Unstable Well Causes Stampede On North Sea Oil Rig

Norwegian oil company, Statoil evacuated 89 workers from an offshore rig in the North Sea after encountering an unexpected change in pressure while drilling a well, a spokesman said Friday.

Statoil spokesman, Gisle Johanson said the situation is “stable” and all safety systems are working properly, adding that there is nothing to indicate a spill will take place.

He said 89 of the 229 workers on the Gullfaks C platform were taken off the rig as a precaution while the remainder worked to normalize well pressure.

“We’re drilling a reservoir through a rock formation with unstable pressure,” Johanson said, stressing that, “this is a field where we are prepared for handling challenging pressure conditions.”

Johanson said such incidents “happen from time to time” and that there were no injuries or leaks.

Statoil has operated the Gullfaks C field, in the northern North Sea, since 1989.

Johanson explained that it’s not clear when the rig will be running again.

Nelson Chukwudi, with agency reports