By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 12 -- The fire that sank the GSF Adriatic IV jack up drilling rig in the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday (OGJ Online, Aug. 11, 2004) also spread to the Temsah natural gas production platform at which the rig had been working, causing "considerable" damage to the platform, said an oil ministry official.
All 150 platform workers were evacuated, but an oil industry source said Wednesday it would take 5 days to extinguish the platform fire.
Officials said the rig fire, caused by an overflow of natural gas during drilling, spread to the platform Tuesday, where it first was brought under control but later erupted again.
The platform 25 miles of Port Said, Egypt, is operated by Petrobel and owned by ENI SPA, BP PLC, and Egypt's General Petroleum Corp. It had been shut for maintenance since the start of the month.
Temsah field, which produces 150-180 MMcfd, is one of Egypt's largest gas deposits.
