Analysis: Level of publicity shows how unusual this is

NO RESPONSIBLE professional engineer working in the offshore oil and gas industry would wish to cause any damage to the environment. However, as in all human endeavours, nothing is completely safe, particularly when working in relatively deep water.

This current leak should not be compared to the situation with the BP Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico. That involved a well blow-out; this is from a flow line connecting a subsea well to the platform.

The well itself has been shut in and the leak is from the connecting flow line from the well to the platform. In fact, there appears to have been two separate leaks - one from the flow line itself and one from a relief valve.

The fact such a comparatively small leak can get widespread publicity is confirmation this is a very unusual occurrence. I have only one criticism of Shell, which is it has not issued full technical details of the problem.

• David Aron is managing director of Petroleum Development Consultants.