The oil giant Shell has been given a deadline for action to remedy a breach of safety regulations on its Cormorant Alpha platform in the North Sea.

The Health and Safety Executive has served an order on Shell and could take legal action if the work is not undertaken.

Inspectors visited Cormorant Alpha last year and called on Shell to take action on a number of safety issues, although they stressed at the time that the platform was not in an unsafe condition.

Letter to company

The HSE wrote to Shell within the last month saying it believed there had been a breach of offshore safety regulations, it has been revealed.

The breach related to the platform's written system for verifying that "safety-critical" equipment and procedures were up to standard.

Shell has been given until the end of April to put this right - or face the possibility or prosecution and a fine up to £20,000.

The HSE has also asked Shell to consider the safety verification implications for the company's other offshore installations.

A statement from the company has expressed surprise that the HSE had felt it necessary to issue the notice.

It added that Shell has had "an open and constructive dialogue" with inspectors them on the verification scheme.

Union's concern

The HSE findings have been used by the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee to highlight the union's wider concerns about North Sea safety.

The report noted there were problems with emergency lighting in one area - a finding which it says is of "serious concern" and raised some doubts as to the satisfactory performance of all other emergency lighting on the platform.