Gas Leaks from Statoil's Subsea Compression Facility

A gas leak was detected at Statoil’s Åsgard development in the Norwegian Sea on Friday.

The gas leak occurred while a remotely operated vehicle operation was being undertaken in preparation for a well intervention, Statoil said. Production from the wells at the subsea template involved was shut down, but the rest of the field is operating normally.

The world’s first subsea gas compression plant, Åsgard came online in 2015 with the compression system located at a depth of about 1,000 feet. The system’s ability to compress gas increases the productivity of the reservoir.

Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority has launched an investigation into the incident.