The oil and gas concern said it had sent the expert to inspect a wellhead above the Elgin, which has been leaking gas since March 25.

"Total confirms that a helicopter took off from Aberdeen at 10:30 a.m. (local time) today with the objective of landing on the Elgin…. to allow a specialized team to perform a reconnaissance mission," a spokesman said, adding, "if it is safe to do so."

The crew of eight aboard the helicopter is a mix of Total and Houston-based company Wild Well Control, which was involved in trying to cap the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Held up by weather

Total's mission on board the platform, 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of the Scottish city of Aberdeen, was delayed when blizzards swept across Scotland.

For their own protection, the workers were to be equipped with personal breathing apparatuses and gas detectors.

Total's Anglo-Dutch rival Shell has had to stop output at the nearby Shearwater platform and Noble Hans Deul rig, because of concerns about safety. It is believed that 200,000 cubic meters of flammable gas are pouring from sea floor each day at the platform.

On March 25, all 238 workers were taken to safety from the Elgin platform and a two-mile exclusion zone was set up around the site, amid fears of a possible explosion.

rc/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters)