Gas keeps burning by Black Sea platforms seized by Russia

Off the western coast of temporarily occupied Crimea and toward Snake Island, gas has been burning from wells for more than two years, and new sources of fire keep emerging.

This is reported by the Center for Journalistic Investigations, referring to data from the Sentinel-2 satellite, Ukrinform reports.

"... next to the Ukrainian drilling rigs and block conductors seized by Russia on the Black Sea shelf, gas leaking from the wells has been burning continuously for more than two years, and new hot cells are also appearing," the post says.

It is noted that as of October 30, plumes of smoke were recorded at four out of 14 sites, and the longest fire has been going on from June 2022.

"For the third fall in a row, located approximately 50 kilometers east of Snake Island, one of the three block conductors in the Odesa gas field looks more like an ‘eternal flame,’” noted the Center for Journalistic Investigations.

Smoke has also been observed at the nearby sea ice-resistant stationary platform since August 10, after the Ukrainian Navy, in cooperation with defense intelligence, launched a missile attack on one of the offshore platforms captured by the Russians.

The third blazing cell appeared in the first decade of August when one of the three platforms set up closer to the western coast of the Crimean Peninsula was engaged. The fire on the nearby platform started a few days ago – the satellite recorded a plume of smoke on October 30.

After the Ukrainian strikes, the Chernomorneftegaz company, which is controlled by Russian occupation authorities of Crimea, announced the cessation of exploitation of deposits, which reduced hydrocarbon output in the temporarily occupied Crimea by 28.1%.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Ukraine’s defense intelligence units executed a special raid, as a result of which control was regained of the so-called "Boiko rigs" - oil and gas drilling platforms off the shore of Crimea in the Black Sea.

Photo: apps.sentinel-hub.com