Smoke and Flames Detected on Equinor’s Unmanned Sleipner B Platform: Emergency Response Underway

by time news

At 04:40 on Tuesday, Equinor was alerted about smoke development, the company writes in a press release.

Equinor reports on its website that its emergency organization has been mobilized and that the authorities have been notified.

Sleipner B is an unmanned production platform located in the Sleipner West area, 12.5 kilometers away from the Sleipner A platform.

Production has been halted, and the facility has been depressurized.

– Cooling of the platform is still ongoing with water cannons from vessels. The situation is unclear, said Eileen Brundtland, spokesperson for the Norwegian Oil and Gas Safety Authority, at 13:35.

Later on Tuesday afternoon, spokesman Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold stated that Equinor is still working on the platform.

We are on site with two vessels. We are currently cooling down and observing with thermal imaging cameras. There is no danger to life or health, nor any risk of a spill into the sea.

Sleipner B is one of the platforms in the Sleipner field in the North Sea, operated by Equinor. The Sleipner field is a gas and condensate field consisting of several platforms, including Sleipner A (the main platform), Sleipner B, and Sleipner R.

Smoke Development and Flames

Eidsvold said Equinor received a warning about smoke development in an electrical room on Sleipner B. At one point, flames were also observed.

– It is too early to say anything about the cause or the damage. We have shut down gas production as part of the emergency management. However, we have maintained our supply to our gas customers.

Eidsvold cannot say at this time how much the shutdown will cost Equinor.

– Now we must conclude and manage the situation. We will continue as long as necessary.

Magnus Frantzen Eidsvold of Equinor.

Foto: Arne Reidar Mortensen

Unmanned Platform

The Main Rescue Coordination Centre (HRS) was informed, but they were not involved in any rescue operation because there was no danger to life or health.

The police state they were informed about the situation.

– This is about an unmanned platform where there are no people, said operations manager Kim Blakstad of the South-West Police District to NRK earlier on Tuesday.

Sleipner B is controlled from a control room on a nearby platform.


22.10.2024, at 10:06


22.10.2024, at 17:25

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