The work of securing the well on Statoilâs Snorre A platform in the North Sea which began leaking gas on 28 November went well over the weekend and will continue this week as planned.
With the well cemented, the gas-bearing formation has been isolated.
âWeâre now going to pull drill pipe and extension pieces out of the hole,â says Ăivind Reinertsen, senior vice president for the Tampen area.
âWe still have a good deal of work to get through before we can start preparing to resume production.â
In addition to downhole activity, the condition of the well template and the seabed mooring structures for the tension-leg platformâs tethers is being investigated.
âSurveys so far show that the TLP remains robust in relation to the safety requirements established for this unit,â Mr Reinertsen reports.
Inspection of the template will continue over coming days in order to verify its technical condition.
âWeâre doing very well with both downhole and inspection jobs,â says Mr Reinertsen.
He adds that it is unlikely to be possible to say anything about when Snorre A and its Vigdis satellite can come back on stream until after next weekend.
Statoil is pursuing a positive dialogue with its partners and the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway about progress and future plans on Snorre.