Statoil Responds to Well Control Incident

Statoil said on Saturday it had experienced a well control incident on the drilling rig Songa Endurance in the North Sea.

The well has been secured to prevent a blowout with a blowout preventer around the drill string on the seabed and with a valve on the rig. The company said that there was no risk of an oil spill.

None of 107 people on board were injured, but some of the personnel not involved in stabilizing the well will be removed from the rig.

Songa Endurance was working on the G4 well in the Troll field near Troll B platform in the northern part of the North Sea.

“Complications occurred during the work on removing the production string from the well. The blowout preventer was then activated and the well is now closed,” said Satoil in a statement. “There is still pressure in the well and work is now being carried out to stabilize the well. Fluid for stabilizing the well is being sent out to the rig from land to be able to perform this work. These supplies are expected to arrive at the field at around 8 pm CET this evening. Extra specialist personnel are on the way to the rig to assist those on board.”
 
Statoil and Songa Offshore have mobilized their emergency response organizations. The emergency response vessel Stril Merkur is at the field and other resources, including helicopters, are available.
 
Weather conditions are good.