Notice issued over North Sea platform gas leak

Oil giant Shell has been issued with an improvement notice by health and safety inspectors over a gas leak on a North Sea platform last year.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that the company failed to prevent the uncontrolled release of flammable or explosive substances on the Brent Bravo installation in November.

It is claimed valves were not kept in efficient working order.

Shell said work had been completed to comply with the notice.

The company said it was a "small hydrocarbon release".

Brent Bravo is 115 miles (185km) north east of Lerwick in Shetland.