disposal of Statfjord A , one of the oldest platforms on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Namely, the Statfjord A platform will shut down production in 2022, 43 years after first oil. The platform was originally scheduled to be shut down in 1999 but it has since then undergone substantial upgrading and its life has been extended several times.
Offshore Energy Today Staff
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