Cordon scaled back around Forties Pipeline crack
At least one local family are back home in time for Christmas
The cordon round the section of the Forties Pipeline in Aberdeenshire where a crack has appeared has been scaled back.
Owners INEOS say it the hairline crack near Netherley has stabilised and has not grown in the past 48 hours.
The safety cordon has been reduced from 300m to 150m.
It means five properties which had been affected are no longer inside the cordon.
At least one family has now decided to return home in time for Christmas.
Northsound broke the news last week that a crack had been discovered.
But the Forties Pipeline was shut down earlier this week when it was discovered the crack had grown.
Oil and Gas UK have estimated to the cost to the North Sea sector as £20 million every day.
INEOS still cannot confirm when it will be fixed, but they are expecting it to take weeks, rather than days.