Twenty people working at Shell's Shearwater platform in the UK North Sea have tested positive for Covid-19 since the first case was identified on June 30, 2021, Offshore Engineer understands.
According to a source close to the matter, there have been twenty positive cases since June 30, and 98 people are deemed to have been in close contact with the infected.
All the affected workers have been either flown to shore or are isolating while waiting to return to shore, and there's no impact on production as the Shearwater turnaround is ongoing, Offshore Engineer understands.
According to information obtained by Offshore Engineer, all personnel is tested prior to mobilization and, on Prosafe's Safe Zephyrus offshore accommodation rig that's connected to the Shearwater platform, everyone is tested every 4 days.
Asked for a comment on the situation, a Shell spokesperson said: “Our priority is the health and wellbeing of our people and contractors, and safe operations across all our activities. We are taking all appropriate precautions, in line with our procedures and national protocols related to coronavirus.”
Production hub
Shell in May sent an environmental impact statement for the development of its Jackdaw field in the North Sea to the UK Government with plans to drill four wells at the Jackdaw WHP location, with produced fluids planned to be exported via a new 31 km long subsea pipeline to the Shearwater platform.
The Shearwater platform will process the Jackdaw fluids before shipping them onward via the Fulmar Gas Line and the Forties Pipeline System. In addition to Jackdaw, future tiebacks to Shearwater will include Arran and Columbus developments, both expected to be operational prior to Jackdaw.
First production is expected between the third and the fourth quarter of 2024.