A gas leak has been detected at a well operated by BP at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project offshore Senegal and Mauritania.
The British company and Mauritania’s environment ministry confirmed the incident on Wednesday.
The GTA project is a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) development that aims to exploit the significant gas resources discovered in the offshore area between the two West African countries.
The gas leak raises concerns about potential environmental damage and safety risks associated with the project.
BP and the Mauritanian authorities are likely investigating the cause of the leak and implementing measures to control and mitigate its impact.
The incident could lead to delays in the GTA project’s development and operations, as well as increased scrutiny of its environmental and safety practices.
BP expects minimal impact
However, BP stated that they anticipate the environmental impact resulting from the leak to be minimal.
Additionally, they assured that this incident would not cause any disruptions to their ongoing production activities.
The company is likely to conduct further investigations into the cause of the leak and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The joint project undertaken by BP and US-listed Kosmos Energy has successfully reached a significant milestone, commencing its gas production at the beginning of the year.
During a planned commissioning test at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) A02 well, a routine procedure to ensure the well’s operational readiness, a discovery of low-rate subsea gas bubbles was made, the company told Reuters.
The company, in response to this discovery, has assured that they have formulated a plan to address and mitigate the issue of the gas bubbles.
Investigation ongoing
The Mauritanian environment ministry is collaborating closely with the oil and fisheries ministries and Senegalese authorities to conduct thorough investigations into the incident.
Their statement indicated that they aim to effectively manage the situation and prevent any environmental impact.
Ahmed Vall Ould Mohameden, an advisor within Mauritania’s Ministry of Oil, addressed the recent incidents, stating that occurrences of this nature are not uncommon during the initial phases of production.
He emphasised that while these incidents can cause temporary disruptions, they are generally not indicative of systemic issues and can be effectively managed through established protocols and procedures.
“Last week a plane carrying equipment to plug the leak was sent to the site to repair it,” Mohameden told Reuters.
GTA project
The GTA project, a groundbreaking floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility, is strategically positioned on the maritime border between the West African nations of Senegal and Mauritania.
This ambitious endeavor is poised to make a significant contribution to the global energy landscape, with an initial production capacity of 2.3 million metric tons of LNG annually during its first phase.
The GTA project represents a major milestone for both Senegal and Mauritania, marking their entry into the LNG export market and promising substantial economic benefits through job creation, revenue generation, and infrastructure development.
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