Fatal oil rig accident leads to one death in Cabinda
In a surprising turn of events, an unfortunate incident occurred last Tuesday on the Deepwater Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) platform, operated by Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (Cabgoc), a subsidiary of the multinational Chevron Corporation. The accident, which took place during the platform's annual maintenance, left seventeen individuals injured, with four of them suffering severe wounds.
Immediately following the fire, emergency response protocols were activated, and the blaze was successfully controlled by the company's personnel. It was also confirmed that all personnel on the platform had been accounted for at the time. The platform had been under maintenance since May 1, 2025.
On May 25, 2025, authorities, in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies, announced the recovery of a body underwater near the BBLT platform. Although the official statement did not explicitly confirm the connection, the context strongly implies that the deceased is the person previously reported missing after the fire. The authorities are currently working on the identification process.
It should be noted that Cabgoc operates two concessions on behalf of its partners in Block 0 and Block 14 in Angola. These partnerships include Sonangol E.P., TotalEnergies EP Petroleum (Angola) SAS, Azule Energy Angola Production B.V., and several other entities.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (Mirempet), and Cabgoc. Ensuring the safety of all personnel and providing support to the injured remain top priorities.
The accident resulted in seventeen injuries (four serious) and the tragic death of one individual, whose identification is still ongoing. The investigation into the fire's cause continues.
The tragedy on the Deepwater Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) platform, operated by Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (Cabgoc), a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has resonated in the general-news, oil-and-gas, and energy sectors worldwide. This incident, marked by fire, injuries, and a fatality, has sparked intense scrutiny and investigation by the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG), the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (Mirempet), and Cabgoc itself. Amidst the ongoing identification process of the deceased and the commitment to support the injured, questions regarding the safety of the industry and specific practices within the world of finance, including Chevron Corporation and its subsidiaries, are being raised.
