Workers Injured by Fire Aboard Petrobras Platform Pending Sale to Perenco

Multiple injuries are being reported as fire hit one of the offshore platforms owned by Brazil’s Petrobras which is part of a pending sale to Perenco. The workers’ union was first to report the fire which it says took four hours to control. The incident was later confirmed by Petrobras.

The fire started Monday morning, April 21, on the platform PCH-1 in the Cherne field in the Campos basin approximately 80 miles offshore. The union, Sindipetro-NF, is saying that it began around 0720. It reported there was likely an explosion on one of the production decks located below the housing (where the workers' cabins and food areas are located). Reports indicate heavy smoke and flames with the union saying it took till 1125 for the fire to be extinguished.

There were 176 workers aboard the platform when the fire broke out with tankers standing by for the loading of gas. Sindipetro-NF is saying that one worker was burnt and fell from the platform being rescued by the Locar XXII vessel, suffering from burns, but remained conscious. Petrobras confirmed the worker was treated on an offshore support vessel and later transferred to a hospital.

Petrobras listed 13 additional workers as having been injured. Sindipetro-NF however says as of Monday night, 32 oil workers had been identified as injured with 14 due to burns and the rest due to smoke inhalation. It is also saying that all non-essential personnel were evacuated from the platform on Monday afternoon.

It is one of Petrobras’ older platforms and oil and gas production was suspended in 2020 after it was identified among a series of mature and non-lucrative assets in Brazil. The platform has continued to operate in a relay capacity transferring gas from other assets in the basin to tankers.

Perenco announced in 2024 an agreement to acquire assets from Petrobras in the Cherne and Bagre fields including the deactivated platforms PCH-1 and PCH-2. The company said it would complete the deal in 2025 and then begin a redevelopment project to revitalize the assets, restart oil production, and unlock gas reserves.

Petrobras is promising to launch a commission to investigate the cause of the fire.