BP and Mauritania claim leak found at gas project offshore West Africa

The British company BP and the Mauritania Environment Ministry announced on Wednesday that a gas leak had been detected in a well at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Gas Project operated by BP off the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania.

BP stated that the impact of the leak on the environment was expected to be minimal and the incident will not disrupt production.

The first gas was produced by the project, developed by BP in partnership with Kosmos Energy of the United States.

The company informed via email that "as part of a planned commissioning test we discovered low-rate gas bubbles subsea at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim A02 well." "We've got a plan in place to stop these bubbles."

In a press release, the Mauritania Environment Ministry said that it "conducted in-depth investigations in order to effectively manage the current situation and avoid any environmental impact", in close cooperation with the oil and fisheries ministers of the country and the Senegalese officials.

Ahmed Vall Ould Mohameden said that incidents of this nature often occur when production begins.

Mohameden said that a plane with equipment to plug up the leak had been sent to the area to repair the problem.

GTA is a floating installation that will produce 2.3 millions metric tons of liquefied gas annually in its initial phase. Reporting by Diadie B and Anait Miridzhanian, in Dakar; and Kissima Diagana, in Nouakchott. Editing by Bate Félix and Louise Heavens.

(source: Reuters)