Seventeen people were injured, including four seriously, when a fire broke out early Tuesday on Chevron’s Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) oil platform off the coast of Angola, authorities and the company confirmed.
The fire occurred on the basement deck of the multi-storey platform, which is located about 60 miles (97 km) offshore from the Cabinda coast in Angola’s Block 14 concession. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas, and Biofuels stated that all injured personnel have been brought ashore and are receiving medical treatment.
Chevron confirmed that the incident took place during a scheduled annual maintenance shutdown, with production at the BBLT platform having ceased on May 1. The platform, which has living quarters for approximately 157 people, had no active production at the time of the fire. Chevron reported that all personnel have been accounted for, and the fire began around 3 a.m. (0200 GMT).
