Few impacts seen from Elgin gas leak

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EDINBURGH, Scotland, April 12 (UPI) -- Fish samples from near the Elgin platform off the coast of Scotland, where a natural gas leak was reported, passed a taste test, the government said.

Natural gas is leaking from a drilling platform off the coast of Scotland. French energy company Total evacuated personnel from the rig in March and have sent a team of specially trained engineers to respond to the incident.

The Scottish government said the risk to the environment from the natural gas leak was "minimal." The Scottish government is leading an environmental task force to monitor the incident alongside the British Department of Energy and Climate Change.

DECC said there was a sheen on the surface of the water but it's expected to evaporate and disperse fairly quickly. Total estimates that gas is being released at a rate of around 7 tons per day.

"Sensory taste-testing of fish collected from close to the Elgin platform has concluded that no taint of hydrocarbons has been found in the samples," the Scottish government said in a statement.

Total expected it would be able to "kill" the well by the end of the month. Natural gas isn't leaking underwater, the French energy company said.