Norwegian oil company Equinor has halted work at the Martin Linge development project in the Norwegian North Sea after one of its employees tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week, the company said on March 13.
It was too early to tell whether the Martin Linge Field, scheduled to start production of oil and gas by the end of the year, will be delayed as a result of the pause, the company’s spokesman added.
The oil industry’s first coronavirus case on an offshore installation, reported on March 11, highlighted the challenge of preventing contamination for thousands of workers living in close quarters on rigs and platforms.
“We have decided to stop all activity and to move most of the personnel onshore. There are no new cases of Covid-19,” Equinor spokesman Morten Eek said.
The infected person was brought onshore and quarantined at home with mild symptoms, he added.
Equinor had 776 people working at field, spread across three installations, including the Maersk Intrepid drilling rig and the Floatel Endurance accommodation rig.
It was uncertain when work on the oil and gas development some 160 kilometers from land in the North Sea could resume, Eek said.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2016, Martin Linge has been plagued by cost overruns, and the start-up date has been postponed several times.
Recommended Reading
Hess Corp. Boosts Bakken Output, Drilling Ahead of Chevron Merger
2024-01-31 - Hess Corp. increased its drilling activity and output from the Bakken play of North Dakota during the fourth quarter, the E&P reported in its latest earnings.
The OGInterview: Petrie Partners a Big Deal Among Investment Banks
2024-02-01 - In this OGInterview, Hart Energy's Chris Mathews sat down with Petrie Partners—perhaps not the biggest or flashiest investment bank around, but after over two decades, the firm has been around the block more than most.
Some Payne, But Mostly Gain for H&P in Q4 2023
2024-01-31 - Helmerich & Payne’s revenue grew internationally and in North America but declined in the Gulf of Mexico compared to the previous quarter.
Petrie Partners: A Small Wonder
2024-02-01 - Petrie Partners may not be the biggest or flashiest investment bank on the block, but after over two decades, its executives have been around the block more than most.
BP’s Kate Thomson Promoted to CFO, Joins Board
2024-02-05 - Before becoming BP’s interim CFO in September 2023, Kate Thomson served as senior vice president of finance for production and operations.