Early on Tuesday, May 20 morning, a fire at Chevron’s (CVX.N) caused 17 injuries, four of which were critical.
In a statement, Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels stated that all of the injured were “now on land and receiving appropriate medical care.”
The fire occurred during BBLT’s yearly maintenance as part of a planned shutdown, and on May 1 of this year, all production at the site ceased.
Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, a leading oil and gas producer in Sub-Saharan Africa and the second-largest crude producer after Nigeria, operates the platform on behalf of Chevron’s Angolan division. Approximately 157 people can live on the heavy platform, according to Chevron’s website. Around three in the morning, the fire started. (0200 GMT), and every employee is safe, according to Chevron.
According to statements from the U.S. oil major and Angolan authorities, it opens a new tab deep-water Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) oil platform. Investigations are underway to determine what caused the fire, which broke out in the basement deck of the multi-story drilling production platform in the Block 14 concession about 60 miles (97 km) off the coast of Cabinda.