Hurricane Energy has Second Hitch in Two Weeks in North Sea Oil Operation

Oil and gas firm Hurricane Energy has suffered another setback on work to prepare a major new oil field in the North Sea for first production later this year.

A rope failed during an operation to hook-up a production vessel to a buoy at the Lancaster field in the West of Shetlands area.

There were no injuries to workers or any damage caused and the Aoka Mizu floating storage and production vessel (FPSO) is now returning to the Cromarty Firth to await delivery of a new pull-in rope.

Hurricane said a further announcement will be issued once hook-up operations has been successfully completed.

Last month operations to hook-up to the buoy were hit by a rope becoming snagged.

It is thought the Lancaster field could hold more than 500 million barrels of oil and Hurricane has said it is hoping for first oil in the first half of this year.

Last July the firm raised $520m to fund development of an early production system to test the Lancaster field ahead of full production.

Source: www.insider.co.uk