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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| North Sea storms: 'Disastrous' barge collision averted | North Sea storms: 'Disastrous' barge collision averted |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A potential major disaster in the North Sea has been narrowly averted after a large, unmanned barge went adrift in stormy high seas and came close to colliding with offshore oil platforms. | |
| The Eide Barge 33 missed the Valhall field by at least 1km (0.6 miles). | The Eide Barge 33 missed the Valhall field by at least 1km (0.6 miles). |
| More than 300 oil workers were airlifted from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea after the high winds broke the barge's anchor. | More than 300 oil workers were airlifted from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea after the high winds broke the barge's anchor. |
| Stormy weather in the area has seen waves topping 15m (50ft). | Stormy weather in the area has seen waves topping 15m (50ft). |
| A man died when a huge wave hit another rig earlier in the Troll field off Norway. | A man died when a huge wave hit another rig earlier in the Troll field off Norway. |
| Forced shut down | Forced shut down |
| The strong winds tore the barge from its moorings and sent it towards BP's Valhall platform, located in the middle of the North Sea between Norway and the UK. | The strong winds tore the barge from its moorings and sent it towards BP's Valhall platform, located in the middle of the North Sea between Norway and the UK. |
| The oil and gas company was forced to shut down output and evacuate staff on board. ConocoPhillips also stopped production and evacuated crew from installations in the same area. | The oil and gas company was forced to shut down output and evacuate staff on board. ConocoPhillips also stopped production and evacuated crew from installations in the same area. |
| A spokeswoman for the Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway told the Reuters news agency that the danger posed by the barge was now over. | A spokeswoman for the Rescue Coordination Centre for southern Norway told the Reuters news agency that the danger posed by the barge was now over. |
| "There are no other installations between the barge and the coast of Norway," Borghild Eldoen said. | "There are no other installations between the barge and the coast of Norway," Borghild Eldoen said. |
| "It is now up to the owners of the barge to stop it before it reaches the coast." | "It is now up to the owners of the barge to stop it before it reaches the coast." |
| At one point fears about a collision increased when the barge - 110m in length and 30m wide - changed course and headed straight for Valhall, BP Norway spokesman Jan Erik Geirmo told the AFP news agency. | At one point fears about a collision increased when the barge - 110m in length and 30m wide - changed course and headed straight for Valhall, BP Norway spokesman Jan Erik Geirmo told the AFP news agency. |
| But in the event it floated away from the evacuated platforms. | But in the event it floated away from the evacuated platforms. |
| Mr Geirmo said that a tug had been deployed to immobilise it - an operation which will be dangerous in such stormy conditions. He said the situation was now returning to normal and employees will progressively return to the platforms. | Mr Geirmo said that a tug had been deployed to immobilise it - an operation which will be dangerous in such stormy conditions. He said the situation was now returning to normal and employees will progressively return to the platforms. |
| Norwegian media said the barge ran adrift on Wednesday evening some 25km (15 miles) from Valhall. | Norwegian media said the barge ran adrift on Wednesday evening some 25km (15 miles) from Valhall. |