Fire Breaks Out On Petrobras Offshore Platform Set For Sale, 32 Injured

A fire broke out early Monday morning, April 21, on an offshore platform owned by Petrobras, injuring dozens of workers just months before its scheduled transfer to Perenco.

The platform, Cherne 1 (PCH-1), located about 80 miles off the coast in Brazil’s Campos Basin, caught fire around 7:20 am while still functioning as a relay unit for gas transfers.

According to the North Fluminense Oil Workers Union (Sindipetro-NF), the fire began after a likely explosion on one of the production decks located beneath the living quarters, where cabins and dining areas are situated.

Thick smoke and flames were visible, and emergency response teams battled the blaze for nearly four hours, finally extinguishing it around 11:25 am.

At the time of the incident, 176 workers were onboard. Tankers were positioned nearby, prepared for gas loading operations.

During the fire, one worker suffered burns and fell from the platform. He was rescued by the offshore support vessel Locar XXII, treated onboard, and later transferred to a hospital in Macaé.

Petrobras confirmed this rescue and added that the injured worker remained conscious throughout.

The company also reported that 13 more workers were injured. However, the union stated that by Monday night, the total number of injured personnel had risen to 32.

Among them, 14 workers sustained burn injuries, while the rest suffered from smoke inhalation. After the incident, Petrobras evacuated all non-essential personnel from the platform.

Cherne 1 is one of Petrobras’ older offshore platforms.

Although oil and gas production had been suspended on the platform since 2020 after being categorised as part of the company’s mature and non-lucrative assets, it continued operations in a limited capacity by transferring gas from other nearby assets to waiting tankers.

In 2024, Perenco entered into an agreement to purchase several assets from Petrobras, including Cherne 1 and another deactivated platform, Cherne 2 (PCH-2), located in the Cherne and Bagre fields.

The transaction is expected to be completed in 2025, after which Perenco aims to redevelop the facilities, restart oil production, and tap into the area’s gas reserves.

After the incident, Sindipetro-NF voiced concern over ongoing safety issues in the offshore oil sector.

The union linked the fire to long-standing underinvestment and deteriorating safety standards.

They pointed to 2024 records showing 731 offshore incidents involving 183 injuries and one fatality.

Petrobras has confirmed the launch of an internal investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.

The company also committed to reassessing and strengthening safety procedures before allowing any operations to resume on Cherne 1.

References: crewmirror, safety4sea

Source: Maritime Shipping News