Transocean Winner rig fuel tanks leaking after running aground

The Transocean Winner was being towed from Norway to Malta when the tug towing the rig experienced difficulty in bad weather. BBC News.com photo.

Transocean Winner grounded off Western Isles of Scotland

Aug 10 (Reuters) – Two of the fuel tanks on the drilling rig Transocean Winner, which ran aground off the northwest coast of Scotland after breaking free while being towed, have leaked an unknown amount of diesel oil, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) said on Wednesday.

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Transocean Ltd spokeswoman Pam Easton said on Monday that during severe weather, the rig lost its tow and subsequently grounded off the Western Isles of Scotland. “No rig personnel are at risk”, the spokeswoman said.

The rig was being moved from Norway to Malta when the tug towing it got into difficulty in bad weather on Sunday evening, BBC reported.

The MCA said the rig was carrying 280 metric tonnes of diesel oil on board, split between a number of separate tanks. The agency said a temporary exclusion zone of 300 meters (985 feet) to keep boats away remains in force.

The Environment Group has implemented measures to identify any potential environment impact, Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said.

The Scottish government said it would continue to closely monitor the situation. The response being coordinated by the British government, which is responsible for managing such incidents in the UK.

Cunningham said the incident raises serious questions about why the rig was being towed through Scottish waters despite a forecast for stormy weather.

(Reporting by Rama Venkat Raman in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Crosby)