Total to put staff back on North Sea platform

LONDON (AP) ? The French oil company Total says it is preparing to put staff back on a North Sea platform after confirming that a gas leak has been stopped.

All 238 workers aboard the Elgin platform, 240 kilometers (150 miles) from Aberdeen, Scotland, were evacuated shortly after the leak was detected on March 25.

Total said Monday that it will be sending workers back to restart a drilling rig to set cement plugs in the well which was the source of the leak.

Initially, the leak was pouring about 7 million cubic feet (200,000 cubic meters) of natural gas into the atmosphere each day.

Associated Press

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