OSLO, Norway, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Norwegian energy company Statoil said it met with energy regulators to discuss the safety of its exploration activity in the North Sea.
Statoil had to evacuate and close a platform in the North Sea last year, cutting oil production more than half. The closure renewed concerns over oil exploration in the volatile North Sea, though Statoil executives said their safety record is one of the best in the industry.
Statoil said it closed more than a dozen wells at its Gullfaks field in the North Sea as a precautionary measure because it was concerned about well integrity.
Gunnar Nakken, a Statoil official in charge of Gullfaks operations, said during talks with officials at Norway's Petroleum Safety Authority that his company was examining the field "in detail."
"If it turns out that there is a deficiency in (well integrity) barriers, we will act on this and repair them," he said in a statement. "The alternative is a permanent shut-down of the wells."
Statoil is faced with finding new assets to explore as North Sea reserves start to run dry. Production on the continental shelf is about half what it was 10 years ago.
