On May 20, 2025, a fire broke out at around 3 a.m. local time on Chevron’s deepwater Benguela Belize Lobito Tomboco (BBLT) oil platform, located offshore, about 60 miles off the coast of Cabinda, Angola.
The blaze started in the basement deck of the multi-story drilling and production platform, which also houses living quarters for approximately 157 people. At the time, the facility was undergoing its annual maintenance during a scheduled shutdown, with all production halted since May 1.
Seventeen people were injured in the incident, including four who suffered serious burns. All injured personnel were evacuated to land and are receiving appropriate medical care.
While Chevron initially reported that all personnel had been accounted for, Angolan authorities later confirmed that one person was still missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The fire was successfully extinguished following immediate emergency response actions. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
