18.4.2012 Fax to HSE and Total
Dipl.Ing.(FH) Edwin Probst, Mittelstadt 16, D-79235 Vogtsburg-Burkheim
Health and Safety Executive
Field Operation Division
Lord Cullen House
Fraser Place
Aberdeen
AB25 3UB
Fax: 0044 1224 252525
For all:
Please forward this letter also to all responsible persons and departments
responsible for the Elgin gas leak and sent an written recipe of this letter back to me.
Be sure if you ignore this letter, I forward a copy of this fax (and fax report) in case of an accident to the court of justice. Ignore this letter and my help is grossly negligent and there is no excuse for it.
Urgent and important
message to Total, partners of Total, HSE, insurance, shareholders of Total and others
Elgin gas leak Date: 18.4.2012
Ladies and gentlemen,
I try to reach TOTAL since end of March, but Total answered not one of my emails and fax.
Is it really worth to set all on two solutions and save a few thousand Euro for a third way to stop the gas leak?
The risks with the 2 solutions are following:
Risk for the pipes:
It is a fault to believe that the well killing with mud solve the problem this time.
Total tried to kill the well between February 25th and March 25th with high density mud. The result of that killing operation is a damaged well head with the actual gas leak. The chance it works this time is really low but it is a high risk for the damaged pipes. Believe the specialist of Total really that the during the first trial damaged pipes the second killing operation resist?
A chance for a killing operation on a well with very high oil or gas pressure is low, it failed 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico and also 3 weeks ago on the Elgin gas field.
Risk of an larger gas leak:
Risk for the environment:
In case the killing failed are the leaks much bigger and/or more and there are than over month several millions m³ gas a day and not only 200.000m³. This much bigger gas flow (methane) is a disaster for the environment (greenhouse effect).
Risk of an explosion:
How high is the risk of an lightning during a thunderstorm in the next few weeks and month?
How high is the risk of an spark during the killing operation in the next few weeks?
How high is the risk the gas cloud reach the pilot flame or auto ignition system of the flare in the next few weeks and month?
Risk for the Elgin platform:
An explosion destroy the platform (worth 4 billions) and barred than the access to the well head. The result is than an gas leak over years.
Risk to lose reputation for all oil and gas exploring companies:
This companies lose reputation during the oil disaster from BP. An explosion of the Elgin platform destroy the rest of it.
Risk for lives:
An explosion risk the live and health of all persons in the danger area. Why take this risk if there are ways to stop the risk of an explosion without personal on the platform?
Why believe the specialist of BP and ignore the offered help from others? The loser from BP wasted in the Gulf of Mexico $ 40 billions and offer now exactly the same solutions to Total. How high is chance it works this time? Is the management of Total really so stupid and trust the employees of a rival?
Believe the management of Total really that the insurance take over all the costs even if they ignore simple solutions from others?
It is a crime against the shareholders to ignore help and wast over month every day more than 1.000.000,-- €.
I found an easy solution to stop the gas leak in a save way. The material costs for this solution are less than 100.000 €, and it takes only a few days to stop the risk of an explosion on the Elgin platform.
Often are the simplest and easiest solutions also the best solutions. Why waste hundreds of millions and risk billions for two unsafe solutions if there is an easy and simple way which cost in total only maximum a few millions? Prepare this third solution cost much less than Total pay now every day for this leak.
I know exactly the risk in the Ex zone. I am self employed and work since over 20 years for the chemical and defence industry.
In case of questions do not hesitate to call me or better send an email. I am always prepared to help.
Best Regards
Dipl.Ing.(Fh) Edwin Probst
Ingenieurbüro
Mittelstadt 16
D-79235 Vogtsburg-Burkheim
Germany
Email: ed....
Tel.: +49 ....
