A fatal fire on a Perenco-operated oil platform in Gabon, which resulted in the loss of five lives and left one worker missing, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) has announced its plans to visit the country. The fire occurred during a workover operation at the Simba field, on the Becuna rig operated by Perenco Oil & Gas Gabon. Gabon’s Prime Minister and Minister for Petroleum traveled to the city of Port-Gentil for a memorial service to honor the victims. In response to the tragedy, three concurrent investigations have been launched by the Port-Gentil public prosecutor’s office, the General Directorate of Hydrocarbons, and Perenco. The Ministry of Petroleum and Gas in Gabon stated that the results of these investigations should enable appropriate measures to be taken to avoid similar setbacks in the future. The AEC’s visit to Gabon is intended to stand in solidarity with the families who have tragically lost their loved ones. The AEC stated that it is imperative that every effort is made to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. The Chamber will continue to work with the independent oil and gas company to advance worker safety and the maximization of Africa’s vast hydrocarbon resources to drive the growth of the Gabonese and African economies. AEC executive chairman NJ Ayuk expressed that the chamber “mourns the loss of this tragic accident” and emphasized that they will continue to work with Perenco and Gabon to improve the working standards to ensure this does not happen again. Perenco issued a statement expressing deep regret over the incident and confirmed that there have been five fatalities and one person is still missing. The company’s emergency teams continue to be deployed on site and to search for the missing person. The AEC highlighted the importance of the Simba field, which accounts for 4% of the west African country’s oil production alone, and is crucial for the stability of Gabon and Africa’s oil market and economic expansion. In conclusion, while this incident is a tragic reminder of the risks associated with the oil and gas industry, it also underscores the importance of continuous efforts towards improving safety standards. The solidarity and commitment shown by the AEC provide a beacon of hope for a safer and more secure future in the industry.
Source: Energy Voice
