British Petroleum (BP) has announced that an intervention is under way to plug a gas leak detected on the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) platform, situated off the Senegal-Mauritania coast. Although the company is reassured that there is no immediate danger, this incident raises concerns about transparency and the management of environmental risks. The leak was identified on 19 February last on well A02 of the GTA platform, where gas bubbles were observed en remontée sous-marine. BP stated that the incident involved a low gas and condensate flow, the characteristics of which would not present an immediate threat to the environment or to the employees working on the site. The company assures that maintenance operations are carried out under optimal conditions and that preventive measures are in place to avoid any aggravation. Despite these assurances, the NGO Legs Africa strongly criticizes the lack of communication by the Senegalese authorities on this leak. The organisation deplores the absence of an official reaction from the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, believing that this opacity goes against Senegal’s commitments to transparent governance of natural resources. Legs Africa calls on the government to provide clear information on the possible environmental and health risks related to this incident. The NGO also stresses the need to increase transparency in gas and oil exploitation, requiring regular publication of data related to these activities. This incident has raised questions about the control and monitoring of energy projects in Senegal. The civil society and several environmental experts call for increased vigilance and rigorous monitoring of gas infrastructure in order to anticipate any risk of pollution or industrial catastrophe.
Gas leak on the GTA platform: BP tempère, Legs Africa expects answers
