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North Sea workers airlifted as barge drifts near Valhall field North Sea workers airlifted as barge drifts near Valhall field
(about 1 hour later)
More than 300 oil workers are being airlifted from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea after a large, unmanned barge ran adrift near platforms. More than 300 oil workers are being airlifted from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea after a large, unmanned barge ran adrift in high seas.
Several rigs were affected in the Valhall and Ekofisk oil fields.Several rigs were affected in the Valhall and Ekofisk oil fields.
The incident happened in poor weather. A man died when a wave hit another rig in the Troll field, also off Norway. The barge broke anchor during a storm. A man died when a huge wave hit another rig earlier in the Troll field off Norway.
The Norwegian coast guard told the BBC that the wave must have been up to 60ft (18m) in height as it hit the rig's accommodation block. BP said it was moving all its workers off the eight-rig Valhall platform as the barge was heading towards it.
Three people with injuries were airlifted ashore by Norwegian rescuers, but one later died. He was said to be a Norwegian in his fifties. The barge is 110m in length and 30m wide and there are fears that it could ram one of the rigs.
The China Oilfield Services' Innovator rig was hit at around 17:00 (16:00GMT) on Wednesday and almost 50 of its 106 staff were airlifted to safety. Norwegian media said the Eide Barge 33 had run adrift on Wednesday evening and was some 25km (15 miles) from Valhall.
In a statement, Statoil said a "heavy wave" had slammed into the installation, damaging the accommodation module. The rig was being towed to Bergen under its own steam. Helicopters began airlifting staff from Valhall at 02:45 on Thursday, broadcaster NRK said.
Hours after the rig was hit, a barge in the Valhall field farther south broke its anchor in high winds and began drifting towards eight BP platforms, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported. BP said it was airlifting all 235 staff from the platform. Production, which had been at 50,000 barrels a day, was being shut down, the company said.
The barge was 110m in length and 30m wide and there were fears that it could ram one of the rigs.
Helicopters began airlifting staff at 02:45 on Thursday, NRK said.
BP told the BBC that it was evacuating its eight-rig platform at Valhall and that 235 staff were on board. The company said it had been producing 50,000 barrels a day but Norwegian TV said production was being shut down.
ConocoPhilips also airlifted 145 workers from its Ekofisk oil field north of Valhall. Some were flown to other platforms in the area but the majority were taken ashore, according to reports.ConocoPhilips also airlifted 145 workers from its Ekofisk oil field north of Valhall. Some were flown to other platforms in the area but the majority were taken ashore, according to reports.
'Heavy wave'
Hours before the barge began drifting on Wednesday, a wave hit the accommodation block on the China Oilfield Services' Innovator rig in the Troll oil field off the Norwegian coast at around 17:00 (16:00GMT).
The coast guard told the BBC that the wave must have been up to 60ft (18m) in height.
Three people with injuries were airlifted ashore by Norwegian rescuers, but one later died. He was said to be a Norwegian in his fifties.
Almost 50 of the rig's 106 staff were airlifted to safety.
In a statement, Statoil said a "heavy wave" had slammed into the installation. The rig was being towed to Bergen under its own steam.