Norwegian authorities investigate gas leak as 63 workers are evacuated from oil rig

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: AP

OSLO, Norway — A gas leak on an oil platform off Norway's west coast forced the evacuation of 63 workers Saturday, officials said. No injuries were reported.

Rig operator Statoil said the leak at the Visund platform was stopped just before 1:00 p.m. (1100 GMT), almost five hours after the company was first informed of the incident. Norway's Petroleum Safety Authority said it will launch an investigation.

"It's difficult to say how serious the leak is," authority spokesman Oyvind Midttun told Norwegian news agency NTB. "But a hydrocarbon leak is always serious regardless."

Midttun said the regulatory authority did not automatically investigate incidents of this kind.

Read more: http://www.greenfieldreporter.com/view/story/6eb76ea024c345ea8c1e67fae1aa98a9/EU--Norway-Oil-Rig-Evacuated/

[Arctic Dave]

1. Very happy to see no one was hurt.