PARIS: French energy giant Total said Monday that it was spending $1 million (750,000 euros) per day on repairs to aNorth Sea gas rig that has been leaking flammable gas for more than a week.
Total's financial director Patrick de la Chevardiere said that, in addition to the cost of fixing the leaking rig, the firm was losing 1.5 million dollars in daily revenue, but that the firm's financial plans were unchanged.
"There's no reason to change our programme in terms of investment ... nor our undertaking to pay a competitive share dividend," he said.
In industry terms, the costs to Total from the accident on theElginrig, 150 miles (240 kilometres) off the eastern ScottishportofAberdeen, are thus relatively low, compared to those of previous high-profile disasters.
TheElginand the neighbouringFranklinfield produce gas and condensate, a gas-derived liquid hydrocarbon, and account for the equivalent of 53,000 barrels per day in oil, or two percent of Total's production.
On Sunday, the company and British safety authorities confirmed that Total would have to await a decision by regulators as to when it would be safe to approach the rig, which is thought to be at risk of explosion.
Four fire ships were on standby on Sunday on the edge of a two nautical mile wide exclusion zone around the platform, while Total said it had a team of experts and engineers at a makeshift crisis centre inAberdeen.
The rig's 238 crew were evacuated after the leak was discovered on March 25. Safety concerns have forced Total's Anglo-Dutch rival Shell to halt output at its Shearwater platform and Noble Hans Deul rig four miles away.
Total said on Saturday that a flare on the rig, which had threatened to come into contact with the low-lying gas cloud and cause an explosion, had gone out -- but that there was still a risk of ignition.
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