Gas, crude oil `leaking from Timor rig`

Gas and crude oil are continuing to leak from an oil rig in the Timor Sea, mining
company PTTEP Australasia says.
The spill, which currently measures eight nautical miles long and 30 metres wide,
occurred at 4am (WST) on Friday from offshore drilling rig West Atlas, which is
located about 250km off the far north Kimberley coast in Western Australia and 150km
southeast of the Ashmore Reef.
It forced an evacuation to Darwin of all 69 workers from the rig, which is operated
by Norway's Seadrill, PTTEP Australasia said.
A statement released by PTTEP on Saturday said the situation had not changed overnight.
"PTTEP is continuing its planning to determine how the leak can be brought under
control so the West Atlas can be safely reboarded and begun to be restored to
working order," it said.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has been called in to handle the
clean-up of the spill.
AMSA spokeswoman Tracey Jiggins told AAP a Hercules plane on loan from Singapore was
expected to fly from Darwin over the spill on Saturday to drop dispersant chemicals
on the leak once safety assessments for the flight were completed.
The plane has been chosen for its long range and capacity to manage the conditions,
which currently remain calm.
An additional two aircraft have also been deployed to the closest aerodrome at
Truscott and remain on standby for support.
"Oil seems to be evaporating at the same rate as it is leaking," Ms Jiggins said.
"The spill has remained in the same area for the past 24 hours," she said.
"That's encouraging for us."
Any outcomes from the dispersant operation were not likely to be evident until
Sunday morning, she said.