ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A gas leak on Suncor Energy’s Terra Nova oil platform in late-June led to a “near miss with potential for fatality” for one worker, according to the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB).
The incident took place on June 24 and saw one worker exposed to hazardous chemicals in a “slop tank” filled with hydrogen sulfide and benzene.
In a release Tuesday, the C-NLOPB says work was stopped immediately following the incident while the worker underwent a health assessment after the exposure. Upon review, the worker was cleared to go back to work and did not require any further treatment.
Suncor initially classified the incident as a near miss, but later re-classified the incident to note the potential for fatalities.
In a statement, Suncor Energy says an investigation is on-going.
“There were no injuries and no medical treatment was required for the worker and the incident was reported to the C-NLOPB. The safety of our workforce and the protection of the environment remain our top priorities and an investigation into the incident is ongoing,” read the statement.
The C-NLOPB is monitoring Suncor’s own investigation into the incident.
The incident is the second near miss on the Terra Nova platform this year that could have resulted in fatality.
In March, the C-NLOPB reported an incident that saw a grease drum fall 10-15 feet from a crane on the platform. There were no injuries in that incident, either.
The C-NLOPB is continuing its review of the November 2018 oil spill at Husky Energy’s White Rose oil field – the largest in the history of the province’s offshore oil and gas industry.
Twitter: @DavidMaherNL
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