Oil production to resume at Elgin platform

Gas production can resume from an installation in the North Sea which was evacuated after a “significant” leak last year.

The site, around 150 miles from Aberdeen, was evacuated when it started leaking gas last March.

A spokesman said: “HSE has informed Total that we have accepted the safety case for the Elgin installation. This follows an incident on 25 March last year, which resulted in a significant leak of gas.

“The company undertook to demonstrate that it had re-evaluated the risks associated with operating the installation by resubmitting the safety case required by HSE to permit production. It will now be for Total to decide when to restart operations. HSE’s investigation into the incident in March 2012 is ongoing.”

The leak was stopped last May in an operation which pumped heavy mud and cement into the underwater well.