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Failed equipment on offshore platform is working, firm insists

Jan. 28, 2013, Halifax – The owner of the Deep Panuke natural gas platform off Nova Scotia says a fire suppression system that failed when a small electrical blaze broke out earlier this month is in working order.

Anne Guerin-Moens, a spokeswoman for Dutch-based SBM Offshore, says a valve that was supposed to release carbon dioxide didn't open when the fire broke out Jan. 19 on the platform 250 kilometres southeast of Halifax.

Guerin-Moens could not say what caused the system to fail, but says the valves have since been tested and are now functioning.

An investigation involving SBM Offshore and energy giant Encana found the fire was contained to an electrical cabinet in the emergency switchboard room aboard the platform.

Guerin-Moens says the fire was caused by an equipment malfunction and was extinguished within minutes by firefighters when the fire suppression system didn't kick in.

Details of the probe posted on the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board's website say necessary electrical repairs have since been carried out.

Guerin-Moens says construction workers began returning to the site over the weekend, which is expected to begin producing natural gas sometime this year.